Cincinnati gives ultimatum to Huggins
By Paul Daugherty, Bill Koch and Dee Amos, Cincinnati Enquirer
CINCINNATI — Bob Huggins, the winningest basketball coach in University of Cincinnati history, will be fired or forced to resign within the next 24 hours. The university has asked Huggins to make a decision by 2 p.m. ET Wednesday, according to a letter given to Huggins' agent.
Bob Huggins has led Cincinnati to 14 straight NCAA appearances, but has been at odds with school president Nancy Zimpher.
By Carlos Osorio, AP
Bearcats associate head coach Andy Kennedy will be asked to become interim head coach.
The move comes two months after university president Nancy Zimpher declined to exercise the rollover option of Huggins' contract. The ensuing divide between Zimpher and Huggins fueled speculation that Huggins' 16-year run at UC might end abruptly. (Related item: Correspondence between Huggins' lawyer and Cincinnati) (PDF)
The letter sent Tuesday to Huggins' representative Richard Katz asks the coach to accept a $3 million buyout of the remaining two years of his contract. Huggins would have 24 hours to accept the deal. If he rejected it, the source said, Huggins would be "terminated without cause" and compensation would be reduced to $2 million.
"I can confirm that we have been in discussions with the university concerning our request for the restoration of the four-year rollover, or an extension of the contract so that Bob can retire as the head coach of the University of Cincinnati," Katz said.
Huggins is believed to be in Las Vegas, and was not immediately available for comment.
The shocking end to the 51-year-old Huggins' highly successful run comes barely two months before the Bearcats begin practice for their first season in the Big East Conference. It is certain to spark fan and donor protest and, possibly, backlash from recruits who have committed to Cincinnati, and current players loyal to Huggins.
"I think it's a really bad time to make a decision like this considering that we'll be starting school in three weeks," said Armein Kirkland, a senior on the team. "I don't think it's fair to the guys who are going to be here for three or four years. This should have been handled a long time ago. If they're going to give him an ultimatum, that should have been done three or four months ago."
Memphis coach John Calipari said, "I hate to see this ... He's been a good friend of mine, and he's been a terrific coach. I talked to him two or three days ago, but we didn't have a long conversation, so I don't know exactly what's going on."
Huggins' Cincinnati record of 399-127 and his string of 14 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (third longest in the nation) was not enough to overcome the poor national image the basketball program had acquired under his watch.
Even as player graduation rates improved in recent years, and Huggins' on-court demeanor became less tempestuous, Zimpher and the school's Board of Trustees determined the program to be a liability to the school's overall image.
Zimpher announced on May 16 that the school would not extend Huggins' contract, which contained a four-year rollover provision until Huggins pleaded no contest to drunken driving charges last summer.
After Zimpher's announcement, Huggins called a news conference to say that he intended to finish the final two years of his contract.
"I plan on fulfilling my contract," he said that day. "I love the players. I think I have an obligation to them, certainly to their families — and I think to the fans in the city of Cincinnati."
The standoff between Zimpher and Huggins set off a controversy that consumed Cincinnati sports fans for the past several months, with most fans on the sport talk shows taking Huggins' side.
The coach's departure would leave a void at the school as it enters the Big East Conference, believed to be one of the most competitive in the country.
Huggins was a lightning rod for controversy almost from the moment he arrived at UC and declared that he wanted the Bearcats to be like the old UCLA dynasty teams. He was outspoken and at times sparred with the media and his own administration.
But he was also more accessible to the media than most coaches of his stature and was active in the community.
Huggins demanded a lot from his players, but most of them spoke in glowing terms about their relationship with him, especially after they left the program.
Huggins twice turned down chances to coach in the NBA — first with the Miami Heat and then with the Los Angeles Clippers — and rejected overtures from his alma mater, West Virginia, to become its head coach.
By Paul Daugherty, Bill Koch and Dee Amos, Cincinnati Enquirer
CINCINNATI — Bob Huggins, the winningest basketball coach in University of Cincinnati history, will be fired or forced to resign within the next 24 hours. The university has asked Huggins to make a decision by 2 p.m. ET Wednesday, according to a letter given to Huggins' agent.
Bob Huggins has led Cincinnati to 14 straight NCAA appearances, but has been at odds with school president Nancy Zimpher.
By Carlos Osorio, AP
Bearcats associate head coach Andy Kennedy will be asked to become interim head coach.
The move comes two months after university president Nancy Zimpher declined to exercise the rollover option of Huggins' contract. The ensuing divide between Zimpher and Huggins fueled speculation that Huggins' 16-year run at UC might end abruptly. (Related item: Correspondence between Huggins' lawyer and Cincinnati) (PDF)
The letter sent Tuesday to Huggins' representative Richard Katz asks the coach to accept a $3 million buyout of the remaining two years of his contract. Huggins would have 24 hours to accept the deal. If he rejected it, the source said, Huggins would be "terminated without cause" and compensation would be reduced to $2 million.
"I can confirm that we have been in discussions with the university concerning our request for the restoration of the four-year rollover, or an extension of the contract so that Bob can retire as the head coach of the University of Cincinnati," Katz said.
Huggins is believed to be in Las Vegas, and was not immediately available for comment.
The shocking end to the 51-year-old Huggins' highly successful run comes barely two months before the Bearcats begin practice for their first season in the Big East Conference. It is certain to spark fan and donor protest and, possibly, backlash from recruits who have committed to Cincinnati, and current players loyal to Huggins.
"I think it's a really bad time to make a decision like this considering that we'll be starting school in three weeks," said Armein Kirkland, a senior on the team. "I don't think it's fair to the guys who are going to be here for three or four years. This should have been handled a long time ago. If they're going to give him an ultimatum, that should have been done three or four months ago."
Memphis coach John Calipari said, "I hate to see this ... He's been a good friend of mine, and he's been a terrific coach. I talked to him two or three days ago, but we didn't have a long conversation, so I don't know exactly what's going on."
Huggins' Cincinnati record of 399-127 and his string of 14 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (third longest in the nation) was not enough to overcome the poor national image the basketball program had acquired under his watch.
Even as player graduation rates improved in recent years, and Huggins' on-court demeanor became less tempestuous, Zimpher and the school's Board of Trustees determined the program to be a liability to the school's overall image.
Zimpher announced on May 16 that the school would not extend Huggins' contract, which contained a four-year rollover provision until Huggins pleaded no contest to drunken driving charges last summer.
After Zimpher's announcement, Huggins called a news conference to say that he intended to finish the final two years of his contract.
"I plan on fulfilling my contract," he said that day. "I love the players. I think I have an obligation to them, certainly to their families — and I think to the fans in the city of Cincinnati."
The standoff between Zimpher and Huggins set off a controversy that consumed Cincinnati sports fans for the past several months, with most fans on the sport talk shows taking Huggins' side.
The coach's departure would leave a void at the school as it enters the Big East Conference, believed to be one of the most competitive in the country.
Huggins was a lightning rod for controversy almost from the moment he arrived at UC and declared that he wanted the Bearcats to be like the old UCLA dynasty teams. He was outspoken and at times sparred with the media and his own administration.
But he was also more accessible to the media than most coaches of his stature and was active in the community.
Huggins demanded a lot from his players, but most of them spoke in glowing terms about their relationship with him, especially after they left the program.
Huggins twice turned down chances to coach in the NBA — first with the Miami Heat and then with the Los Angeles Clippers — and rejected overtures from his alma mater, West Virginia, to become its head coach.
