I come in peace, and I respectfully have a question

[Duke Blu]

I am obviously a Duke fan and I grew up in NJ, came close to going to St Anthony’s to play basketball. I say all of that to say, I clearly have a bunch of bias and may not be the best at providing an opinion on what I want to ask. But who better than UK fans for this?

Was K every bit as bad as Danny Hurley (even Bobby sometimes) in terms of working the refs?

I know K worked the refs and I know K substantially got some favoritism. I can admit that. But was K as brutal as Danny is perceived in your opinion?

 

[Jeff Sykes]

That is a good question but at this moment I think I would lean toward Danny Hurley being worse. K I believe just done it to intimidate the refs into what he wanted call wise. Hurley is an arrogant pos who thinks he and his team are entitled to get those calls.

 

[Wonky]

That is a good question but at this moment I think I would lean toward Danny Hurley being worse. K I believe just done it to intimidate the refs into what he wanted call wise. Hurley is an arrogant pos who thinks he and his team are entitled to get those calls.

This. K was mentored by Bob Knight and learned how to bully officials. Hurley treats them like he wouldn’t piss on them if they were on fire. That act is gonna wear thin real quick.

 

[KentuckyCat420]

Also from NJ, respect the fact you came here with a completely reasonable question.

No, K was not as insufferable and over the top as Hurley.

However, K absolutely bullied his way into calls. What Hurley does works against him because refs clearly don’t like it.

What K did was effective because it almost seemed like refs feared for their jobs if they didn’t oblige.

 

[catben]

I am obviously a Duke fan and I grew up in NJ, came close to going to St Anthony’s to play basketball. I say all of that to say, I clearly have a bunch of bias and may not be the best at providing an opinion on what I want to ask. But who better than UK fans for this?

Was K every bit as bad as Danny Hurley (even Bobby sometimes) in terms of working the refs?

I know K worked the refs and I know K substantially got some favoritism. I can admit that. But was K as brutal as Danny is perceived in your opinion?

K was way more subtle with officials until the game got really intense and then he would unleash his wrath to intimidate them.

Hurley is just an out and out douche bag that thinks he is entitled to preferential treatment because of his recent success.

I may not have liked K and his tactics, but he had way more respect for the game than Hurley seems to.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

No one is as bad as Hurley.. but K wasn't great either. My issue with K was that when calls didn't go his way, he almost *never* looked to his own players for making a mistake.. instead he went right to the officials. And he went at them with that sneering look he has.

Contrast that to Cal (particularly his first 10 years before his brain broke), snd you'd often find Cal doing a good job of digging into his players for mistakes while also going at the officials when it was time.

With K, it often felt like that parents at the playground who NEVER thought her kid started the fight, it was always the other kids.

 

[uk78]

I don't see K as being anything usual with refs. But, he did turn a blind eye to Grayson Allen's egregious and sometimes dangerous behavior to other players (suspending him for a game when it wouldn't matter), payments or "benefits" to some of his players and recruits (hello Zion), and so isn't exactly the saint he portrays.

 

[catben]

I have a question for you and Duke fans.

What do you guys think about Jay Williams saying Coach K banned him from coming to practice for being critical of him allowing Grayson Allen to play dirty?

And did K do this to any other former players that may have been critical of him?

 

[billoliver40]

Good question. I would point out videos of K sitting on the bench covering his mouth. From what I have heard he did this so he could blast folks and not make it a public embarrassment.

I gotta say Hurley takes it to the 'Why doesn't he get T'd up level. Dude is on another world.

 

[Boyd94]

No one is as bad as Hurley.. but K wasn't great either. My issue with K was that when calls didn't go his way, he almost *never* looked to his own players for making a mistake.. instead he went right to the officials. And he went at them with that sneering look he has.

100% this.

 

[Duke Blu]

I have a question for you and Duke fans.

What do you guys think about Jay Williams saying Coach K banned him from coming to practice for being critical of him allowing Grayson Allen to play dirty?

And did K do this to any other former players that may have been critical of him?

I honestly didn’t hear about that. Where the hell have I been. Was it in jest or K just messing with him a bit or was it a situation where he really started treating Jay terribly. I would need more context but my initial reaction is thats weak sauce on K part. As much as I love the man, gotta call it how I see it. Lord knows I have done some weak things in my life.

 

[ukcatz12]

I am obviously a Duke fan and I grew up in NJ

Yup, that checks out.

 

[BBNinSC]

I don’t understand why a Duke fan would post a question about Coach K on a Kentucky site.
The worst thing about K is his voice, that nasal whiny effeminate sound that comes out of that bastard would make a jackass cringe.
Yes, Coach K and Danny Hurley are both contenders for the biggest asshats in college basketball history.

 

[FirewithFire]

Good question. I would point out videos of K sitting on the bench covering his mouth. From what I have heard he did this so he could blast folks and not make it a public embarrassment.

I gotta say Hurley takes it to the 'Why doesn't he get T'd up level. Dude is on another world.

Beat me to it. Yes he was just as bad, but unlike Hurley he was smart enough to not get caught doing it very many times.

 

[yoshukai]

I am obviously a Duke fan and I grew up in NJ, came close to going to St Anthony’s to play basketball. I say all of that to say, I clearly have a bunch of bias and may not be the best at providing an opinion on what I want to ask. But who better than UK fans for this?

Was K every bit as bad as Danny Hurley (even Bobby sometimes) in terms of working the refs?

I know K worked the refs and I know K substantially got some favoritism. I can admit that. But was K as brutal as Danny is perceived in your opinion?

I can’t really say but, he was definitely more low key about it if he was . Hurley is the worst since Bobby Knight . Bobby Knight absolutely bullied referees into favorable calls .

 

[Digger-Cat]

I'm also from Jersey.

But, how would we know if K was worse, or better? We can only see so much on TV, especially before HD became a thing.

But also, even if K threatened an official's family, nobody would say anything, because K was a God in the sport.

Dan Hurley is nothing but a punk, that hasn't earned his stripes yet. There's no short cut to the top, winning a couple titles doesn’t automatically give you the immunity idol.

 

[Deli owl]

K cheated more than any coach in history.

 

[Cold Stout Beer]

I am obviously a Duke fan and I grew up in NJ, came close to going to St Anthony’s to play basketball. I say all of that to say, I clearly have a bunch of bias and may not be the best at providing an opinion on what I want to ask. But who better than UK fans for this?

Was K every bit as bad as Danny Hurley (even Bobby sometimes) in terms of working the refs?

I know K worked the refs and I know K substantially got some favoritism. I can admit that. But was K as brutal as Danny is perceived in your opinion?

He’s a despicable human. He proved it loud and clear when a lowly staffer tried to hand him a clipboard and he knocked it out of their hand and onto the floor. He further proved it when they had a whole ceremony to honor his career and he pouted the entire time because UNC had just beaten him (again).

 

[Digger-Cat]

 

[L.O.D.]

The call K got in early 00s m late 90s was criminal n the worst ref favoritism I ever saw..

 

[catzcan]

K was a whiner imho. Just constantly pestering the refs.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

I’m super confused about a lot of the answers here. K was equally as terrible to refs. Sometimes much worse, sometimes not quite as bad; but overall I would say just about the same. Only thing is K did if for decades and got nothing but respect and love from the media. Never did I hear the media say one thing about K like they have about Hurley.

K would basically verbally molest the refs every game if they weren’t blowing someone out. Common place to read his lips and see F bombs come out one after the other. Dude was foul and awful. And he never let up, bullying his way to calls constantly. He was such a saint though. Just don’t let your kid sit within ear shot of the bench.

Answers above are weird to me. If anyone would have ever seen K mouth the same shit that Hurley did the other day, would anyone have been shocked? Be honest. Not one damn bit.

This has nothing to do with you @Duke Blu - no offense meant to you at all.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

He’s a despicable human. He proved it loud and clear when a lowly staffer tried to hand him a clipboard and he knocked it out of their hand and onto the floor. He further proved it when they had a whole ceremony to honor his career and he pouted the entire time because UNC had just beaten him (again).

Agree.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

Also, just sincerely curious, why do so many who grow up in Jersey become Duke fans? It’s weird.

 

[YardCat]

I’m super confused about a lot of the answers here. K was equally as terrible to refs. Sometimes much worse, sometimes not quite as bad; but overall I would say just about the same. Only thing is K did if for decades and got nothing but respect and love from the media. Never did I hear the media say one thing about K like they have about Hurley.

K would basically verbally molest the refs every game if they weren’t blowing someone out. Common place to read his lips and see F bombs come out one after the other. Dude was foul and awful. And he never let up, bullying his way to calls constantly. He was such a saint though. Just don’t let your kid sit within ear shot of the bench.

Answers above are weird to me. If anyone would have ever seen K mouth the same shit that Hurley did the other day, would anyone have been shocked? Be honest. Not one damn bit.

This has nothing to do with you @Duke Blu - no offense meant to you at all.

The Duke games that I have actually attended we could hear him cuss the officials. Now the media films every game everywhere so we see Hurley that we didn’t see from K 20 years ago. So, I guess they are both douche bags. (Winning Douche Bags)

 

[docholiday51]

This. K was mentored by Bob Knight and learned how to bully officials. Hurley treats them like he wouldn’t piss on them if they were on fire. That act is gonna wear thin real quick.

Pretty much nailed it

 

[Duke Blu]

Also, just sincerely curious, why do so many who grow up in Jersey become Duke fans? It’s weird.

I can’t speak for everyone but I can speculate. Are you familiar with Bobby Hurley senior? He is in the Hall of Fame. Coached at St Anthonys of NJ, won numerous high school championships. He is a GOAT. At any rate, when Bobby Jr went there and of course had the immediate success, it just created a cult following in my opinion. Also, there has always been a large Duke alumni presence in NJ. And of course K made sure Duke played in the tri state area every year, whether the Meadowlands, MSG and recently Brooklyn. Anyway, I began following when Alaa Abdelnabi went there from Bloomfield NJ. He was a friend of the family and then Bobby going there not too long after sealed the deal. In later times, Jay Williams and of course Kyrie (both from Jersey) kept the trend going. Just a lot of ties via the school itself and some of the players

 

[Fitch44]

Shiteshefski is the worst of all time.
From how he treated officials to the cheating he got away with.
He is the phoniest coach in the history of sport.

 

[JonathanW]

That is a good question but at this moment I think I would lean toward Danny Hurley being worse. K I believe just done it to intimidate the refs into what he wanted call wise. Hurley is an arrogant pos who thinks he and his team are entitled to get those calls.

I would agree with this.

 

[Soupbean]

K was way more subtle with officials until the game got really intense and then he would unleash his wrath to intimidate them.

Hurley is just an out and out douche bag that thinks he is entitled to preferential treatment because of his recent success.

I may not have liked K and his tactics, but he had way more respect for the game than Hurley seems to.

Yeah I think K felt the same angry frustration Hurley (and a lot of coaches) do during games at the refs but K channeled so that instead of ranting like a lunatic, his approach was more to use his stature and position in the game to intimidate them. It was a "you know who I am and I'm watching you" kind of thing.

 

[Fox2monk]

I am obviously a Duke fan and I grew up in NJ, came close to going to St Anthony’s to play basketball. I say all of that to say, I clearly have a bunch of bias and may not be the best at providing an opinion on what I want to ask. But who better than UK fans for this?

Was K every bit as bad as Danny Hurley (even Bobby sometimes) in terms of working the refs?

I know K worked the refs and I know K substantially got some favoritism. I can admit that. But was K as brutal as Danny is perceived in your opinion?

Yeah he was for sure but he was more of a on the down low jackass vs a in your face jerk like Hurley.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

The difference is K did his things in a manner many didn't know how vulgar he really talked. Sit near him at an AAU game and you'd be shocked what he'd say about the AAU coaches, the officials doing those games and even some players who weren't his guys. Hurley just lets you see what he is and carries a chip on his shoulder because he wasn't the player his brother was and he's openly admitted he deals with mental health issues.

Every high major coach at a big time program expects calls and whines to the officials about things. People just don't care to actually be able to hear/read lips of what is being said and how demonstrative he is as a coach. Hurley is just as insane with his own staff and players during practices. It's why he's not a long timer for this industry and admits that as well.

So it really depends on how you like to watch/receive your vulgarity and intimidation tactics?

 

[CHAMPCAT11]

I think if you had a checklist of what it takes to be the biggest prick as a high level D-1 coach they would both check ALL of the boxes. But as much as K makes most college basketball fans sick to their stomach he seemed to know when to sit down. Hurley has that punchable face and personality that make you despise him and want to punch him at the same time. Both are douche bags but Hurley is the slightly larger douche bag.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

I am obviously a Duke fan and I grew up in NJ, came close to going to St Anthony’s to play basketball. I say all of that to say, I clearly have a bunch of bias and may not be the best at providing an opinion on what I want to ask. But who better than UK fans for this?

Was K every bit as bad as Danny Hurley (even Bobby sometimes) in terms of working the refs?

I know K worked the refs and I know K substantially got some favoritism. I can admit that. But was K as brutal as Danny is perceived in your opinion?

Hurley is defiently getting close. The comment he made about being the best coach so he should get calls was bad

 

[Kybluedude]

The difference is K did his things in a manner many didn't know how vulgar he really talked. Sit near him at an AAU game and you'd be shocked what he'd say about the AAU coaches, the officials doing those games and even some players who weren't his guys. Hurley just lets you see what he is and carries a chip on his shoulder because he wasn't the player his brother was and he's openly admitted he deals with mental health issues.

Every high major coach at a big time program expects calls and whines to the officials about things. People just don't care to actually be able to hear/read lips of what is being said and how demonstrative he is as a coach. Hurley is just as insane with his own staff and players during practices. It's why he's not a long timer for this industry and admits that as well.

So it really depends on how you like to watch/receive your vulgarity and intimidation tactics?

Ralph- off topic but do you think Mark Pope should become more aggressive in challenging officials? I guess it’s called “ working “ them and an accepted coaching method. UK is getting smoked this season. in foul calls.

I went to the UK Alabama game and was shocked watching Nate Oakes berate the officials the whole game. UK did not and got outshot 34/20 on Rupp.

 

[Blue_2_the_bone]

I respected K. I don’t respect Hurley.

 

[yabbadabbadoo]

View embedded media

This
K just gets down when things ain’t going good

 

[Digger-Cat]

This
K just gets down when things ain’t going good

He made one of his assistant coaches take all the losses that season. He knew it was going to be a disaster. That was such a fake collapse.

 

[Ron Mehico]

Hurley is more demonstrative and looks ridiculous doing it which draws your eye to him. He looks like an idiotic lunatic throwing a tantrum. K just mainly stood there yelling but it didn’t look as ridiculous or insane.

 

[PhilipVU94]

Ralph- off topic but do you think Mark Pope should become more aggressive in challenging officials? I guess it’s called “ working “ them and an accepted coaching method.

I'm neither a Kentucky nor a Duke fan, but from my perspective the thing about working officials is respect and confirmation bias. If an official respects someone as a good coach, the coach "working him" will cause the official to second-guess himself just a bit, the little bit that makes it effective.

But the same behavior by a coach they don't respect will just come off as whiny. At best they'll tune the coach out; at worst they'll go looking for a reason to T up the coach.

I have no idea where Mark Pope falls in that, but I can imagine that Nate Oats is probably a lot more effective at working officials than his first year in the league, even if he hasn't changed a thing.