HUGGINS APOLOGIZES FOR USING A SLUR
West Virginia University men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins issued an apology Monday for having used a “completely insensitive and abhorrent phrase” in a radio appearance.
The university said it does not condone his language and is reviewing the situation.
Earlier in the day, during an interview with a Cincinnati radio station, Huggins twice used a homophobic slur.
The former University of Cincinnati coach was recalling a years-ago Bearcats matchup with Xavier University in which, he said, Musketeers fans threw “rubber penises on the floor.”
After a radio host joked that it was “transgender night” at the arena, another asked Huggins to confirm that the incident occurred in an installment of the “Crosstown Shootout,” Cincinnati’s annual rivalry game against Xavier.
“What it was,” Huggins replied, “was all those f--s, those Catholic f--s.”
After some laughs but mostly silence for a moment from the radio hosts, the 69year-old Huggins added, “They were envious they didn’t have one.”
In his subsequent statement, shared by West Virginia basketball, Huggins said: “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,” he continued, “as well as to the Xavier University community, the University of Cincinnati community, 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.”
West Virginia’s athletics department said in a statement that the coach’s comments were “insensitive, offensive and do not represent our University values.”
More colleges
The University of Iowa announced that 26 athletes across five sports are suspected of wagering on sports in violation of NCAA rules, and more than 100 people have been linked to an investigation. In addition, Iowa State acknowledged that some 15 of its athletes across three sports also are suspected of violating gambling rules.
The announcements came less than a week after Alabama fired its baseball coach, Brad Bohannon, following a report of suspicious bets made at an Ohio casino involving his team.
• Kansas State and Chris Klieman are finalizing a new contract that would give the football coach a substantial pay raise while keeping him tied to the program for the next eight seasons.
The contract will have a total value of $44 million, making Klieman one of the better-paid coaches in the Big 12.
Golf
Jordan Spieth withdrew from the AT&T Byron Nelson with an injury to his left wrist, raising questions about how fit he will be for the PGA Championship next week. Spieth, a three-time major champion who grew up in Dallas, is coming off a missed cut at the Wells Fargo Championship last week.
Horse racing
Kentucky racing officials have placed scratched Kentucky Derby morning-line favorite Forte on a mandatory 14day veterinary list that may require the colt to pass a soundness test in Maryland in order to race in the Preakness.
NFL
The Indianapolis Colts asked the NFL to look into possible tampering involving the Washington Commanders and retired quarterback Andrew Luck, a person familiar with the situation said. The Colts’ request follows a report that the Commanders considered Luck as a quarterback option last season.
Tennis
Andy Murray is hoping his first title in three years will be a platform to build on after “a bit of a struggle” over the last 18 months. With the French Open looming, Murray won an ATP Challenger event in southern France over the weekend for his first tournament victory since 2019 — and first on clay since 2016. Murray won the secondtier event in Aix-en-Provence by defeating 17th-ranked Tommy Paul 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the final on Sunday.
Soccer
Chaos reigned in the English Premier League’s relegation battle as Everton scored five goals in a surprising win to climb out of the bottom three and Leicester conceded five in a confidence-sapping loss to drop into it. Southampton’s 11year stay in the top division is surely over, meanwhile, after a 4-3 loss at Nottingham Forest plunged the last-placed team eight points from safety with three games left.
• Coventry and Sunderland completed the lineup of teams to qualify for the end-of-season playoffs in England’s secondtier Championship, giving them a shot at reaching the lucrative Premier League. Luton and Middlesbrough were already guaranteed playoff places before the final round of games in the regular season. Burnley, as champion, and Sheffield United will go up automatically.
• Gerhard Struber is out as coach of the last-place New York Red Bulls and was replaced by Troy Lesesne, the team’s 19th coach in 28 seasons. The Red Bulls said Struber’s departure was mutual and assistant coach Bernd Eibler also had left. It was Major League Soccer’s first coaching change since the season began in late February.
• The struggling Chicago Fire fired coach Ezra Hendrickson and replaced him with Frank Klopas for the remainder of the season. The team also fired assistant Junior González. The Fire (2-3-5) are 14th of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference with 11 points.