Huggins: Returning to Cincy still special
Posted by bkoch 01/27/11, 1:37 pm

During his 16 years at the UC, Bob Huggins talked frequently about hanging banners in Fifth Third Arena – a banner for the 1992 Final Four, a banner listing the 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and the numerous conference regular season and tournament titles that his teams won.

One day, he said, he and his players would be able to look at the wall and feel good about what they accomplished.

Now that time has arrived.

Huggins, now the head basketball coach at West Virginia, will make his second appearance as an opposing coach at Fifth Third on Saturday when his Mountaineers take on UC. And yes, returning to the scene of all that success still moves him.

“A large part of that wall is what our guys did,” Huggins said. “It would be crazy not to think that’s special.”

I talked to Huggins this morning for about a half hour. I found him to be very laid back, even mellow, and in a reflective mood.

He’s coming off a 1-point loss at Louisville on Wednesday night and has only eight scholarship players available for the UC game, which is sold out. Casey Mitchell, his leading scorer, remains suspended for violating team rules and won’t play Saturday, according to Huggins, who was very complimentary about the UC team he’s about to face.

“I think they’re really good,” Huggins said. “I think they’ve got great depth. They’ve got a lot of guys that can play. Yancy (Gates), I think, has had a heck of a year. When you think you can throw (Ibrahima) Thomas and (Darnell) Wilks in and (Justin) Jackson and (Biggie) McClain, they’ve got a lot of guys.”

I’m writing the full story for tomorrow’s paper. It will be on the web site later today.

About 10 minutes after we finished talking, I was driving to meet a friend for lunch when my phone rang. It was Huggins calling back.

“Hey, Bill,” he said. “Can you do me a favor? I don’t know what you’re going to write, but could you make sure you mention how much I appreciate the people of Cincinnati for how well they treated me over the years?”

Consider it done.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/uc/2011/01/2...l-special/

(01-27-2011 04:13 PM)ctipton Wrote:  Huggins: Returning to Cincy still special
Posted by bkoch 01/27/11, 1:37 pm

During his 16 years at the UC, Bob Huggins talked frequently about hanging banners in Fifth Third Arena – a banner for the 1992 Final Four, a banner listing the 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and the numerous conference regular season and tournament titles that his teams won.

One day, he said, he and his players would be able to look at the wall and feel good about what they accomplished.

Now that time has arrived.

Huggins, now the head basketball coach at West Virginia, will make his second appearance as an opposing coach at Fifth Third on Saturday when his Mountaineers take on UC. And yes, returning to the scene of all that success still moves him.

“A large part of that wall is what our guys did,” Huggins said. “It would be crazy not to think that’s special.”

I talked to Huggins this morning for about a half hour. I found him to be very laid back, even mellow, and in a reflective mood.

He’s coming off a 1-point loss at Louisville on Wednesday night and has only eight scholarship players available for the UC game, which is sold out. Casey Mitchell, his leading scorer, remains suspended for violating team rules and won’t play Saturday, according to Huggins, who was very complimentary about the UC team he’s about to face.

“I think they’re really good,” Huggins said. “I think they’ve got great depth. They’ve got a lot of guys that can play. Yancy (Gates), I think, has had a heck of a year. When you think you can throw (Ibrahima) Thomas and (Darnell) Wilks in and (Justin) Jackson and (Biggie) McClain, they’ve got a lot of guys.”

I’m writing the full story for tomorrow’s paper. It will be on the web site later today.

About 10 minutes after we finished talking, I was driving to meet a friend for lunch when my phone rang. It was Huggins calling back.

“Hey, Bill,” he said. “Can you do me a favor? I don’t know what you’re going to write, but could you make sure you mention how much I appreciate the people of Cincinnati for how well they treated me over the years?”

Consider it done.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/uc/2011/01/2...l-special/

I'd really like this game to be about Cronin coaching the Bearcats to victory and not about the return of Huggins.

Huggins is gone. He's been given his post-UC career acknowledgement at Fifth Third. We clapped, we cheered. We appreciated. We still do.

Now he coaches the opposing team in a game that could have huge consequences should we lose (I think this is a must-win game).

Even though you love Huggins, he coaches the enemy. Let's focus on beating West Virginia not on a re-hashed story.

edited to add: I was watching WVU play on tv recently and I was taken aback at how mellow Huggins has gotten courtside. It seemed so crazy-odd.

(01-27-2011 04:44 PM)BearcatsUC Wrote:  

(01-27-2011 04:13 PM)ctipton Wrote:  Huggins: Returning to Cincy still special
Posted by bkoch 01/27/11, 1:37 pm

During his 16 years at the UC, Bob Huggins talked frequently about hanging banners in Fifth Third Arena – a banner for the 1992 Final Four, a banner listing the 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and the numerous conference regular season and tournament titles that his teams won.

One day, he said, he and his players would be able to look at the wall and feel good about what they accomplished.

Now that time has arrived.

Huggins, now the head basketball coach at West Virginia, will make his second appearance as an opposing coach at Fifth Third on Saturday when his Mountaineers take on UC. And yes, returning to the scene of all that success still moves him.

“A large part of that wall is what our guys did,” Huggins said. “It would be crazy not to think that’s special.”

I talked to Huggins this morning for about a half hour. I found him to be very laid back, even mellow, and in a reflective mood.

He’s coming off a 1-point loss at Louisville on Wednesday night and has only eight scholarship players available for the UC game, which is sold out. Casey Mitchell, his leading scorer, remains suspended for violating team rules and won’t play Saturday, according to Huggins, who was very complimentary about the UC team he’s about to face.

“I think they’re really good,” Huggins said. “I think they’ve got great depth. They’ve got a lot of guys that can play. Yancy (Gates), I think, has had a heck of a year. When you think you can throw (Ibrahima) Thomas and (Darnell) Wilks in and (Justin) Jackson and (Biggie) McClain, they’ve got a lot of guys.”

I’m writing the full story for tomorrow’s paper. It will be on the web site later today.

About 10 minutes after we finished talking, I was driving to meet a friend for lunch when my phone rang. It was Huggins calling back.

“Hey, Bill,” he said. “Can you do me a favor? I don’t know what you’re going to write, but could you make sure you mention how much I appreciate the people of Cincinnati for how well they treated me over the years?”

Consider it done.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/uc/2011/01/2...l-special/

I'd really like this game to be about Cronin coaching the Bearcats to victory and not about the return of Huggins.

Huggins is gone. He's been given his post-UC career acknowledgement at Fifth Third. We clapped, we cheered. We appreciated. We still do.

Now he coaches the opposing team in a game that could have huge consequences should we lose (I think this is a must-win game).

Even though you love Huggins, he coaches the enemy. Let's focus on beating West Virginia not on a re-hashed story.

edited to add: I was watching WVU play on tv recently and I was taken aback at how mellow Huggins has gotten courtside. It seemed so crazy-odd.

Last night he had a good old-fashioned Huggins tantrum. Screaming F-Bombs at Jim Burr. Warmed my heart.

If we lose this game, I may want him to come back and be head coach again.

That's awfully nice of Bob. I'm still givin him da business as soon as the ball goes up in the air.

Huggs returning to 5/3 is always going to be an event. An awful lot of people in this city still love the guy. Honestly, even though he's at WVU, I think he misses Cincinnati, and being the coach at UC.

I respect all he did for UC and will always cheer his return. That said, Mick is the coach and I will support him and the team and root for them to crush WVU

Huggs makes it hard to root against him....

but...we gotta places to go and people to see so....


LET'S GO CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(01-27-2011 05:44 PM)Kenyon#4 Wrote:  Huggs returning to 5/3 is always going to be an event. An awful lot of people in this city still love the guy. Honestly, even though he's at WVU, I think he misses Cincinnati, and being the coach at UC.

There's only one game I would ever not root for Bob Huggins. If Cincinnati can't win a national championship, there's nobody I'd rather see win one than him each season.

I root for Huggs/WVA like I root for ALL BE teams against everyone....unless they are playing us

(01-27-2011 06:12 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  Huggs makes it hard to root against him....

but...we gotta places to go and people to see so....


LET'S GO CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not gonna root against him. Not ever. But Saturday, the only team I will be rooting FOR is UC. I hope the 'Cats score 100 and win by 50.

(01-27-2011 06:18 PM)Coopdaddy67 Wrote:  

(01-27-2011 05:44 PM)Kenyon#4 Wrote:  Huggs returning to 5/3 is always going to be an event. An awful lot of people in this city still love the guy. Honestly, even though he's at WVU, I think he misses Cincinnati, and being the coach at UC.

There's only one game I would ever not root for Bob Huggins. If Cincinnati can't win a national championship, there's nobody I'd rather see win one than him each season.

x2

(01-27-2011 07:11 PM)chip Wrote:  

(01-27-2011 06:18 PM)Coopdaddy67 Wrote:  

(01-27-2011 05:44 PM)Kenyon#4 Wrote:  Huggs returning to 5/3 is always going to be an event. An awful lot of people in this city still love the guy. Honestly, even though he's at WVU, I think he misses Cincinnati, and being the coach at UC.

There's only one game I would ever not root for Bob Huggins. If Cincinnati can't win a national championship, there's nobody I'd rather see win one than him each season.

x2

x3. He never bolted like Dantonio and BK. I admire that and that is why he is relevant in Cincinnati sports history.

I love Huggs 364 days a year, Saturday is the one day a year I hope he gets his but kicked.

I concur with u all. Wvu is hard to root for on their own merits, but Huggs makes me. Not when we play him though. Sorry, but I want a drubbin'!!!

I wish the man nothing but success for saving me from having to grow up a Uk fan with his hardworking band of Juco's. Also doesn't hurt that he can enlighten the country to how inept Calipari is as a game coach. That being said it's always been UC and will continue to be UC. Cronin the Barbarian strikes again.

(01-27-2011 10:09 PM)RealDeal Wrote:  I love Huggs 364 days a year, Saturday is the one day a year I hope he gets his but kicked.

this

it is pretty cool living out in the sticks of brown county and seeing huggs drive by every couple months in his suv. his daughter jacque lives about a half mile down the road. never thought anyone young would choose to live out here. to each their own.

will be at the game saturday thanks to delhibearcat kindly selling his tickets.

GO CATS!!!

(01-28-2011 01:09 AM)Tymanh99 Wrote:  

(01-27-2011 10:09 PM)RealDeal Wrote:  I love Huggs 364 days a year, Saturday is the one day a year I hope he gets his but kicked.

this
...
GO CATS!!!

I'm with you guys, although it might end up more like 363 or 362 depending upon how the post-season goes...

(01-27-2011 06:18 PM)Coopdaddy67 Wrote:  

(01-27-2011 05:44 PM)Kenyon#4 Wrote:  Huggs returning to 5/3 is always going to be an event. An awful lot of people in this city still love the guy. Honestly, even though he's at WVU, I think he misses Cincinnati, and being the coach at UC.

There's only one game I would ever not root for Bob Huggins. If Cincinnati can't win a national championship, there's nobody I'd rather see win one than him each season.

x1000

Actually, I want Huggins to go down again when we play West Virginia in the Big East tournament.

Other than that, I watch and root for West Virginia. But Saturday night, they go down by 20!