UConn SID apologizes to reporter for confrontation, threating to 'ruin' his life over Dan Hurley video

After Charlotte Sports Live reporter posted a video of Dan Hurley cursing about the officiating following UConn‘s loss to Florida in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, Huskies men’s basketball director of communications Bobby Mullen reportedly threatened to “ruin” Ellis’ life if he didn’t take down the video. On Tuesday, Ellis confirmed he’d spoken with Mullen since the incident.

“Just a quick (and hopefully final) update: Bobby Mullen and I spoke a short time ago, during which he apologized for his behavior,” Ellis wrote on X. “I accepted it … and life rolls on.”

Ellis didn’t take down the video despite Mullen’s threats after the game and the post went viral. As of this report, the video of Hurley has over 1.3 million views on X alone.

“I hope they don’t f*** you like they f***ed us,” Hurley said to Baylor’s team waiting in the tunnel in the video. “I really hope they don’t do that to you, Baylor.”

Hurley was obviously frustrated after his team fell in nail-biting 77-75 fashion to Florida in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Specifically, Hurley wasn’t happy with the game’s officiating.

In the loss, UConn was called for 21 fouls in the compared to Florida’s 17. In turn, the Gators shot 34 free throws while the Huskies only shot 22. Mullen initially attempted to explain his alleged actions in a statement to Charlotte Sports Live.

“The lasting image of coach Hurley leaving the court should have been his talking off the court arm-in-arm with his seniors, overwhelmed emotion,” Mullen said. “Instead, a reporter was in an area he should not have been, recorded on his cell phone a private comment made to members of another coaching staff.”

Mullen didn’t stop there. After Charlotte Sports Live released a report claiming Mullen threatened Ellis after the game, Mullen quote tweeted the report on X.

““PR man yells at reporter. News at 11,” Mullen wrote in the since-deleted post. “I have a journalism degree and I know the difference between reporting and seeking out ‘gotcha’ moments. My temper flared a bit in a moment of weakness after a loss, but I think the journalists I work with regularly would vouch for me.”

Thankfully, it appears Mullen and Ellis have put their differences behind them. The loss on Sunday was UConn’s first in the NCAA Tournament since 2022. The Huskies won the last two national championships and had a chance to be the first team to three-peat since UCLA won seven in a row from 1967-73.