WVSports - Bob Huggins threatens to sue WVU unless he is reinstated
Bob Huggins' situation at West Virginia somehow got even messier with the former coach threatening legal action.
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WVSPORTS.COM Bob Huggins tries to walk back resignation from West Virginia
- Thread starter Vernon
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This is not good. As a Huggins fan, one would like to think that all the talk about his love for the university and the state, that he wouldn’t be actively trying to destroy everything in his path based on the actions and decisions that he presumably made.
Who would have guessed that the end of Huggins tenure would have seen him decimate a program worse than Rich Rod and Dana combined?
Who would have guessed that the end of Huggins tenure would have seen him decimate a program worse than Rich Rod and Dana combined?
Huge difference between Huggins and RR as RR left on his own accord and tried to snake his way out of the buyout. For Huggins we bowed to the media and unceremoniously dismissed our best coach in program history within 1-2 days and lit on fire everything the guy built here. After that we didn’t expect the guy to go after his buyout? It didn’t have to end this way, we could have supported our guy. Not just the basketball coach, but a top ambassador for the school, an ace fundraiser, and a staple of the community. The basketball program will never be the same and it’s all self inflicted, but hey a couple of ESPN anchors who will probably be laid off soon think we did “the right thing”, that will be good to know as we watch our team struggle to reach 10 wins this year.
Dana wasn’t a dramatic exit, we basically said if he couldn’t make chicken salad of the chicken shit roster he had following Grier’s last season then he wouldn’t be back, so he took a G5 job.
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Huge fan of Huggins. He is in the wrong here. Getting very bad advice. Unfortunately, this is the world we now live in but hopefully others with some sense will get to him and tell him to knock this off.
What little respect I had for Huggins is now gone. Get help Huggins. Admit you have a problem and move on.
I don’t disagree with anything you’re saying. My main point is the end result is just as catastrophic. I always “knew” that Huggins would lift the program to new heights. That never materialized and for me, it will weigh heavily on my overall perception of his career. I’m not at all defending the university by any means.
He humiliated the university on a national level twice in 2 months including getting arrested. Now humiliates himself and the university again and he deserves a buyout!? Bizarre reaction.
This is a selfish move by Huggins, he keeps disappointing me more and more, and tarnishing that reputation of both him and this institution/state that he claims to love. Really bad move
If he was going to take a legal stand it needed to happened from the beginning. This is just insult to injury.
WVU will just change the wording to you're fired for cause. Move on.
Actually the University needs to clean house top to bottom and start over. Gee has destroyed the university.
Actually the University needs to clean house top to bottom and start over. Gee has destroyed the university.
Worse than anything in my eyes is this shows Huggins isn't interested in improving himself. Entering rehab wasn't done to get him back to his best self; it was done to get his job back as his old self.
Instead of seeing this as serving his time "on the treadmill" (as he's so fond of making others do) for messing up (and which he should probably do literally), waiting until the end of the season, and then walking in saying "Hey, I'm the best candidate for the job!" he's going this route?
The only legal standing I see is him walking away, going to rehab, going through all the hoops, as a condition for reinstatement next year. If that is the case, then that could be why the university has stated he still has to pay alphabet soup people what he owes them. If he had resigned, he wouldn't owe that obligation as that was ordered by the university and not by any court. That's what didn't make sense.
By the university coming out and saying they wouldn't accept him back last week, I believe got the ball rolling. Huggins knows he's not hirable right now, and may never be again, (at any other institution). This is his only chance, if this is the advice he's getting, and he's willing to burn everything down around him to get it.
Should be an interesting next few months. Huggins can open up a huge can of worms if he knows where the bodies are buried so to speak. He can take everyone down with him. Guess we'll just have to wait to see...
Instead of seeing this as serving his time "on the treadmill" (as he's so fond of making others do) for messing up (and which he should probably do literally), waiting until the end of the season, and then walking in saying "Hey, I'm the best candidate for the job!" he's going this route?
The only legal standing I see is him walking away, going to rehab, going through all the hoops, as a condition for reinstatement next year. If that is the case, then that could be why the university has stated he still has to pay alphabet soup people what he owes them. If he had resigned, he wouldn't owe that obligation as that was ordered by the university and not by any court. That's what didn't make sense.
By the university coming out and saying they wouldn't accept him back last week, I believe got the ball rolling. Huggins knows he's not hirable right now, and may never be again, (at any other institution). This is his only chance, if this is the advice he's getting, and he's willing to burn everything down around him to get it.
Should be an interesting next few months. Huggins can open up a huge can of worms if he knows where the bodies are buried so to speak. He can take everyone down with him. Guess we'll just have to wait to see...
They can't now. That could be seen as retaliatory and give Huggins legal grounds. By treating Huggins with kid gloves over the DUI, not just coming out and firing him, is actually what could hurt WVU in the long run. Huggins will use WVU's "kindness" against them.
Don't disagree with the rest of your statement. WVU hasn't improved educationally since he's been here and that, not running (or ruining) the athletic department, is what his job is actually about.
This is typical behavior of an alcoholic in denial and, as you pointed out, someone not willing to admit they have a problem. His daughter speaking out a couple weeks ago shows me they haven’t reached completion of the acceptance phase. I wish Bob well and appreciate everything he did for the university and fans. It’s time to move on
This sounds like something concocted over drinks at Huggs' basement bar (the one made from pieces of the old Coliseum floor). If anybody recorded any of his meeting with the then-players and assistants on their cellphone he's not going to win. He used the word "resign" or "resigned" multiple times in that conversation.
I still think he's a good dude at heart, but he's been taking advice from the wrong people for a while (on and off the court) and put the university in an untenable position. I guess he cares more about coaching basketball again than he does about not embarrassing his family, his school and himself further. Sad and getting sadder.
I still think he's a good dude at heart, but he's been taking advice from the wrong people for a while (on and off the court) and put the university in an untenable position. I guess he cares more about coaching basketball again than he does about not embarrassing his family, his school and himself further. Sad and getting sadder.
I’d say his attorney likely told him he shouldn’t have resigned and forced WVU to fire him, so he could get his buyout. I’m no attorney, but I think this is more about money than anything
This is all about the $$$…. If all of you had a chance to get an add to. 1-3 mil in your pocket you would do the same on the advice of your attorney. Yes, he loves WV, but all the shit is marketing to add revenue….money rules the world, rules Hugggins, and certainly rules WVU and athletics
Um.
..let's try to summarize this
& add some Practically,
& attempt to add some practical logic.
Lov has different levels,
Lov has different qualities
Lov has different intensities, per say.
But bBob doesn't lov West Virginia.
PricRod doesn't lov West Virginia.
Bill Stewart loved West Virginia.
Don Nehlen loves West Virginia.
*bBob wouldn't have added more pain & suffering if he truly loves
West Virginia.
*PricRod wouldn't have added so much drama & inflicted so much pain-
if he truly loved West Virginia.
*Talk is cheap & Actions Speak Loud.
..let's try to summarize this
& add some Practically,
& attempt to add some practical logic.
Lov has different levels,
Lov has different qualities
Lov has different intensities, per say.
But bBob doesn't lov West Virginia.
PricRod doesn't lov West Virginia.
Bill Stewart loved West Virginia.
Don Nehlen loves West Virginia.
*bBob wouldn't have added more pain & suffering if he truly loves
West Virginia.
*PricRod wouldn't have added so much drama & inflicted so much pain-
if he truly loved West Virginia.
*Talk is cheap & Actions Speak Loud.
I kind of get where you’re going with this, but I don’t think it’s entirely true. Bob Huggins, Rich Rodriguez, Bill Stewart love the state of WV because they were raised here. WVU was only a job that represented WV and afforded them the opportunity to continue to live in the state they love. In the end, it’s about money. Anyone saying otherwise isn’t being honest and understanding of the situation. Nehlen obviously loved WV as well and chose to retire here.
The blunt truth is that Huggins didn't love this state to the level that many of his ardent supporters believed. WVU and WV was his meal ticket. He'd speak the platitudes and give the lip service and in return, was granted immunity from the university, press, and fanbase. The adoration was one-sided. WVU gave Huggins a second chance.
Huggins certainly didn't love WVU in the mid 90s when he was at his peak. Even now, Huggins talks about his fond days at Cinci like he wishes he was never forced out. And let's not forget him floating his name out to Ohio St only a handful of years ago.
It's always been Huggins first and everything and everyone a distant second.
Probably an attempt to extract a settlement from a university and program which are in a weakened state right now. It's too early to say what's going to happen, but with the sate of our legal system, anything is possible. In America, you can sue anyone for anything.
Everyone needs to go back and listen to his speech after the UCONN game in 2010 before we started our run to the Final Four. When he was talking about Cincinnati, he said "WE are not the Reds". Not "they".
Is there an adult running this university? If neither Baker nor Gee knew of the requirements in the contract regarding resignation, especially after they had already put him on probation just a few months earlier, they both need to be fired. We’re the UT-Chattanooga of the big 12.
so WVU can
I’m confused as to why this is WVU’s fault? Huggins is the one who messed up. And he chose to resign, whether forced or not. What else should Gee and Baker have done? Tell him “No, sorry. We are mind readers and know you had your wife text your resignation to us. And sorry, we all thought you were kidding when you told the team and coaches you were resigning”. Listen, I was a huge Huggins supporter, but this is his fault. Entirely
I can’t speak for anyone else but if I was worth 12-15 million dollars and until recently was making over $80,000 a week I believe I might think my reputation was worth more than money. If what you say is true, Huggins is willing to sell his integrity. Now that would be disgusting and more than a little bit sad.
Get over yourself, no one gives the slightest shit about what Huggins said on a local AM radio station and his traffic violation.
What should they do? Read the contract and know what’s required in it. Like any other competent businessman. WVU will end up paying $ because of this incompetence. This town, university, and athletic department are an absolute shitnado.
Yeah, just pretend none of it happened. You sound like someone who would like everyone to forget what a f'ing idiot you are, too.
So if he didn’t resign then the portal didn’t open for 30 days and players aren’t allowed to transfer?
How do you know the university did something wrong? Have you read the contract? Lawyers take frivolous law suits all the time hoping that the other party is just willing to settle. Huggins did have a clause in his contract that pertained to behavior. I'm sure most courts would see that he violated that agreement based on his actions the last two months.
Yeah, it’s mind boggling that anyone would blame Gee and Baker for any of this. If anything, this is showing a legendary coach who is clearly out of control and spiraling. I have no doubt he’s likely been a functioning alcoholic for decades, but it always catches up to you. I would rather see some tough love. That’s probably what he’s been lacking for years because of his stature. And we all loved him and still do. He needs help. All these people are doing is enabling his behavior by saying it’s no big deal.
