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West Virginia 76, Ohio State 48 (Final)

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Dispatch

Grudge match?
West Virginia coach Bob Huggins says he's not bothered by the cold shoulder he has received from Ohio State. Believe him?
Saturday, December 27, 2008 3:08 AM
By Bob Baptist

Buried in the fine print of Ohio State's men's basketball archives are games played, and won, against Akron in 1985 and '89. Bob Huggins was the coach of both Zips teams.

So it just seems like today is the first time Huggins, whose surname is synonymous with Ohio basketball, has had the chance to play against the state university that made a habit of snubbing him, for games and jobs, since he was an assistant coach there nearly 30 years ago.

But when the No. 15 Buckeyes play West Virginia today in Value City Arena, it will be the first time Huggins has a level floor to play on.

In 16 seasons as coach at Cincinnati, when the floor more often than not was tilted in the Bearcats' favor, Ohio State wanted nothing to do with him or his teams, 14 of which were good enough to play in the NCAA Tournament.

"I don't have any idea" why, Huggins said this week.

His youngest brother, Larry, a former Ohio State player and now a Columbus businessman, does have an idea.

"I don't think the old AD (Andy Geiger) wanted Bobby to come in here and win," Larry said.

To hear Bob tell it, all that is water under the bridge to him, despite the widespread perception that part of him for years has felt slighted by the athletic behemoth up the road.

Continued
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His youngest brother, Larry, a former Ohio State player and now a Columbus businessman, does have an idea.

"I don't think the old AD (Andy Geiger) wanted Bobby to come in here and win," Larry said.
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Or maybe Andy didn't want what came with Huggins; four guys jumping the airport security gate to help themselves to gifts from a kiosk. A center sucker punching a police horse (no, the center wasn't named Mongo) or a continuing list of kids on the police blotter and no one on the graduation list, or eye-witness news film featuring a coach flunking the roadside DUI test, followed mere months later by a huge news photo of the same coach toasting an NBA signee with champagne, the same coach who twice was ordered to rehab.

Can Huggs coach basketball? If your only concern is the boxscore, yes.
 
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Larry used be one of my favorite players but since he is no longer planning he is no longer one of my favorites:(. I just don't understand how he can make a statement like that. Ohio State had some very good talent back in the 90s and I don't think it would have been a guarantee Cincinnati victory if they had come to St. John. Maybe Andy just didn't want to have to hire the additional security for when a Bearcat team came to town.

I also think that big Brother was a little hurt that he never was really considered for the Ohio State job.
 
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Reasonable people can disagree about whether Huggins has provided the opportunity for numerous troubled young men to improve their station in life through intercollegiate athletics, or disingenuously populated his squads with thugs.

What's not really up for serious debate is whether he can coach. Man, he can, and how. Buckeyes better bring the A-game today.
 
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Who really cares about Huggie?
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I know that I don't care about Huggins:tongue2: but I just want to say that with all the "talent" he had when he was at Cincinnati I just don't think he is that good of a coach. I know many people disagree with that but that is just my opinion. He also has a lot of talent at West Virginia this year and it will be a huge victory for the Buckeyes if they can win this one but they will need to rebound rebound rebound!!!
 
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Okay, how many of you knew Ohio State has the longest winning streak in the nation at 14? :io:













(checks to see if he's in the right thread):paranoid:
 
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