The Time I Met UConn Coach Dan Hurley, And It’s Lasting Effect

I was a huge Seton Hall basketball fan as a kid. Growing up just 30 miles from the South Orange campus, I had a chance encounter with the team's point guard in 1992, #15 Dan Hurley. Now the fearless leader of the NCAA men's basketball champion UConn Huskies, Hurley unexpectedly gave me 30 seconds of his time all those years ago. And it provided me with a memory I'll cherish for the rest of my life.

Shortly before Christmas that season, I was about to embark on one of my favorite adventures of the year. The father of a friend of mine was a proud Seton Hall alumni. Once a year, he would take two of us to campus on a Saturday afternoon.

At this time, the Pirates played most of their home games at Brendan Byrne Arena (RIP) in East Rutherford. So, there would not be a game for us to attend that was actually at Seton Hall when we would visit. In these pre-internet days, we didn't know if there would even be a practice going on.

Still, we took our chances. Our day would consist of no concrete plan other than hitting the bookstore (which was also the team store), roaming aimlessly, and then hitting White Manna's Hamburgers in Hackensack on the way home.

This became an annual tradition for my friend and I, all led by his generous father who knew how much I loved basketball in general, but mainly this Seton Hall squad.

In the early '90s, the team was coached by high-profile and legendary hoops coach P.J. Carlesimo. They were always competitive. The team was just so exciting.

#24 Terry Dehere was the all-star. #21 Jerry Walker was my guy. I always wore #21 in every sport during my youth playing days because of Walker. #50 Luther Wright was the big man. #55 Artūras Karnišovas was the X-factor. Then, #15 Dan Hurley was the fire.

I recall him sometimes going by "Danny Hurley" at that time. He was the electric point, who was full of energy and emotion. Much like you see now on the sideline at UConn.

On this foggy December day we were disappointed to see there was no open practice for us to get a peek at. The bookstore would have to do. I picked out a blue Seton Hall cap that had a white brim.

As I paid at the counter with a $20, the cashier asked me who my favorite player was. "Jerry Walker," I said before she could finish her sentence. For some reason unbeknownst to me, I followed it up with a snappy, "But, I also love Danny Hurley."

Just then I get a tap on my left shoulder. "What's up little man." Guess who happened to walk in and get in line behind me. He was sporting a thick Seton Hall basketball t-shirt that had #15 prominently screen-printed in blue across the belly. I was stunned: it was Dan Hurley himself.

"You a Pirates fan?" he asked in the same thick Jersey accent you hear today at those post-game press conferences. "You guys are the best, my favorite team," I still remember every word of the exchange. Hurley complimented my choice of hat and then offered to sign it. The cashier handed him a black Sharpie, and he signed the white brim with the #15 below his name.

We arrived at Seton Hall that day expecting a few hours of taking in all things Pirates basketball. It ended up being just about 25 minutes, but with a chance encounter that still resonates with me today.

Now, as a youth coach, I frequently think about Hurley's leadership and passion for the game. Sure, he comes from New Jersey basketball royalty, but he is also fiercely true to himself.

His father was a 26-time state champion St. Anthony's high school coach.  His brother Bobby Jr. was an all-everything point guard at Duke who went on to play in the NBA for seven seasons (now head basketball coach at Arizona State). However, Dan's gesture inside the school bookstore over 30 years ago is part of what I believe makes him the best coach in college basketball today.

He didn't have to do that, but Hurley, with sincere authenticity, went out of his way to make a little fan's day. I watched him play so closely for the remainder of his career at the Hall. I was in awe of how much intensity he displayed in every single game.

I try to convey that sort of focused passion when I coach youth football, again often inspired by Hurley. As he continuously proves, the little things make such a big difference. Even if you watched just the championship game vs. Purdue you would notice how much mutual respect there is between Hurley and his players. He speaks of (and coaches) each one of them as unique individuals.

UConn just became the first team to win back-to-back championships in 17 years. A few days earlier, Seton Hall won the NIT championship.

Coach Hurley is getting a lot of praise and recognition for the manner in which he leads his team. He deserves every bit of it.

"Everyone has a podcast now," seems to be a typical response when the topic comes up. Maybe that's true, or more so, that the ability to have the resources to create own is easier. However, some retired professional athletes are finding a great next chapter to their career through impactful podcasts and media platforms.

Still, that does not mean anyone can do it well. The question becomes, how do you sift through and find those that are really doing it right? Aside from what is spoon fed to you through social media, certain athletes have trusted their knowledge and experience of the game to carry them to conversational success.

Well, for starters they need to be legitimate former professional athletes. Meaning, they played in their respective sport at a high-level for a long duration of time.

Next, we're looking for athletes who do this regularly now as a consistent means. In addition, the preference is for their subject matters to have a direct focus. For example, a former NFL star talking about football.

With the exception of Pat McAfee, there are not a ton of athletes (other than Michael Strahan) that can successfully cast a wide net and engage their audience on any topic under the sun. Sure, it can be done. But for this list, the preference is largely for the premise of each show to be somewhat specialized.

Another requirement here is that the athlete has to be retired from the sport and not currently on or associated with a team. That would make someone like Micah Parson (who has a successful podcast) and Travis Kelce ineligible (even though brother and co-host Jason is now retired).

Although the sports and subject matters will vary with this list, there are still a few common themes. Each athlete demonstrates their own personality in their podcast. Sometimes being under a helmet or on the court does not allow an athlete's true personality to always shine through. With a podcast it does.

The host also has a talent where they give the listener a great perspective on the subject at hand. Greg Olsen from Fox Sports does a great job with this on live broadcasts. He gives the audience an inside view of what a player may be thinking in that moment of the game, given he played for so long. He'll also share what goes on inside a locker room.

Before we get to the list, an honorable mention here goes to Fox sports insider, Jay Glazer. He did not make the list because he is not a former pro athlete. However, his Unbreakable podcast that discusses mental health in the world of professional sports has proven to be very impactful.

Without further ado, here are the six great podcasts hosted by retired professional athletes who have built an impressive following with their great shows.

With MLB on Fox and a previous stint hosting The Corp podcast with Barstool Sports, A-Rod has been no stranger to the media world since his retirement. One could argue that his new career has been less polarizing and more engaging as Rodriguez has opened himself up in great ways through the power of conversation. The Deal is hosted alongside Jason Kelly and has included riveting conversations with athletes such as Derek Jeter and Michael Strahan about how they set themselves up for success in New York sports.

Now, this one almost did not make the list because it has blown past the success of just an awesome podcast. Airing weekly live on ESPN, The Pat McAfee Show has put on a clinic on how to be a media host after retirement from sports. McAfee is a ball of personality. He and his crew have done an amazing job tackling sports subjects at hand from a very casual, down-to-earth, and authentic perspective. Yes, some of the dialog falls into the category of them saying what everyone else is thinking. Nonetheless, McAfee is incredibly funny, spontaneous, and witty. These three qualities are not often injected into the narrative of sports but are a refreshing, welcomed change.

Long, who was an outstanding defensive end in the NFL for 11 years, jumped into his Green Lights show pretty quickly upon retiring. What makes this show clever is that Long speaks as if he is still playing and sitting in his chair at his locker inside the stadium. Do you want to know how a situation feels like from a player's perspective? He gives you an honest take. In addition, Long occasionally has guests you would never expect due to the relationships he has forged. For exmple, that time Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament from Pearl Jam were on because Long's father, Howie Long, had befriended Ament as both were Montana residents.

Reddick also jumped in quickly after unlacing his sneakers for the last time. Reddick is very direct and articulate. He falls into a bit of a McAfee category by essentially constructing his own media company that has built into a legit source for basketball knowledge. For example, he recently unveiled a second podcast called Mind The Game, where his co-host is LeBron James. Here, these two basketball minds share insightful knowledge of the X's and O's of basketball and the art of the game.

"Come for the sports, stay for the stories," Nightcap show says. Then, they completely back that up. Hosted by Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, and perhaps the most beloved athlete turned media personality, Shannon Sharpe. This show can be tuned into live on YouTube, at night as it suggests. Or catch the entire thing via podcast. Of course you can't mention Sharpe without a nod to his solo show Club Shay Shay. His interview with Kat Williams has 62 millions views. However, it's the entertaining dynamic of the two different personalities that will give the edge here to Nightcap. Followers know that they go be "Ocho" and "Unc." Sharpe (Unc) usually brings his bold takes while Ocho brings his wild personality. Together, they balance quite well for a very entertaining show.