Kevin B. Blackistone

Kevin B. Blackistone, ESPN panelist and professor of the practice at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, writes sports commentary for The Washington Post.
Latest from Kevin B. Blackistone

Pat Fitzgerald had to go, but coaches are just symptoms of hazing problem

Changing coaches is easy. Changing cultures is the hard work college sports officials need to start taking seriously.

July 12, 2023

SCOTUS’s affirmative action decision: Ball or bust for Black athletes

The ruling that race must not be considered on admission further devalues Black males on campus — unless they're part of the college sports industrial complex.

July 1, 2023

After years and years in purgatory, the Wizards finally offer some hope

Mired mostly in mediocrity for decades, the Wizards at last look like they're ready to change everything.

June 25, 2023

Mike Pence’s misguided fantasy of baseball history

Mike Pence says baseball has a track record of American greatness. That's only if you ignore its many flaws and contradictions.

June 7, 2023

Ja Morant can’t quit his gun habit. Neither can his country.

Sports mirror society, and Ja Morant reflects his country's gun obsession.

May 21, 2023

Words can hurt. Sports keep proving that point.

With one misstep after another, sports figures from John Anderson to Bob Huggins to Glen Kuiper show that words can wound.

May 13, 2023

NIL has paved a path forward for college stars and their flashy cars

A great, if not notorious, tradition in college sports has been removed, with NIL rules driving some stars straight to their local dealerships.

May 8, 2023

Daniel Snyder’s exit will be a relief, but it doesn’t feel like justice

Daniel Snyder’s golden parachute — and the billions he would pocket in a sale of the Commanders — feels like an affront to the franchise he wrecked.

April 19, 2023

There’s no good reason to keep Caitlin Clark out of the WNBA draft

Caitlin Clark is 22 years old, a veteran of three collegiate seasons, and yet ineligible for the WNBA draft.

April 10, 2023

Every NFL player should support Lamar Jackson’s fight

Guaranteed contracts aren’t about enrichment as much as they are about decency, which means Lamar Jackson has a chance to better the league.

April 1, 2023