CINCINNATI (WOWK) – Bob Huggins, the West Virginia University head men’s basketball coach, used a homophobic slur on a Cincinnati sports radio show on Monday.
West Virginia’s athletic department called Huggins’ comments “offensive” and said it was reviewing the matter.
During a call to Cincinnati radio station WLW, Huggins, a former longtime coach at Cincinnati, was asked about the transfer portal and whether he had a chance of landing a player from Xavier, a Jesuit school and the Bearcats’ crosstown rival.
“Catholics don’t do that,” Huggins said. “I tell you what, any school that can throw rubber penises on the floor and then say they didn’t do it, by God they can get away with anything.
“It was the Crosstown Shootout. What it was, was all those (expletive), those Catholic (expletive), I think.”
You can listen to the audio, posted by Awful Announcing on Twitter, by clicking here.
Bob Huggins released a statement through the WVU Men’s Basketball Twitter page.
Earlier today on a Cincinnati radio program, I was asked about the rivalry between my former employer, the University of Cincinnati, and its crosstown rival, Xavier University. During the conversation, I used a completely insensitive and abhorrent phrase that there is simply no excuse for — and I won’t try to make one here. I deeply apologize to the individuals I have offended, as well as to the Xavier University community, the University of Cincinnati and West Virginia University. As I have shared with my players over my 40 years of coaching, there are consequences for our words and actions, and I will fully accept any coming my way. I am ashamed and embarrassed and heartbroken for those I have hurt. I must do better, and I will.
Bob Huggins, West Virginia University head men’s basketball coach
West Virginia University released the following statement:
Coach Huggins’ remarks today on a Cincinnati radio show were insensitive, offensive and do not represent our University values. Coach Huggins has since apologized. West Virginia University does not condone the use of such language and takes such actions very seriously. The situation is under review and will be addressed by the University and its athletics department.
West Virginia University
The audio is from 700WLW, a Cincinnati-based talk radio station.
Huggins spent 16 seasons at Cincinnati before being fired in 2005 in a power struggle with the school’s president as well as the aftermath of a 2004 drunken driving arrest. After spending one season at Kansas State, Huggins took his dream job at West Virginia, his alma mater, in 2007.
Huggins was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year.
MLB announcer apologizes for on-air slur
The clip surfaced just days after Oakland Athletics announcer Glen Kuiper said a slur while announcing the A’s matchup against the Kansas City Royals on Friday.
“I could not be more sorry and horrified by what I said. I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies,” Kuiper said in a statement to Nexstar’s KRON.
The A’s later issued a statement, calling the language used by Kuiper “unacceptable.”
“The Oakland Athletics do not condone such language,” the team said. “We are working to address the situation.”
Kuiper has been calling A’s games in the Bay Area for about 20 years. He is the younger brother of former major leaguer and Giants announcer Duane Kuiper.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.