Game 8, 2023-24: vs West Virginia (Springfield, 12/16)

[MikeUMA]

UMass vs WVU is locked in for Saturday, December 16 in Springfield. That's not new, but getting a thread started for it.

It'll be part of a compelling double-header, with fellow A10 member St. Bonaventure taking on Florida Atlantic, riding high from their Final Four this past season. TBD on who plays first and at what time.

Tre Mitchell has said he's returning to WVU for one more go, cashing in on the COVID-bonus year.

Now ... will Bob Huggins be coaching WVU? If you didn't hear, he dropped the word "fags" twice on air today on Cincinnati sports radio.
https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/sta ... 8381226001

He issued a "the PR team said I should" statement later today:
https://twitter.com/CoachHuggs/status/1 ... 1114178560

He record of success seems to give him the WVU job as long as he wants it, unless something goes off the rails, which this may qualify for. At age 69, I wonder if this prompts a sudden retirement. On the other hand, WV isn't exactly a progressive state and it's quite possible the administration lets him keep his job after a suspension or some other mild punishment.

[Plano Minuteman]

He kind of looks like an Appalachia Grandma now.

[Old Cage]

Thuggy Bear needs to resign! Wilbon: "How dumb do you have to be?"

[Old Cage]

Per Pete Thamel: $1 million salary reduction! Thuggy won't do that again.

Also suspension and sensitivity training for my least favorite coach. Love it.

[MikeUMA]

^
Man, to be a fly on the wall as Hugs goes through sensitivity training

[inthescoop]

Per Pete Thamel: $1 million salary reduction! Thuggy won't do that again.

Also suspension and sensitivity training for my least favorite coach. Love it.

$1 million salary reduction that will be gobbled up by a booster. Can coaches receive NIL's? Billionaire (owner of the Diamondbacks), Ken Kendrick, is carrying West Virginia's athletic program at the moment giving out NIL's left and right.

Also, the three games he would be suspended for are Missouri State, Monmouth and Jacksonville State, all at home. How will they survive without him?

[MikeUMA]

Summary of WVU's decision, per Rothstein:
*Suspension for first three games of 2023-24 season.
*Huggins' multi-year deal is now a one-year deal.
*Any similar behavior will result in immediate termination.

12/16 should be around the 10th game, so no impact on our game.

[Sheck]

It just keeps getting worse for Bob Huggins.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... ittsburgh/

[Juice Stand]

^It doesn't keep getting worse for Huggins, he keeps making it worse for himself. He has to be done in West Virginia, right?

Following the homophobic comment situation in May he said "I must do better, and I will". The AD said "We have made it explicitly clear to Coach Huggins that any incidents of similar derogatory and offensive language will result in immediate termination."

Now, this isn't an incident of derogatory and offensive language, but in my book, this is much worse. Literally putting people's lives at risk with reckless behavior. Making derogatory remarks isn't against the law, drunk driving is. Hey now, does this open the door to Tre Mitchell transferring, getting a waiver, and ending up back ay UMass in Wildens' spot? Yeah, I didn't think so either.

[Juice Stand]

This is his second DUI arrest, the first was back in 2004 when he was coaching Cincinnati and he said "I'm going to do my part to make sure that something like this will never happen again". He apparently was caught driving drunk in 2002 as well, but they let him go.
https://www.wcpo.com/lifestyle/from-the ... nati-coach

[TruBluMaroon]

He was fired by the president at Cincinnati because they felt he didn’t align with their desire to improve their academic reputation. That shouldn’t be an issue at WVU
His salary went from $4.2 million to $3.2 million after the radio show, exactly how much does he think he needs to make to pay for an Uber?

[Old Cage]

March 1999, Boston Garden, Second Round of the NCAA Tourney - I was there to see John Chaney's #6 Owls beat up on Thuggins' #3 Cincinnati squad. That was one of my favorite non-UMass games that I have attended.

[69MG]

I know he's a friend of Frank but I have always felt he's a low-life and never cared for him. With his past history this ought to be the end for him.

[econalum]

It's between Bobby Knight (RIP) and Thuggins for the MBB coach I most despise. WVU needs to move on.

[skizz]

It's between Bobby Knight (RIP) and Thuggins for the MBB coach I most despise. WVU needs to move on.

Bobby Knight is still alive.