LSU Tigers’ Kim Mulkey Slams LA Times for ‘Sexist,’ Unfair LA Times Article

In a preview piece for the LSU-ULCA women’s game, Ben Bolch of LA Times called the Bruins as “America’s sweethearts” and the Tigers as “basketball villains.”

Mulkey, however, didn’t like how the writer vilified her players and even used “sexist” remarks to make a point. The article also referenced Mulkey’s recent tirade against Washington Post for a then-unpublished report about her.

Here’s a part of the article that Mulkey particularly took offense in:

“Do you prefer America’s sweethearts or its dirty debutantes? Milk and cookies or Louisiana hot sauce?” Bolch wrote. “The team that wants to grow women’s basketball or the one seemingly hellbent on dividing it?  The coach who embraces reporters or the one who attacks them? The tender star player or the one who taunts?”

LSU Tigers’ Kim Mulkey Fires Back at LA Times

During her presser after guiding the LSU Tigers to the 78-69 win over the second-seeded UCLA Bruins, Kim Mulkey was asked about the perception people have on her team. The veteran coach then proceeded to bring up the controversial LA Times article and highlighted her issues with it.

Mulkey called it sexist and unfair, adding that she won’t let someone attack her young players with such demeaning remarks.

“You can criticize coaches all you want, that’s our business. You can come at us and say, ‘You’re the worst coach in America,’ ‘I hate you, I hate everything about you.’ We expect that, it comes with the territory. But the one thing I’m not gonna let you do, I’m not gonna let you attack young people,” Mulkey said of the LA Times piece, via The Sporting News.

“It was so sexist, and they don’t even know it. It was good versus evil in that game today. Evil? Called us dirty debutantes. Take your phone out right now and google what dirty debutantes mean and tell me what it says. Dirty debutantes? Are you kidding me? … How dare people attack kids like that.”

While Mulkey has her fair share of critics, she’s definitely right in this one. To put players under such negative light is simply unfair for the work they put in. They may not be the most likeable team, but making it look like they are bad people simply goes over the line.

It remains to be seen how the LA Times will respond to the criticism from Mulkey. Hopefully, though, it doesn’t distract LSU from focusing on the task at hand.