Bob Huggins, West Virginia release statements after coach uses anti-gay slur

West Virginia basketball head coach Bob Huggins apologized for using an anti-gay slur on a radio show while WVU acknowledged a review is underway.

It’s 2023. By now everyone, especially public figures, has got to know what words should have been purged from their vocabulary a long time ago.

Unfortunately, West Virginia basketball’s Bob Huggins apparently kept a vile anti-gay slur in his vocabulary and now he’s rightly in trouble for it.

Huggins appeared on 700 WLW’s “Bill Cunningham Show” in Cincinnati on Monday morning. During the course of the interview, he referred to Xavier fans as “all those [homophobic slur], those Catholic [homphobic slur].”

After the clip of the exchange went viral, Huggins apologized for using the “abhorrent phrase,” a phrase he felt comfortable enough with to drop not once, but twice. This was no slip of the tongue.

West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins apologized for using anti-gay slur

Here’s the statement released by Huggins:

“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.”

And here’s the statement released by WVU Athletics:

“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.”

Some on Twitter are calling for Huggins to lose his job over this. It’s not clear if West Virginia will go that far. The review of his case will be one to watch.

A few years ago, Huggins might have felt untouchable at WVU but he has one NCAA Tournament win in the last five seasons. The Mountaineers might not feel so forgiving coming off a 19-15 season.

Huggins has been with West Virginia since 2007, posting a 345-203 record with a win percentage of .630. His 2010 squad made ti to the Final Four while he’s made the Sweet 16 four times.

Before West Virginia, Huggins spent 16 years with Cincinnati. His exit there wasn’t exactly a clean break. He was ousted with a $3 million buyout in 2005 following a 2004 DUI arrest and poor academic performance in his program.

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