LA Times writer Ben Bolch pens heartfelt apology for LSU-UCLA article: 'I terribly missed the mark"

LA Times’ UCLA beat writer Ben Bolch has issued an apology for comments made in a recent story pertaining to the LSU women’s basketball team after defeating the Bruins 78-69 in the Sweet 16 on Saturday.

Bolch made comments, which have since been edited, calling the Tigers ‘villains’ and ‘dirty debutantes.’ Fans of the LSU Tigers quickly lashed out against the Bruins writer, and guard Hailey Van Lith came out as calling the story ‘sad and upsetting.’ Head coach Kim Mulkey also spoke out against the article.

UCLA head coach Cori Close reposted the story to her social media account, but apologized after the game and called it a mistake.

Bolch’s statement, in full, can be read below:

“It has taken me two days to write this apology because I wanted to be as thoughtful as possible in my response to the situation I have created,” Bolch wrote. “These are words I have not been asked to write by anyone at my paper, but they need to be expressed so that I can own up to my mistake.

“Words matter. As a journalist, no one should know this more than me. Yet I have failed miserably in my choice of words. In my column previewing the LSU-UCLA women’s basketball game, I tried to be clever in my phrasing about one team’s attitude, using alliteration while not understanding the deeply offensive connotation or associations. I also used metaphors that were not appropriate. Our society has had to deal with so many layers of misogyny, racism and negativity that I can now see why the words I used were wrong. It was not my intent to be hurtful, but I now understand that I terribly missed the mark.

“I sincerely apologize to the LSU and UCLA basketball teams and to our readers.
UCLA, a school I have covered for nearly a decade, champions diversity and is known as a leader in inclusivity. However, I have not upheld that standard in what I wrote and I will do much better. I am deeply sorry.”

According to 4WWL in Los Angeles, the story previously read, “Do you prefer America’s sweethearts or its dirty debutantes? Milk and cookies or Louisiana hot sauce?” And has since been replaced with. “Do you prefer the team that wants to grow women’s basketball or the one seemingly hellbent on dividing it?”

LSU will battle Iowa for a spot in the Final Four on Monday.