Over the course of the past week, the Naismith Hall of Fame announced this year's nominees and finally made a decision on who would be going into the '09 class. Although the class had a list of heralded athletes, of which includes inductees David Robinson and Michael Jordan, the selection committee made a gigantic mistake in not choosing Coach Hurley. The Hall of Fame is not just an institution of great players and winning shots, it is a temple of the game of basketball, one that should honor the games greatest both on the court as well as off the court. The impact that a coach can have on a player or a situation is enormous, and for the selection committee to snub one of its own best all-around men, speaks volumes to the committee's lack of understanding. Maybe the committee has a problem with putting a coach in who "decided" on his own to stay at the high school level. Or maybe the committee is having trouble seeing what a great and self-righteous choice Mr. Hurley made to stay at the high school level.
Coach Hurley gave up the extra money and he gave up the fame because he knew in his heart that coaching in Jersey City, where many kids are disadvantaged and use the game to get out, was the best way to make an impact upon this world as well as the game. He used his LOVE of the game to change the lives of those around him for the better. Mr. Hurley has had a hand in getting hundreds of kids into colleges, and without him, many of those kids probably would not have had the chance to go to college at all. Terry Dehere said the other day comparing Jordan and Hurley, " I don't know if Michael Jordan had a role in getting over 200 kids into college. He never had to be part psychologist, part father, part protector to all those kids for four years."
Terry Dehere went on to say that "he knew" the committee made a mistake, and that his success can be credited to how Coach Hurley instilled a sense of discipline into him. Is that story alone not enough? He has made a profound impact on the lives of hundreds of young teenagers searching for themselves as well as the game. I personally had the chance to experience playing against a Coach Hurley St. Anthony's basketball team, and it is amazing the work he does at the school. The respect between player and coach and vice versa can be seen through the discipline of the players both on the court and off the court. When he is speaking to a player, the player is quiet, listening and always making eye contact. What's amazing is that I do not even need to mention that he has won nearly 1000 games, has 24 state championships in the toughest division in the state (Parochial) and has a winning percentage over 90. That is not what truly matters. Where I am going with this is that Coach Hurley develops young kids into respectable and honored men and that he deserves fully to be in the Hall of Fame, and without him, it will never be complete.
