Bob Huggins Accepts Responsibility After Using Homophobic Slur During Radio Show While Referring To Catholic Xavier Fans

Bob Huggins is in hot water after using a homophobic epithet during a radio appearance on Monday afternoon. The 69-year-old college Basketball Hall of Famer not only used the word once, but doubled back and said it again moments thereafter.

UPDATE: Huggins has since accepted responsibility.

Huggins, currently the head coach at West Virginia, coached at Cincinnati for 16 seasons from 1989-2005. He spoke to the Bearcats' rivalry with Xavier on Monday during an appearance on Bill Cunningham's radio show, which airs on 700WLW as part of the iHeartRadio Network.

Steve Moeller, the current color commentator for Northern Kentucky men's basketball, was also on the broadcast with Cunningham. He previously served as an assistant basketball coach with Huggins, and the assistant athletic director at Cincinnati from 1989-2001.

Things quickly got out of hand.

Huggins spoke about one particular game against Xavier in which fans — presumably Musketeers fans — threw "rubber penises" onto the court. He then proceeded to refer to them as "Catholic f*gs" and joked that they wished that they had male genitalia.

The radio broadcast did not hit the 'DUMP' button and mute the slur. It went to air.

Huggins later said it again. There was a very brief, awkward pause that was followed by nervous laughter before the broadcast quickly moved on.

Here is audio from the exchange:

Huggins has been the head coach at West Virginia since 2007.

UPDATE: The university issued a statement on Monday night and is reviewing the situation.

Huggins won 399 of his 526 games with Cincinnati. He reached the NCAA Tournament in 14 of his 16 years with the program and led them to the Final Four in 1991/92.

Xavier and Cincinnati, separated by less than three miles, are significant crosstown rivals. Over the course of his nearly two-decade stint in southwest Ohio, Huggins played against the Musketeers 16 times and went 8-8 during those matchups.

He does not like them.


I don't have any good thoughts of Xavier whatsoever. None. Absolutely none.

Huggins said the pejorative term on Cunningham's radio show just after 1:30 p.m. CT on Monday.