Chip Shots

Huggins the X man?

At first I was startled, but then I figured it should have been expected. That would be the news/rumor I found on the internet Monday afternoon indicating that West Virginia University Basketball Coach, Bob Huggins, and the Xavier coach had mutual interest in the recently vacated head coaching position at the Cincinnati school.

The Xavier position became available when Sean Miller decided to take the job at Arizona. A seemingly great job opportunity which was being rejected by a host of candidates over the last week or so. Miller even rejected them over the weekend, but changed his mind on Monday and is headed to Tucson. Early in the Arizona job search many thought Pitt's Jamie Dixon might want to move westward. That would open the door for Miller, a former player at Pitt, to return to his alma mater.

Dixon decided to stay put so no domino effect was to begin on that front.

So how would a Huggins to Xavier rumor have legs? At first glance, news like this would seem to be a prank. But it seems, Tracy Jones, a radio host in Cincinnati was reporting mutual interest. So, if it was being reported on the airwaves, it may have merit. It is known that not only had Huggins called Cincinnati home for over 15 years, he still has a home there. Perhaps he really misses the place.

Even so, it just didn't add up, but then neither did the Rich Rodriguez to Michigan rumors. The more the news circulated the more people came around to put the fire out. Since most weren't listening to Jones, there was no way to really determine in just what context he was speaking. Good chance he was working a belated April Fool's Day piece.

Later it was suggested that Jones and Huggins have some history and Jones was just being Jones. Not sure exactly what that meant, but it was likely he was taking some kind of shot at Huggins. Someone claiming to have insight to the Cincinnati situation said there is really no way either party would have interest in the other. As Monday turned to Tuesday that is how it appears. It is still thought that, unlike Rodriguez, Huggins is happy to be home.