Cincy's Huggins given choice -resign or be fired

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Report: Huggins to resign or be fired in next 24 hoursESPN.com news services

Bob Huggins' successful, but tumultuous tenure with the Cincinnati Bearcats reportedly is nearing a sudden end.

The Cincinnati Enquirer, citing sources close to the situation, reported on its Web site Tuesday that Huggins will be forced to resign or be fired in the next 24 hours. Associate head coach Andy Kennedy will be asked to replace Huggins in the interim, according to the newspaper.

A source told the newspaper that Huggins will be sent a letter Tuesday, asking the coach to accept a $3 million buyout of the remaining two years on his deal. According to the report, Huggins would have 24 hours to accept or he would be "terminated without cause" and his compensation would be reduced to $2 million.

Huggins was arrested last June and pleaded no contest to driving under the influence. He was ordered to attend a three-day intervention program, and the school suspended him with pay for two months.

In May, the university had said it would honor the final two years of Huggins' contract. However, the university had stripped a rollover provision from Huggins' contract after his arrest and no-contest plea for drunken driving last year. The provision automatically added a year onto his contract each summer, keeping it a four-year deal.

Huggins had to decide whether to accept it or take a buyout provision in his contract.

"I plan on fulfilling my contract," Huggins said in May. "I love the players. I think I have an obligation to them, certainly to their families and the fans in the city of Cincinnati.

"People here have been unbelievable. They've supported me, certainly, when I needed support. They've always been there," he said.

Huggins is 399-127 in 16 seasons at Cincinnati, which he rebuilt into a nationally prominent program after years of disarray. His teams have made 14 consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament and reached the Final Four in 1992.

The program also has a history of player arrests and infractions. The program went on two years' probation in 1998 after the NCAA concluded there was a lack of institutional control over the men's basketball program.

[TomShane]

Finally. Now the biggest criminial/coach on the college scene will be coaching the Memphis Tigers. Calipari and Huggins used to have bidding wars for illiterate thugs. Now they'll be all for Calipari. Look for Memphis to win a title in three years.

[Bugg]

Not a tough decision-you will not work here next year. Take either $2 million or $ 3 million-but get out either way.

Huggins has been the worst for a long time. But almost all college coaches are to some degree compromised. Huggins was just more out in the open because he kept winning, so to hell with not graduating illiterates and criminals.He thought winning would insulate him forever, and until the DWI, he was right.

Until someone explains how mostly mariginal student-athletes miss over a month of class for conference and postseason tournments and regularly play weeknights far from home, I'm not buying that any of these guys aren't cheating. So they took CBS's March Madness cash and still wish to pretend these guys are students. Enjoy the games, make some money with your bookie but know the deal.