Kevin Damask

Apr 14, 2024 | kevindamask.substack.com | Kevin Damask

Turns out modern medicine’s loss was sports writing’s gain. With aspirations of becoming an orthopedic surgeon, Sabreena Merchant was studying pre-med at Duke University and applying to medical school. Merchant had always loved sports and believed becoming a physician for a pro team would quench her athletic thirst. But she started dabbling into sports writing in high school and when a friend coaxed her into tagging along to a newspaper staff meeting in college, she was hooked.

Mar 29, 2024 | kevindamask.substack.com | Kevin Damask

Not many people can say they’ve worked for the biggest wrestling company in the world, but for seven years, Brian Solomon lived his dream, working in the publications department for World Wrestling Entertainment. Since leaving WWE more than 15 years ago, Solomon has become one of the foremost voices in all things wrestling. He’s written books about the squared circle and hosts the “Shut Up and Wrestle” podcast, diving into old school wrestling.

Feb 25, 2024 | kevindamask.substack.com | Kevin Damask

Andrew Maraniss caught the bug for journalism and writing at an early age. It’s easy to see why. His grandfather, Elliott Maraniss, was editor of the Capital Times newspaper in Madison, Wisconsin and his grandmother, Mary Maraniss, edited books for the University of Wisconsin Press.

Feb 4, 2024 | kevindamask.substack.com | Kevin Damask

Editor’s note: This is the first installment of what I hope will be a regular fixture at Kevin’s Kronicles, an interview profiling an interesting person in the sports world. With National Girls and Women in Sports Day coming up Feb. 7, I couldn’t have picked a better person to kick off this series than Sam Rubin, general manager of the Madison (Wis.) Mallards baseball team and a new not-yet-named women’s softball team.

Dec 1, 2023 | kevindamask.substack.com | Kevin Damask

It’s sad to walk away from something you’ve loved. Especially if it’s something you’ve cherished for more than 25 years. But I couldn’t keep denying how I felt. It was time to move on. Time to cut the cord. Time to go our separate ways. I said goodbye to Sports Illustrated. My subscription was up for renewal. I asked my wife if she had renewed it, thinking maybe it was a holiday surprise. “No, I haven’t,” she said. “Good. Don’t,” I said.