It is well known that Kim Mulkey, the head coach of LSU, is recognized for her fearlessness both on and off the court. Her latest confrontation with the media is a tribute to the reputation that she has earned.
In the midst of a string of controversial articles and columns, Mulkey has taken a stance against what she considers to be irresponsible handling of her athletes and misogyny in the field of sports media.
Mulkey’s anger surfaced in response to a profile published in the Washington Post, which she perceived to be an inaccurate portrayal of her.
Kim Mulkey Challenges Sexism in Sports Media
This sparked the altercation. When a columnist for the Los Angeles Times named Ben Bolch portrayed LSU players as adversaries against the so-called “America’s Sweethearts” from UCLA in the days leading up to their Sweet 16 meeting, the situation became even more tense.
Immediately after LSU’s victory over UCLA, Mulkey did not hold back in a postgame news conference, and she directed her ire at Bolch.
She accused him of being sexist and misogynistic for referring to her squad as “dirty debutantes” and for portraying the game as a conflict between two opposing forces, namely good and evil.
Mulkey strongly defended her players by saying, “You can criticize coaches all you want… but the one thing I’m not going to let you do is attack young people.” Mulkey then went on to defend her players once again.
Mulkey drew attention to the sexist overtones that were there in the remarks and urged women to take offense at the treatment they received.
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LA Times Updates Column After Kim Mulkey’s Critique
The criticism from the head coach caused the Los Angeles Times to update the essay, during which they acknowledged that it did not meet the standards of editorial writing.
Additionally, UCLA coach Cori Close expressed regret for mistakenly spreading disparaging material and apologized for sharing the essay without first thoroughly analyzing its content.
LSU prevailed over UCLA and made it to the Elite Eight despite the controversy that surrounded the game.
A wider discussion regarding sexism and respect in the field of sports journalists has been sparked as a result of Mulkey’s unflinching defense of her squad, which has not only gained support but also sparked a discourse bigger than that.
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