Brown Apologizes for His Remarks After LSU Loss

Louisiana State basketball Coach Dale Brown apologized Friday for his comments following the Tigers’ 73-63 loss at Mississippi this week.

“I think this is a perfect case of work ethic beating the unemployed and the freeloader,” Brown said after the Monday night game. “The work ethic that Ole Miss displayed tonight beat our unemployment line and our union mentality to carry one piece of steel instead of three, because the job will last longer,” he said.

Brown, who returned to his office Friday following a four-day road trip, said he had several messages from people who were upset with his comment.

“If I have offended any of my hard-working union friends regarding this statement I made after the Mississippi game, I am sorry and I apologize because I was referring to the work ethic of only one individual,” he said.

“That individual I refer to approached his job like our team played against Ole Miss . . . with the attitude that ‘somebody else will do my work,” Brown said.

“That attitude was 100% my fault because I did not prepare our team with the work ethic that has always been prevalent amongst our LSU basketball teams.”

The Tigers--with losses to Florida, Vanderbilt and Mississippi in the Southeastern Conference--won their first league game Thursday night at Tennessee by defeating the Vols, 79-78. LSU is 9-4 overall and 1-3 in the conference.