There’s a bunch of reasons I like college sports more than professional. Some of it is the imperfection of the craft, like they still make mistakes. Some of it the number of teams and underdogs. But the thing I like most about college sports, even with the clear professionalization of the enterprise, is there’s some sense of belonging I just can’t find in the pros. Perhaps that’s dated and naïve, but it’s just how I feel. That the kids sitting in the stands at a Kansas basketball game see that team as more than just paid athletes in their gym, but an integrated part of their campus. And at least in my mind, maybe even the players and even coaches feel that way too. And feel free to call me out of touch.
Maybe that’s why I gravitated to a moment at the end of last night’s UConn/Creighton men’s basketball game, when Connecticut’s $50 million head coach Dan Hurley, who had been harassed by Creighton fans all game, jokingly taunted them as he walked off the court following a four-point road win. It wasn’t anything foul, just simply a mocking wave as he mouthed the words “two rings” – meaning the two NCAA championship rings Hurley and UConn won over the past two seasons. And he may have called one fan “baldy,” which is a bit of pot and kettle. Hurley went on to explain his comments in the post-game interview, reminding folks that in past visits to Omaha, all loses, he’s been cursed relentlessly. He once told a Creighton fan that if he jumped the railing, a security guard would knock him out. Just some good-natured ribbing amongst rivals.
While I’d suggest both parties can assume blame, Hurley does seem a lightning rod for heightened emotion. Not long ago he berated an official for turning his back on him and reminded the ref that he was the best coach in the sport. He was a one man spectacle in an early season tournament in Maui, earning far more technical fouls than wins. Hurley uses angst and outrage as strategy, even if unbecoming of the state’s highest paid public employee. But to be fair, it wasn’t all Hurley’s fault. I mean, it was $1 beer night at Creighton, so that probably didn’t help.
It's also fair to acknowledge that Hurley isn’t the first college coach to get into it with college fans, although it’s often in football. Both former Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher and current Penn State head Tom Franklin have called out fans who were basically yelling for them to get fired. Fisher challenged some folks to come down on the field. And this is just a small, small sample. If you’ve spent even a minute in a packed college stadium or arena, you’ll heard enough language to earn a R rating.
I won’t try to defend either the behaviors of college kids gone bad or college coaches responding in kind. Because they’re largely indefensible. And not to state the obvious, but lines can easily be crossed. But that out of the way, I still can’t help but admit that no matter how juvenile or wrong it was for Dan Hurley to mock some 19-year-olds in the stands because his team of future NBA athletes beat the 24th ranked Bluejays, it still made me crack a smile. And while I may not be proud of it, it’s why I can’t quit college sports, especially basketball. Because underneath all the money and corruption and all else, there’s still a type of fandom that’s hard to replicate off campus. Hurley seems to get that – which is probably why he’s a $50 million college coach instead of the $70 million dollar coach the Lakers tried to hire. Say what you want about the NBA, but you’re not going to see Erik Spoelstra taunting Knicks fans in the Garden, not without a quick note from the Commissioner.
Was Dan Hurley a jerk last night? Yes. Was it a great look? No. But I think Hurley’s closing words in the press conference summed up what makes college sports still great. He said, “As long as they’re not leaning over the rail or getting in my face, I think it’s what makes college basketball so much better than any other type of basketball. The home fans here didn’t get the win that they wanted, but they got a show.”
And who wouldn’t like that.
Keith Strudler is the Dean of the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University. You can follow him at @KeithStrudler.
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