NEW ORLEANS — The Los Angeles Times' controversial column on the LSU women's basketball team ahead of its game with UCLA has been tweaked once again, this time to include an apology line.
The Times' original column included lines comparing the two schools' teams with a less-than-flattering categorization of the Tigers compared to the Bruins.
"Do you prefer America’s sweethearts or its dirty debutantes? Milk and cookies or Louisiana hot sauce?"
Mulkey lashed out at the column following the Tigers' win over UCLA.
The column had an editor's note added Saturday and a couple additional clarifying comments were added.
The Times said "The original version of this commentary did not meet Times editorial standards. It has been edited to remove language that was inappropriate and offensive. We apologize to the LSU basketball program and to our readers."
In the newest comments, the Times categorizes the comments as "inappropriate and offensive" and offers a formal apology to LSU.
The commentary by writer Ben Bolch is still on the Times' website, and it still bears the headline "UCLA-LSU is America's sweethearts vs. its basketball villains."
The now watered-down commentary mostly takes aim at Mulkey for the long-known and reported controversies over her relationship with former players, including prominent gay players and it takes her to task for her preemptive slamming of a Washington Post article that didn't unearth much new information.
It adds in a few shots at Angel Reese for her gesturing at Caitlin Clark at the end of last year's championship game and at Reese waving goodbye to an upset Middle Tennessee player following another hard-fought game in this year's tournament.
Noted USA Today columnist Nancy Armour took offense at both the Los Angeles Times column and the long article by the Washington Post in noting that Mulkey comes under scrutiny that no male coach has to endure.
LSU's women have come under fire this season, but rather than providing a distraction, it seems to be motivating the team and perhaps making them less nervous about the actual games.
The Tigers take on Iowa's Caitlin Clark with a berth to the Final Four on the line, Monday night at 6:15 p.m. CST.