Dan Hurley took on a way more apologetic tone when he met with reporters in Connecticut on Wednesday after coming back from an NCAA Event look that led to disappointing vogue and was overshadowed by the UConn coach’s now-viral rant about sport officers.
As Hurley walked off the courtroom and into the tunnel after a 77-75 loss to Florida within the second spherical on Sunday, he was caught on digital camera making remarks in regards to the refs that included a number of expletives.
The clip went viral, the reporter who took the video was allegedly threatened by UConn’s sports activities info director Bobby Mullen to “ruin” his life and UConn grew to become the subject of dialog for sports activities pundits throughout the nation — and never in a great way.
Hurley informed reporters Wednesday that “I wish I didn’t” go overboard whereas nonetheless exhibiting a few of that edge that the UConn coach has come to be identified by.
“Those are three great officials on that game,” Hurley mentioned, based on the Hartford Courant. “So, though I mentioned one thing within the warmth of the second, in an space of the world that in just about each sport I’ve ever coached in faculty has been media-free. Previous the tunnel, by the locker rooms, within the hallway the place the coaches go, that’s for the combatants, that’s for the opponents. That’s not for digital camera telephones. Simply relative to that, these had been three nice refs and Florida earned it.
“If I don’t go off the rails at the end there, after that three-year run ended in excruciating fashion. … If I don’t have that emotional outburst there, probably all people are talking about is the run we’ve had, the amazing players.”
Mullen apologized to Queen Metropolis Information’ Joey Ellis this week for his actions.
Ellis appeared happy to maneuver on from the drama.
Hurley reiterated Mullen’s personal remorse over his function whereas additionally taking the last word blame for the entire thing.
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“Bobby regrets, just like I regret the moments I’ve had. Obviously, it’s all my fault that Bobby got pulled into it,” Hurley mentioned. “I set the entire thing in movement and I really feel horrible. Clearly, he may’ve dealt with coping with the media particular person with the telephone that took the video [differently], he may’ve clearly let it go. He ought to’ve been higher educated for a scenario like this, we’ve been in all of them yr.
“But Bobby’s a soldier. We all fight likem that for each other in our program, and sometimes we go a little too far. But Bobby’s a great guy.”
UConn had been going for its third consecutive nationwide championship this season.
