Hurley Wins Over Critics With Wild Duke Victory

Hurley Wins Over Critics With Wild Duke Victory

UConn’s fiery coach, Danny Hurley, has officially won over some of his biggest doubters, including sports commentators Domonique Foxworth and Bomani Jones. After witnessing Hurley’s intense sideline behavior during a dramatic comeback win against Duke, both analysts admitted they’ve become “Danny Hurley guys.” It seems the Huskies’ coach’s unique brand of passion and, frankly, madness, has won them over.

“He sheepishly admitted it. ‘I’m a Danny Hurley guy now. Not ashamed of it,'” Foxworth recalled. The moment that sealed the deal for many, including Foxworth, was seeing Hurley’s intense interaction with a referee. “You saw him face mush that ref and he’s liked it,” Foxworth added, comparing the energy to high school football games.

A Coach’s Historic Run

Bomani Jones acknowledged Hurley’s success, stating, “The dude’s on a historic run. He’s a winner. He’s a lunatic. He’s absolutely insane.” Jones continued, “Watching him act stupid in that comeback win over Duke like, ‘All right, you kind of annoyed me up until this point, but you won me over.'” The intensity was palpable, with Hurley even appearing to headbutt his way towards a potential game-losing situation, a move that left observers stunned.

“I wish I wish I disliked him more than I do. I’m right here with you.”

The sentiment is shared. Foxworth admitted, “I wish I disliked him more than I do.” He elaborated on his feelings, saying, “You know what? I feel the same about him as I do about Kim Mulkey. I’m not sure how much I like you, but I’m glad you’re here.” This comparison highlights a common feeling: admiration for the success, even if the personality is challenging.

Genuine Intensity, Not Performance

What seems to resonate with the commentators is Hurley’s perceived authenticity. “He is genuine to like it doesn’t I guess maybe that’s part of it too is in that moment there’s no like I’m not saying that I have some great judge of when people are being like performative or authentic like I think I get a good sense for most of it,” Jones explained. He believes Hurley’s intense persona isn’t an act. “But in that moment, that lunatic was a lunatic all the time,” Jones added. “It’s like this guy nuts and I I don’t care I don’t know if I like him or not but I just I know who he is he don’t sugarcoat it he’s a damn lunatic and I I love it.”

The commentators appreciate that Hurley doesn’t hide who he is. “I’m happy that there’s places for lunatics to work,” Jones said. Foxworth agreed, noting the positive impact of a coach with such a distinct personality. “It’s so good to have a coach that is going to walk out of the tunnel and everybody’s going to boot. Love it. Love it.” He clarified that Hurley’s intensity is different from other coaches he’s disliked. “And not like in the Bob Knight sense where I truly think that’s a bad person. I just think this guy’s a jerk,” Foxworth stated.

A Place for Pricks in College Sports

The discussion also touched on the unique role of coaches in high-level college athletics. “It’s also just like, oh, I know you’ve felt the same way about this. If you can’t be a weirdo and kind of a prick as a college athletics coach at the top of Division I, then where where’s your place in society?” Jones mused. The idea is that such demanding roles might actually attract and even require a certain level of eccentric or aggressive personality to succeed at the highest levels. The ability to push boundaries, as Hurley clearly does, seems to be a key ingredient for his success and, surprisingly, for winning over his critics.

Source: Why Domonique and Bomani are officially Danny Hurley guys (YouTube)