UConn PR director apologizes after confronting reporter

A PR specialist doesn’t want to headline a news story unless they’ve done something extraordinarily heroic. We prefer to stay behind the camera and promote others.

That’s why I can empathize with and criticize University of Connecticut Director of Communications Bobby Mullen when he confronted and allegedly threatened a reporter videotaping his angry coach, who’d just lost a tight tournament game.

More than that, however, I applaud Mullen for doing the right thing when he later apologized to Queen City News’ Joey Ellis, who posted Hurley’s f**k-filled fume on social media after the Huskies lost to Florida in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Hurley is known for his emotions, and it’s a good bet the coach’s words and the game triggered Mullen. Regardless, it’s important to remember that how you respond in the heat of a moment reflects on you and your organization.

We live in a society where people too often double down on their wrongs instead of owning their mistakes. I’m glad that Mullen realized what he did and apologized to Ellis—and that Ellis accepted.

On First Thought …

Remember when you told your parents something wasn’t fair, and they responded, “Sometimes life isn’t fair”?

Some sports fans may say the same when they hear their favorite athletes have entered the ✈️ 🚘 transfer portal during one of the most publicized months on the college sports calendar. The portal opened earlier this week while dozens of basketball teams are competing for postseason titles (NCAA, NIT and others).

The timing isn’t fair. It’s not fair to fans and certainly not to athletes and coaches, some as they prepare for another win-or-go-home game while building next season’s roster. 

Fans, don’t blame athletes who think a different situation might be a better fit. Transfer portal disorder wasn’t caused by NIL. This is on the NCAA, which for years, kicked the can of change down the road while it pretended to ignore pressure to evolve. The Association earned every bit of publicity that continues to hang on like a preschooler to his mom’s leg.

The transfer portal timeline must change to restore sanity to the system, but for now, the NCAA has to own the publicity mess it created. Be kind to athletes. And coaches—for whom, incidentally, the transfer portal has always been open.

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© 2025, Gail Sideman, gpublicity.com