West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins is expected to return to the sideline next season in the wake of using an anti-gay slur in a radio interview earlier this week, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

The university decision is in the process of being completed Wednesday, and the details have yet to be finalized. Huggins has agreed to a million-dollar salary reduction, a significant suspension and sensitivity training. …

In a radio interview on News Radio 700 WLW in Cincinnati, where Huggins used to coach (at the University of Cincinnati), he discussed an incident with the host where Huggins recalled “rubber penises” were thrown on the floor of a Crosstown Shootout game between Cincinnati and Xavier.

Huggins then said, “What it was, was all those f-gs, those Catholic f-gs, I think.”

[I’m guessing he didn’t lose a million dollars over the word “Catholic.” At least they didn’t just give Huggings a slap on the wrist, but imposed an actual monetary penalty for embarrassing the school. But, er … what’s the point of sports in education, if not to teach character as well as health and athleticism? It’s curious that this is the kind of character lesson that WVU is willing to endorse but just at a lower rate of compensation. I’m not a big fan of firing people over a single offense, but if they think it’s bad enough to take a million dollars out of Huggins’ pocket, it’s tough to see the justification for continuing to employ him at all. — Ed]