Dan hurley

[VC99]

"If you give some players money they become worse versions of themselves."

He is not wrong. Matt Jones keeps saying "NIL makes the sport better, etc." but there are many players who literally become worse after they get huge paychecks. Look at Trent Noah/Garrison etc.. Noah has been so busy doing car commercials he literally got worse at shooting lol. At the end of the day we need talented dawgs who are NOT just trying to get a payday AND we need elite coaching and development. This will be Pope's final year to prove he can motivate and develop players.

 

[Smeegs]

Does money make you worse at your job?

I’m not sure I agree with the philosophical musings of Dan Hurley there. We live in a capitalist society, and in a capitalist society money tends to be the great incentivizer to get people to work harder and do a better job.

I wonder if Hurley thinks a pay cut would make him a better coach.

 

[NociHTTP]

Another drive-by bashing of Pope. You're fooling no one

 

[JwUKFan11]

"If you give some players money they become worse versions of themselves."

He is not wrong. Matt Jones keeps saying "NIL makes the sport better, etc." but there are many players who literally become worse after they get huge paychecks. Look at Trent Noah/Garrison etc.. Noah has been so busy doing car commercials he literally got worse at shooting lol. At the end of the day we need talented dawgs who are NOT just trying to get a payday AND we need elite coaching and development. This will be Pope's final year to prove he can motivate and develop players.

Wow you are dumb and proud of it.

 

[VC99]

Does money make you worse at your job?

I’m not sure I agree with the philosophical musings of Dan Hurley there. We live in a capitalist society, and in a capitalist society money tends to be the great incentivizer to get people to work harder and do a better job.

I wonder if Hurley thinks a pay cut would make him a better coach.

There are a couple issues with this. A 40-year old man, with a family, and a career that pays $50,000-$100,000 is not the same as dumping $1,000,000+ on a 19-year old, all at once. In fact, the scenarios are different in pretty much every single way.

 

[ftp000]

"If you give some players money they become worse versions of themselves."

He is not wrong. Matt Jones keeps saying "NIL makes the sport better, etc." but there are many players who literally become worse after they get huge paychecks. Look at Trent Noah/Garrison etc.. Noah has been so busy doing car commercials he literally got worse at shooting lol. At the end of the day we need talented dawgs who are NOT just trying to get a payday AND we need elite coaching and development. This will be Pope's final year to prove he can motivate and develop players.

You are terrible at trolling. It'll be nice when our lineup is complete and you disappear, along with the other phonies.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

Does money make you worse at your job?


I wonder if Hurley thinks a pay cut would make him a better coach.

You beat me to it.

 

[VC99]

You are terrible at trolling. It'll be nice when our lineup is complete and you disappear, along with the other phonies.

Mate are you alright in the head?

 

[Catphright23]

 

[ftp000]

Mate are you alright in the head?

I've been here a long time. I know what you are.

 

[VC99]

I've been here a long time. I know what you are.

Bro thinks he's the protagonist in an Anime lol

 

[UK4Life#9]

I actually agree with this to an extent. Research what most lottery winners do after winning the lottery. It’s usually not good and either end up dead, on drugs or in jail.

 

[BookofMormon]

Does money make you worse at your job?

I’m not sure I agree with the philosophical musings of Dan Hurley there. We live in a capitalist society, and in a capitalist society money tends to be the great incentivizer to get people to work harder and do a better job.

I wonder if Hurley thinks a pay cut would make him a better coach.

You're talking millions of dollars to 19 year olds in a college atmosphere. They barely have the maturity to say thank you properly.

Clearly you don't get it - you're one of those who keeps saying "more, more, more" "gimme, gimme, gimme". Throw anything at him that will get him. Then you become the place players go to cash in - really great culture lemme tell you. OR even worse, you become the place players go to get their highest market value, and take it to the next guy. Last year case in point - must have been great locker room vibes seeing JQ sit on hit butt collecting checks happily.

Yeah, that's the right brand and culture you want to build.

Been saying it - you want to be targeted and have a plan, make a recruit feel like they are part of a focused plan. Not throw spaghetti and dollars against a wall. Hurley starts low, sees how the recruit responds, then negotiates up if they think the recruit is in it for the right reason and a good fit.

 

[Gobigblue812812]

"If you give some players money they become worse versions of themselves."

He is not wrong. Matt Jones keeps saying "NIL makes the sport better, etc." but there are many players who literally become worse after they get huge paychecks. Look at Trent Noah/Garrison etc.. Noah has been so busy doing car commercials he literally got worse at shooting lol. At the end of the day we need talented dawgs who are NOT just trying to get a payday AND we need elite coaching and development. This will be Pope's final year to prove he can motivate and develop players.

I can't stand Hurley but he's right. Some players get lazy and start spending less time at their craft. When an 18yo suddenly gets a 6 or 7 figure paydays overnight that'swhat can happen. Most of these guys at that age are immature, as were most of us.

As far as the coaches? They didn't graduate from high school making 6 and 7 figure salaries. They earned every bit of **** pay working their way up through the system to get to the top.

 

[nssdigitalchumps]

Does money make the game better? No.

Does it make it fair? Yes.

I am sure 10 years from now that NIL will be better constructed and facilitated. Right now, it is the wild west but players deserve the money. Always have.

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

Yeah sure cut their pay, and that'll make em play better. How has no one else thought of this??

 

[jmw23712]

Does money make you worse at your job?

Money specifically? Probably not. But comfort often does.

Look at Cal’s last few years here. Often times pro athletes have their best season and play their hardest on contract years. So I won’t say it makes people worse, but can certainly reduce their hunger to prove themselves and put in their best effort.

 

[VC99]

Yeah sure cut their pay, and that'll make em play better. How has no one else thought of this??

Reverse correlation. You don't cut their pay, you just don't go after guys chasing money.

 

[CatFanMan66]

Does money make the game better? No.

Does it make it fair? Yes.

I am sure 10 years from now that NIL will be better constructed and facilitated. Right now, it is the wild west but players deserve the money. Always have.

How does money make it fair?

 

[Pygmy Sasquatch]

I actually agree with this to an extent. Research what most lottery winners do after winning the lottery. It’s usually not good and either end up dead, on drugs or in jail.

I mean, who doesn't carry 100K in a paper bag to the titty bar?

 

[ftp000]

You're talking millions of dollars to 19 year olds in a college atmosphere. They barely have the maturity to say thank you properly.

Clearly you don't get it - you're one of those who keeps saying "more, more, more" "gimme, gimme, gimme". Throw anything at him that will get him. Then you become the place players go to cash in - really great culture lemme tell you. OR even worse, you become the place players go to get their highest market value, and take it to the next guy. Last year case in point - must have been great locker room vibes seeing JQ sit on hit butt collecting checks happily.

Yeah, that's the right brand and culture you want to build.

Been saying it - you want to be targeted and have a plan, make a recruit feel like they are part of a focused plan. Not throw spaghetti and dollars against a wall. Hurley starts low, sees how the recruit responds, then negotiates up if they think the recruit is in it for the right reason and a good fit.

And yet UCONN spends 19-21 mil in NIL on men's bb.

 

[VC99]

Seems some people here are forgetting we spent $22 million and had severe effort problems. Touch money on 3!

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

Reverse correlation. You don't cut their pay, you just don't go after guys chasing money.

Yeah but you mentioned Noah has one of your examples of an overpaid bum. But he definitely didn't come here chasing money. So how can you tell?

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

Seems some people here are forgetting we spent $22 million and had severe effort problems. Touch money on 3!

That's because Pope was an awful coach this season.
There are a ton of millionaires in the NBA who don't have trouble giving effort.

 

[nssdigitalchumps]

How does money make it fair?

Because the kids are the product on the court making millions for athletics departments, are the reason why shoe and apparel deals happen, and the players do most of the work.

If you got paid pennies while everyone around you was paid millions, I would imagine you would be mad. If you say you wouldn't, then you're just lying.

Seriously, this isn't tough logic to grasp

 

[VC99]

Yeah but you mentioned Noah has one of your examples of an overpaid bum. But he definitely didn't come here chasing money. So how can you tell?

In Noah's case (and I would also throw Potter in there) I don't think they are specifically saying "F basketball I'm just gonna chase money" I think sitting at the end of the bench all year and just doing car commercials does hurt their game and their "dawg" mentality. At what point in the season does Noah feel like he's actually earning his money through ads and not on court production and just mentally flips a switch.

 

[VC99]

That's because Pope was an awful coach this season.
There are a ton of millionaires in the NBA who don't have trouble giving effort.

NBA players is a whole other argument. They made it to the NBA for a reason, they are high achieving, extremely motivated people. that does not describe all 19-year old college players. and yes Pope was also terrible, like I said.

 

[CatFanMan66]

Because the kids are the product on the court making millions for athletics departments, are the reason why shoe and apparel deals happen, and the players do most of the work.

If you got paid pennies while everyone around you was paid millions, I would imagine you would be mad. If you say you wouldn't, then you're just lying.

Seriously, this isn't tough logic to grasp

Because the kids are the product on the court making millions for athletics departments, are the reason why shoe and apparel deals happen, and the players do most of the work.

If you got paid pennies while everyone around you was paid millions, I would imagine you would be mad. If you say you wouldn't, then you're just lying.

Seriously, this isn't tough logic to grasp

The was no fairness in your "logic" Sir and you are an *** to boot.

 

[MethodUK]

As a business owner of 21 years I can say that sometimes more $$ can reduce motivation. Many team members have gone backwards. Some Feel like they are only giving what they are receiving

These are small instances and rarely occur. I do get his point though.

My main issue is these players are getting millions. The game has definitely changed

 

[Smeegs]

Money specifically? Probably not. But comfort often does.

Look at Cal’s last few years here. Often times pro athletes have their best season and play their hardest on contract years. So I won’t say it makes people worse, but can certainly reduce their hunger to prove themselves and put in their best effort.

I’ll concede a bit here. This is a good point. Money is generally an incentiver, but “too much” money can have the opposite effect if it makes one too comfortable and self-satisfied.

And I’ll concede Hurley‘s point has some validity to the extent that money can incentivize players to care more about individual stats than team goals. They know that, when their market value in the portal is gonna be decided at the end of the season, folks are gonna be looking at their personal numbers more than how the team did.

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

In Noah's case (and I would also throw Potter in there) I don't think they are specifically saying "F basketball I'm just gonna chase money" I think sitting at the end of the bench all year and just doing car commercials does hurt their game and their "dawg" mentality. At what point in the season does Noah feel like he's actually earning his money through ads and not on court production and just mentally flips a switch.

True but I think you're seriously overestimating how much Noah actually brings to the table. Dawg or not, he is incredibly limited on the basketball court and that really gets exposed in the long grueling SEC schedule. I don't think it's Noah's mentality holding him back. I just think he's not as good as we thought he could be in Year 1. It happens.

 

[BookofMormon]

And yet UCONN spends 19-21 mil in NIL on men's bb.

Not sure what they spend in total - that sounds high. What I do know is they don't have a conveyor belt of recruits coming through like they're on a factory belt with a machine over them dropping $$.

Guy has a very short list, seems to only bring kids onto campus they know they want/and get. Makes it clear you aren't going there for top dollar. If you want that you can go to........................

The guy is also rolling back every eligible contributor from last year.

Culture setting is important. Dusty was able to pull off the all transfer roster, give him a lot of credit. He's also not rolling every recruit on the market through Ann Arbor.

 

[VC99]

I think the quote is actually talking about Donnie Freeman who Hurly expressed did not want to get in a bidding war, and now it seems Uconn is out, and Hurley is giving an indirect quote on the situation. I think Donnie is a good player and there aren't that many options left but Donnie has documented effort problems and Hurley has been to 3 national championship games in 4 years. I'd trust what Hurley is saying regarding obtaining players who are motivated by achievement and not money, and Hurley has done much better at developing players than Pope, so far.

 

[nssdigitalchumps]

The was no fairness in your "logic" Sir and you are an *** to boot.

Lol -- okay. Whatever you say.

 

[VC99]

Lol -- okay. Whatever you say.

"you are an *** to boot" is a pretty funny insult in 2026 lol

 

[nssdigitalchumps]

"you are an *** to boot" is a pretty funny insult in 2026 lol

It was fantastic.

 

[BookofMormon]

I think the quote is actually talking about Donnie Freeman who Hurly expressed did not want to get in a bidding war, and now it seems Uconn is out, and Hurley is giving an indirect quote on the situation. I think Donnie is a good player and there aren't that many options left but Donnie has documented effort problems and Hurley has been to 3 national championship games in 4 years. I'd trust what Hurley is saying regarding obtaining players who are motivated by achievement and not money, and Hurley has done much better at developing players than Pope, so far.

You also want to make it feel like the program is exclusive in some respect, not a "next" recruiting program.

That sounds like exactly the situation with Freeman - Freeman had hand out and Hurley said no thanks. The guy has only played a little over half the games the last two years.

 

[ftp000]

Not sure what they spend in total - that sounds high. What I do know is they don't have a conveyor belt of recruits coming through like they're on a factory belt with a machine over them dropping $$.

Guy has a very short list, seems to only bring kids onto campus they know they want/and get. Makes it clear you aren't going there for top dollar. If you want that you can go to........................

The guy is also rolling back every eligible contributor from last year.

Culture setting is important. Dusty was able to pull off the all transfer roster, give him a lot of credit. He's also not rolling every recruit on the market through Ann Arbor.

Pope retained most of the eligible players from 24/25 . This year's team needed to be broken up and rebuilt.

 

[BigBluefoot]

Does money make you worse at your job?

I’m not sure I agree with the philosophical musings of Dan Hurley there. We live in a capitalist society, and in a capitalist society money tends to be the great incentivizer to get people to work harder and do a better job.

I wonder if Hurley thinks a pay cut would make him a better coach.

Yeah, but that's with us schmucks living nearly paycheck to paycheck. Working hard so that we will keep our jobs and get a small raise or promotion if we are lucky. Now imagine if you were 19 old kid who never worked a real job in your life and someone gives you 3 million to play basketball for 1 season. You're getting paid that even if you stink or put in little effort. And you could literally retire after one season as teenager or twenty something. I wouldn't have a care in the world. I'm set for life.

 

[ftp000]

I think the quote is actually talking about Donnie Freeman who Hurly expressed did not want to get in a bidding war, and now it seems Uconn is out, and Hurley is giving an indirect quote on the situation. I think Donnie is a good player and there aren't that many options left but Donnie has documented effort problems and Hurley has been to 3 national championship games in 4 years. I'd trust what Hurley is saying regarding obtaining players who are motivated by achievement and not money, and Hurley has done much better at developing players than Pope, so far.

Ahh, so you're saying Hurley didn't want him anyway. But this big revelation comes AFTER he canceled his visit?