Bob Huggins Should Not Be Fired For Homophobic Slur On Radio Show: Clay Travis
Are we upholding a fair precedent if we ask for Bob Huggins' job after voicing a homophobic slur? Of course not; they're just words.
Bob Huggins, a Hall of Fame coach currently at West Virginia, insulted fans of Xavier, calling them Catholic gay slurs. He did it a couple of times during the interview. And immediately, people were like, "Oh my God, you have to fire Bob Huggins."
I disagree.
Don't Cancel Bob Huggins For Words, That's Insanity
Bob Huggins apologized. I am anti-firing anybody pretty much for anything that they say. We wildly, in this country, over-punish words and under-punish actions.
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - MARCH 16: Head coach Bob Huggins of the West Virginia Mountaineers reacts during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Legacy Arena at the BJCC on March 16, 2023 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Many people out there right now are taking qualms, saying Bob Huggins represents West Virginia University. Most married men don't even represent their own home, so why should Huggins suddenly be the face of West Virginia now that he's done a bad thing?
No longer being able to coach a basketball team because he used a slur in a radio interview — regarding a rival school — just sounds insane.
Would those same people be making the same argument if Bob Huggins had gotten a DUI?
Our Society Needs To Adjust Punishment for Words Vs. Actions
If Bob Huggins had gotten super drunk, gotten behind the wheel and driven, would those same people be demanding that he be fired? Probably not.
Keep in mind that Bob Huggins came out and apologized, which should be sufficient for a "crime" simply involving words. Aside from taking a jab at a rival in Xavier, there were no ill intents. If you had to choose between your kid using a gay slur or getting drunk and getting behind the wheel of a car, would anybody say, "Yeah, the gay slur is way worse"? Of course not.
Note that Huggins called the Xavier students "Catholic f*gs" because they were throwing dildos on the court during the game. Which is really weird. But why would that be a fireable offense for Huggins?
Why is our society so broken that actual words get people fired and actual actions do not? If you're a successful head coach in college athletics or the pros and you get a DUI, you're not going to get fired. But if you say a gay slur, on a joking radio interview, you're going to get fired. Does that seem right?
Does it seem like we're balancing the equities well here?
Because I don't think we are.
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