ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt has an interesting theory on UConn head coach Dan Hurley’s penchant for bad behavior.
It’s been almost two weeks since Hurley’s outburst during a game, where he told an official, “Don’t turn your back on me. I’m the best coach in the f*cking sport.” The Field of 68: After Dark podcast revisited that incident and Hurley’s often controversial actions Thursday with SVP.
Van Pelt noted he’s seen Hurley’s good side in conversations with the coach.
“I had a complete 180 on Dan Hurley. A complete 180,” Van Pelt said. “I got to know him a little bit, had some fantastic conversations on air, some cool conversations off, just about who he is when you talk to him like this … completely different dude.”
Then Van Pelt screwed up his face, hilariously imitating Hurley’s angry interactions with referees.
“It’s not schtick, but that … face, and the hand behind the back and the berating of people, enough man. Enough,” Van Pelt said.
The SportsCenter host said he has a hard time reconciling the nice guy he’s talked to with the angry coach people often see on the court.
“This is a bright, thoughtful man. If he was an a**hole, I’d just say he’s not redeemable,” Van Pelt said. “But he’s not. He’s a thoughtful, bright man, who if you show him that, and you go, ‘Is this really what we’re going to do for 40 minutes?’ You can’t.”
Van Pelt then help up two fingers, saying Hurley might point to the back-to-back NCAA Tournament championship rings he’s won with UConn.
“But when he’s screaming at the dude, ‘I’m the best coach in the f-ing sport’ … c’mon,man,” Van Pelt said.
All of this led to a theory Van Pelt floated.
“I wonder what winning two [championships] in a row does, as opposed to letting you exhale, does it almost tighten the grip, to feel pressure to live up to that,” Van Pelt said. “And I don’t think that’s reasonable, because he doesn’t have the same team.
“I wonder if there’s just a stress … that increases as opposed to decreases. I don’t think he’s a dude that’s like a house money guy, that you can just relax and go, ‘I’m good.’ That’s just not how he’s wired.”
That’s an interesting theory, although it doesn’t explain Hurley’s bad behavior before UConn won consecutive titles. Anyway, as many fans and analysts have pointed out the past couple of years, college basketball needs a villain, and Hurley fills that role, no matter what his motivation.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.