In 2023, over 3.7 million over the age of 26 sought and received treatment for alcohol abuse across the United States.
One of those seeking to escape the prison of addiction was Bobby Huggins, former head coach of West Virginia University men’s basketball and one of the most successful to ever hold that title anywhere, any time.
He gave Dr. Gordon Gee, president of the University, no choice when he dropped slurs on a radio broadcast, then was caught by Pittsburgh police behind the wheel of his vehicle and intoxicated. He followed that with confused statements on whether or not the University actually fired him.
For years, the decline in Huggins’ health was shown in different ways. His weight ballooned while his teams started to show symptoms of program decline.
Alcoholics always convince themselves that they can “maintain,” but in truth, the best outcome in such situations is managed decline in personal health, job proficiency, relations with family and friends, and more.
Since his recovery, the Mountaineer legend has lost significant amounts of weight and gained a full beard. He continues his charitable work, but now with somewhat more gusto. The old twinkle in his eye has returned.
Those who have lived through a loved one bearing alcohol addiction for years, then getting clean and sober understand this phrase. They got their person “back.”
Alcohol addiction resembles in some ways what one sees in portrayals of demonic possession. The person the family knows and loves slowly disappears, replaced by the combination of the absolute blackest and worst parts of his or her personality. A mood can switch from jolly to malevolent, from fun-loving to furious, in literally a second’s time.
There’s a reason why the Temperance movement called it “demon rum.”
Once exorcised, the addiction never goes away. It lurks in the background, always ready to resume its place when a person faces challenges or a period of personal breakdown. It presents itself as an old friend, then resumes its savage control once allowed back into the addict’s life.
Addiction is not merely a struggle or a challenge so much as a personal Cold War with alcohol for control of one’s life.
And the war only ends with death. Victory comes with every day until then that the person does not take a drink.
Bobby Huggins won 935 games as a college head coach, but no victory he earned on the job is more important than the victories he racks up in his daily life being clean and sober.
And that, friends, is why West Virginia University needs to bring back “Huggy Bear” as the face of the program.
Set aside the fact that a clean and sober Huggins will have significantly more impact on maintaining the program and winning basketball games. That is less relevant than the absolute good that returning Huggins to coaching can do.
West Virginia is a state overrun with addiction of all kinds. Unlike many states, no family in the Mountain State has escaped the pain caused by addiction to something, whether it be alcohol, drugs, gambling, or something else.
Addicts can come back. They can get clean. They can rejoin the lives of their families. Families can live their own “Prodigal Son” parables by welcoming the addict back to sober living.
They can earn a second chance.
What many addicts need is inspiration. Much of that comes in the form of a person who looks them in the eye and says “I did it. It’s overwhelmingly tough. But I did it and you can do it too.”
Restoring Huggins to his former position is not just a no-brainer on the basketball side. It gives the flagship university and the state a figure to show what a recovered addict can do with the right commitment and support.
How much would it mean to have Huggins go out and give talks where he begins with “I’m Bobby Huggins and I’m an addict?”
How many lives would this change, and even save? What would be the ripple effect in families, jobs, and the community?
And all they have to do is hire back one of the best in the world at the job he has done, but make part of the job being a public figure speaking on addiction, speaking to addicts, speaking about his own experience to help others drive off the demon of alcohol addiction.
It’s not just a win-win. It’s the move that keeps on winning well beyond the game of basketball. It could give West Virginia more victories in its war on addiction and save many from the prison and the pain that it inflicts.
Mr. Wren Baker, do the right thing and give Coach Huggins another chance.
