‘Did I Say That?’ UConn Basketball Coach Dan Hurley Shocked After Hearing What He Yelled at Ref During Game

University of Connecticut men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley couldn’t believe what he said to a referee when the quote was read back to him.

The 19th-ranked Huskies on Tuesday won 80-78 over unranked Butler. Early in the game, Hurley was seen jawing at officials as the broadcast. Based purely on lip reading, Hurley appeared to tell the ref, “Don’t turn your back on me. I’m the best coach in the fucking sport.”

At Hurley’s post-game press conference, a reporter asked him about the incident to confirm the quote. The coach was initially shocked to hear what he said before taking aim at the media for focusing on him during games.

“Did I say that?” Hurley asked the reporter. I’m gonna sound like an an asshole here, so — the TV likes me, camera. I bet you — I’m gonna have the GAs. I’ll release it to the media, too. What was the game on today? It was on FS1. I just, you know, I just wish they’d put the camera on the other coach more. Obviously, I had a moment with coach Thad Matta today because he was so far out of the box that I figured I would just go over there and have a pow-wow with him and Pat.

“But I just wish they would show these other coaches losing their minds at the officials in other Big East games that I’m coaching, where I look — going into a timeout when I’m not talking to officials — I see other the coaches as demonstrative as I am.”

Hurley acknowledged, however, that the attention is something he created and that he doesn’t consider himself a victim.

Watch above via UConn Athletics