One of the most peculiar things about competitive sports is the hate that arises when someone finds sustained success. Simply mentioning names like LeBron James, Tom Brady, or Patrick Mahomes often provokes a negative response from complete strangers.
The same goes for discussions about some of sports’ greatest dynasties—the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Lakers, and New York Yankees have all gathered their fair share of hate on the back of success in past decades
Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies are currently college basketball’s equivalent to a “dynasty,” as they became the first team to win back-to-back national championships since Florida (2006-07) and just the second since Duke did it back in the early 90s.
As Hurley and the Huskies chase a third straight title, the pressure and hatred surrounding the program continues to mount, and on Tuesday night, we saw some of it boil over.
UConn earned a gritty 70-66 win over No. 24 Creighton, which included erasing a 14-point deficit in the midst of a hostile crowd in Omaha. Bluejay fans were letting the Huskies have it, too, as “F— Dan Hurley” chants could be heard throughout the game.
But, as the victors walked off the court, Hurley barked back at those sticking around to heckle him further.
“Bye-bye! Two rings! Two rings,“ he shouted. Check it out.
Here’s another shot of him entering the tunnel, appearing to mock someone who made fun of his look with a quick “two rings, baldy,” as he left.
Naturally, the social media response to Hurley’s postgame antics was notable, to say the least.
“If you genuinely like this guy, you are a clown,” one user said.
Another fan went as far as to call Hurley “the most annoying human being of all time.”
UConn is now 18-7 on the year and should be back in the Top 25 after falling just outside the poll this week. They’ll pick the action back up at Seton Hall on Saturday.
