RENAMING DALE BROWN COURT IS UNJUST AND AN EMBARRASSMENT

Photo By: Jonathan Mailhes

Da Boot Sports
2/26/2023
By: Terrill J. Weil


   BATON ROUGE, LA - In September of 2021 the LSU Board of Supervisors voted to name the Pete Maravich Assembly Center's basketball court after LSU legendary basketball coach Dale Brown. The vote passed. 

   What an honor for Coach Brown. An honor that was very long over-due. "Dale Brown Court"... A fitting name for the court that Dale Brown built after coming to Baton Rouge with only $300 in his pocket and very little support. 

      "Awards and honors were never a goal of mine. My only goals were to build LSU into a national power and to help young men improve their lives."  Dale Brown said after the announcement of the decision. 
"Now, though, with the tremendous honor LSU’s Board of Supervisors has just given me –the naming of Dale Brown Court—I get to use one of the most powerful phrases in the English language: THANK YOU!
Thank you to the Board of Supervisors for thinking enough of me to make this happen.
Thank you to the people of Louisiana who have always allowed me to enjoy such a special relationship with both LSU and this entire state that I have loved for so long.
Thank you to the parents who entrusted me with their sons. Thank you to my players and assistant coaches and support staff. Thank you to LSU fans everywhere.
You have given me the honor of a lifetime. More than that, you have honored me by allowing me to be part of your lives for so many years now. THANK YOU!"

   
   Only a little over a year after honoring Dale Brown with a ceremony, unveiling his signature on the court in front of a capacity crowd before LSU's contest against Kentucky, the LSU Board of Supervisors once again voted for a name change to the PMAC basketball court.

   The vote took place on Friday, Feb. 10th. The board approved to add former women's basketball coach
Sue Gunter's name to the court by the vote of 14-1. UNREAL!

   Dick Vitale jumped on Twitter when he heard the news.... 
       “How ABSURD – in Louisiana, the Governor wants to change the name of the LSU basketball court that was named DALE BROWN COURT in a dedication ceremony about a year ago. This is wacky, Dale deserved the honor & it finally was affirmed & now UGLY POLITICS is involved.”

   Tim Brando who was a driving force back in 2021 in pushing for the naming of the court after
Brown, mentioning back then to the LSU Board of Supervisors....
       “Skip Bertman, the legend of LSU, who also was here when I was here,” said Brando. “He came in 1984
when I was still working at Channel 9, at WAFB. I left in 1986 for ESPN. Skip Bertman has said, and I quote, ‘Dale Brown’s presence at Louisiana State University is worth more than my five national championships as head baseball coach.’ That’s Skip Bertman.”

   After hearing about the name change, Brando would go onto say on Crain & Company....
      “How dare Louisiana and LSU do this to them, and this is so typical of my state. Listen, I have great pride, as you know, in where I’m from. I love Louisiana… I’m pissed off, and it’s time other people get pissed off. Shaq, I’ve texted you, where are you? Make the calls, do it now. We have other people in power who could do something about this and stop it.”

   Gunter coached at LSU from 1982-2004, finishing with a 442-221 (.667) record. Gunter led the Lady Tigers to 14 NCAA Tournaments and two WNITs, winning one. She also directed LSU to 14 season of 20 wins or more, including a 30 win season. 

   Halfway through the 2003-2004 season, poor health forced Gunter to take a medical leave of absence, later being diagnosed with emphysema. Gunter would not return to her position and later passed away on August 4th, 2005. 

   LSU has since honored Sue Gunter with a very nice monument displaying her career achievements including a beautiful statue inside of the PMAC. 

   My anger towards this name change is in no way shape or form anything personal towards Coach Gunter. She was a wonderful person and a great basketball coach.

   My argument is that she's been honored already by the university and it's a slap in the face to Dale Brown to make this change. Coach Brown deserves to be singled out without sharing an honor. 

   If this is what the university wanted, then it should have been done from the beginning back when they voted  in 2021. It was discussed and voted against. Now, going back to re-vote on this so soon is embarrassing. It's like stating that they made a mistake. Naming the court, 'Dale Brown Court' was no mistake.
   
   "LSU names 'Dale Brown Court' on January 4, 2022. One year later LSU changes the naming of 'Dale Brown Court'." former basketball player Russell Grant said. "The naming of a court is suppose to be an honor of achievement. LSU has stripped the honor for all involved. Coach Brown did not deserve this and I feel really bad for him and his entire family."

   This shouldn't of happened. Who the hell is responsible for resurfacing this vote? It's been reported that Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and LSU President William V. Tate were involved in pushing for the change. 
   
   You Mr. Governor should be worried about fixing the horrible problems with our state rather then putting your two cents in on a sports issue. 
   
   You Mr. William Tate should be more concerned with crime on the LSU campus and safety concerns of
the university and the students rather then pushing change on something that shouldn't be. 
   
   Where is Scott Woodward through all of this? Is Woodward a coward? He should have been the first person to speak up and put a stop to this.  

   "I'm hurt and in disbelief!" said former player Dennis Tracey. "This is disgraceful and an embarrassment. It cuts the heart out of the LSU men's basketball program. What cowards."

   If LSU feels the need to honor Coach Gunter with more than a shrine and statue in the concourse of the PMAC, then why not name the women's practice facility after her? Or better yet, build the women's basketball program their own 9,000 seat gymnasium on campus and they can name it 'Sue Gunter Arena'.

   "First off I think both coaches are legendary coaches." said former LSU basketball player Maurice Williamson.  "I do think it's a disservice to change the name of the basketball court. Nothing against Coach Gunter. She was a great coach. But I think Coach Brown did a little more for LSU, for his players and for the people of Louisiana. I'm still shocked and surprised to this day that they don't have a statue of Coach Brown outside of the PMAC to honor him."

   You simply don't bestow an honor on someone then strip it away, especially in such a short period of time. It's wrong and deceitful.

   LSU, you should be embarrassed and ashamed...   

   Keep it 'Dale Brown Court'!

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