Kim Mulkey takes aim at ‘sexist’ L.A. Times column after LSU’s Sweet 16 win
LSU clinched its spot in the Elite Eight on Saturday with a 78-69 seed upset over No. 2 UCLA, and the Tigers are now just three wins away from repeating as national champions.
After the win, though, coach Kim Mulkey took the opportunity to criticize a recent column in the Los Angeles Times from Ben Bolch that she deemed to be “sexist.”
“You can criticize coaches all you want,” Mulkey said. “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 going to let you do, I’m not going to let you attack young people, and there were some things in this commentary that you should be offended by as women. 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? … Are you kidding me? I’m not going to let you talk about 18- to 21-year-old kids in that tone.”
Kim Mulkey was asked about the perception people have about her LSU team.
In her response, she brought up recent LA Times article she read about the matchup between UCLA and LSU.
"I'm not going to let sexism continue. … How dare people attack kids like that." pic.twitter.com/72YwVnmwyv
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) March 30, 2024
Mulkey continued, criticizing Bolch for what she considered to be a sexist attack on her players.
“You women sit there and you keep your mouth shut if you want. But I’m in the last third of my career, I’m not going to let sexism continue,” Mulkey said. “And if you don’t think that’s sexism, then you’re in denial. How dare people attack kids like that. You don’t have to like the way we play. You don’t have to like the way we trash talk. You don’t have to like any of that. We’re good with that.
“But I can’t sit up here as a mother and a grandmother and a leader of young people and allow somebody to say that. Because guys, that’s wrong. I know sexism when I see it and I read it. That was awful.”
This was the opening of the L.A. Times column which Mulkey took particular issue with.
This isn’t just a basketball game, it’s a reckoning. Picking sides goes well beyond school allegiance.
Do you prefer America’s sweethearts or its dirty debutantes? Milk and cookies or Louisiana hot sauce?
LSU seems to have used “Louisiana hot sauce” as something of a rallying cry in the wake of the win.
Headed to the Elite Eight with a side of Louisiana Hot Sauce 🌶️ pic.twitter.com/f8H4YdbQAy
— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) March 30, 2024
Dub
With some Louisiana Hot Sauce on the side! https://t.co/QXPXJiL2bL
— Joe Schwartz (@joeschwartz25) March 30, 2024
LSU will move on to face Iowa in the Elite Eight in what will be a rematch of last year’s national title game on Monday night.
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