ESPN's Dick Vitale calls LSU potentially adding Sue Gunter's name to Dale Brown Court 'absurd'

Koki Riley, Lafayette Daily Advertiser
·2 min read
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BATON ROUGE — ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale did not hold back on his thoughts on LSU potentially changing the name of its court on Friday.

Last January, LSU named its basketball court Dale Brown Court after the former Tigers basketball coach who won 448 games and reached two Final Fours at LSU. But according to WAFB, a vote will be held among LSU's Board of Supervisors on Feb. 10 to adjust the name of the court to include former LSU women's basketball coach Sue Gunter.

"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," Vitale wrote on Twitter. "This is wacky. Dale deserved the honor & it finally was affirmed & now UGLY POLITICS (are) involved."

But Vitale isn't the only critic of the potential name change. FOX Sports broadcaster Tim Brando has also been vocal in his opposition to the alleged proposal.

"This is about political vendetta. Nothing more, nothing less. And it needs to be stopped before Louisiana looks really bad from a national standpoint, both in the news media and certainly in the sports media," Brando told WAFB.

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Brando also claims that Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and LSU President William F. Tate are at the forefront in the apparent attempt to change the court's name.

"You don't name anything for someone and then tell them, 'No, we're going to change this just because,' " Brando said to WAFB.

Gunter was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005 after guiding LSU to its first Final Four in 2004. She retired after the 2004 season after leading the Tigers to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances. Gunter died in August 2005.

Koki Riley covers LSU sports for The Daily Advertiser and the USA TODAY Sports South Region. Email him at kriley@theadvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter at @KokiRiley.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Dick Vitale calls LSU's possible Dale Brown Court name change absurd