Kent Babb (@kentbabb) header
Kent Babb (@kentbabb) profile picture

Kent Babb

@kentbabb

Enterprise writer, @ESPN Author | Builder | Adventurer Been smooth since days of Underroos

 Southbound
Joined April 2009
  • Tweets20.6K
  • Following1.1K
  • Followers18.4K
315Media
Photo by Kent Babb (@kentbabb)Photo by Kent Babb (@kentbabb)Photo by Kent Babb (@kentbabb)Photo by Kent Babb (@kentbabb)Photo by Kent Babb (@kentbabb)Photo by Kent Babb (@kentbabb)Photo by Kent Babb (@kentbabb)Photo by Kent Babb (@kentbabb)Photo by Kent Babb (@kentbabb)
In 2002, my dad died at 51. Ever since, I’ve worried about reaching that age, and a while back I reached out to somebody who understood. I learned about @DaleJr and how he coped, & wound up meeting a man I shared blood with but didn’t actually know. wapo.st/45llfVf
Chasing ghosts with Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Chasing ghosts with Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Approaching the age his dad was when he died at Daytona, a second-generation legend went looking for answers. I went looking, too.

washingtonpost.com
17
39
18
218
55,055
Kent Babb retweeted
Sam Borden (@SamBorden) profile picture
Sam Borden@SamBordenOct 30
They run. They win. The risk grows. With Kenyans expected to win (again) at the NYC Marathon, here is our investigation into the danger Kenyan women face at home ... as well as the stories of the women desperately trying to make change. espn.com/olympics/trackandfi…
The more they win, the greater the risk

The more they win, the greater the risk

Running is a way of life in Kenya. The women who go the fastest know it can also lead to death.

espn.com
15
3
20
13,665
Just pubbed @WSJ: Backed financially by Don Jr. and Eric Trump, drone startup Powerus surged to a $300M valuation and landed major Pentagon work in less than a year. A deep dive on the company and the colorful cast leading it, w/ @heathersomervil & @DavidUberti
11
62
7
136
11,959
Absolute beauty of a piece by @kentbabb ... with an ending that provides a lesson for those of any age. espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/4986…
In Mike Trout, MLB's past is prologue

In Mike Trout, MLB's past is prologue

From Mickey Mantle to Konnor Griffin, the burden of big expectations is passed down through the generations.

espn.com
2
9
2,175
New @espn: By the time you recognize that youth may be fleeting, it's already gone. espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/4986…
In Mike Trout, MLB's past is prologue

In Mike Trout, MLB's past is prologue

From Mickey Mantle to Konnor Griffin, the burden of big expectations is passed down through the generations.

espn.com
4
5
3
17
6,383
Kent Babb retweeted
Ben Strauss (@benjstrauss) profile picture
Ben Strauss@benjstraussSep 7
New @espn: @kalynkahler and I explored how the Patriots and Mike Vrabel survived a wild off-season that tested one of the NFL's dirtiest words: distraction. Plus the ripple effects of a tabloid scandal for women reporters, NFL coaches and comms staffs. espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/4983…
Mike Vrabel emerged from his offseason scandal. Its effects linger

Mike Vrabel emerged from his offseason scandal. Its effects linger

Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots moved past the Dianna Russini scandal. Others are still feeling its effects.

espn.com
96
44
39
443
657,038
Kent Babb retweeted
Ryan McGee (@ESPNMcGee) profile picture
Ryan McGee@ESPNMcGeeAug 19
My new ESPN colleague Robert Klemko spent all summer reporting this story about Kyle Busch. It's worth your time. It might even convince you to go to the doctor. That's what Rowdy's story has done for a lot of folks, especially men, since we lost him. espn.com/racing/story/_/id/4…
What Kyle Busch's death exposed about NASCAR's culture of toughness

What Kyle Busch's death exposed about NASCAR's culture of toughness

Kyle Busch embodied NASCAR toughness. His death forced a look at what that means.

espn.com
10
45
2
329
69,088
Kent Babb retweeted
Ben Strauss (@benjstrauss) profile picture
Ben Strauss@benjstraussJul 25
New @espn: I wrote about the future of MLS, the most polarizing soccer league in the world. "I couldn't be more bullish," said one owner. "It's the worst investment in sports," said an investor. espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/4…
Can MLS capitalize on World Cup fervor in the U.S.?

Can MLS capitalize on World Cup fervor in the U.S.?

The MLS is at a crossroads. What is the league willing to risk in its next chapter?

espn.com
44
71
35
347
312,368
For America 250, ESPN sent me and four other writers on road trips across different parts of the country with the aim to answer one question. Mine: what makes a sport American? This story is about migration, assimilation & the oldest secret about America: espn.com/espn/story/_/id/490…
America 250 road trip: A new mom discovers the oldest secret in sports

America 250 road trip: A new mom discovers the oldest secret in sports

What makes a sport American? Fans leave clues at a Florida pickleball party, a Charleston crawfish-eating contest and Vince Lombardi's grave.

espn.com
2
8
7
3,037
ESPN sent me west to try answering a question: Do sports still connect us, or do we just tell ourselves that’s true? Almost 1,100 miles down the spine of the southwest, Promontory to a hogan in Navajo Nation, chasing the answer. It found me in stranger places than I expected. 🧵👇 espn.com/espn/story/_/id/491…
America 250 road trip: The greatest bet in sports history -- 157 years ago

America 250 road trip: The greatest bet in sports history -- 157 years ago

It's in the scent of a running stream and the feel of sandstone sashay. It's in the sound of a power-play goal and the taste of a ham sandwich. Connection is all around, even in the most unexpected...

espn.com
1
2
15
4,719
more replies
White Pocket and the Nash Center
Image from Kent Babb (@kentbabb)
Image from Kent Babb (@kentbabb)
Image from Kent Babb (@kentbabb)
Image from Kent Babb (@kentbabb)
1
1
675
A time lapse and Kokopelli
Image from Kent Babb (@kentbabb)
1
1
645
Kent Babb retweeted
Jonathan Martin (@jmart) profile picture
Jonathan Martin
@jmartJun 29
Harvard got the best: @BFischerMartin view.comms.hks.harvard.edu/?…
5
13
3
83
55,995
And for @5280Magazine, he wrote about a Colorado rodeo family in a way only he can, with the sort of details and empathy that always makes him a must-read: 5280.com/inside-the-eastern-…
Inside the Eastern Colorado Cowboy Dynasty That Rules Rodeo

Inside the Eastern Colorado Cowboy Dynasty That Rules Rodeo

Mike Cervi built a rodeo empire the likes of which Colorado had never seen. A year after his death, it’s up to his sons to drive the family’s business into the next generation.

5280.com
1
1
4
1,632
Kent Babb retweeted
Will Hobson (@TheWillHobson) profile picture
Will Hobson@TheWillHobsonJun 1
Some career news! Today is my first day @WSJ, working on political and government investigations and enterprise. I am beyond thrilled to take on new challenges with some old friends, and to make some new ones in an incredibly talented newsroom that is firing on all cylinders.
Damian Paletta (@damianpaletta) profile pictureDamian Paletta
@damianpalettaJun 1
Thrilled to have @TheWillHobson join the DC bureau at the @WSJ !!
3
20
2
201
46,327
Kent Babb retweeted
Steve Politi (@StevePoliti) profile picture
Steve Politi
@StevePolitiMay 28
We talked to nearly 100 people about youth sports in New Jersey and found a predatory industry that is leaving parents broke, exhausted and wondering how the games of their childhood took over their adult lives. Our six-month investigation: nj.com/sports/2026/05/the-sh…
Youth sports are bleeding N.J. families dry. How much parents are spending — and why they can't...

Youth sports are bleeding N.J. families dry. How much parents are spending — and why they can't...

New investigation reveals a predatory industry preying on well-meaning parents, leaving them broke and exhausted

nj.com
97
467
145
2,074
1,433,964
Kent Babb retweeted
Ben Strauss (@benjstrauss) profile picture
Ben Strauss@benjstraussApr 17
New from me @espn: Inside the fallout of the Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel photos espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/4851…
Inside the fallout of the Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel photos

Inside the fallout of the Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel photos

How Dianna Russini and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel scrambled to respond to photos published in the New York Post.

espn.com
70
274
85
1,496
2,179,263
Such a great story that can’t help but bring a smile to your face
Jerry Brewer (@JerryBrewer) profile pictureJerry Brewer@JerryBrewerApr 7
Meet Lawrence Bennett, a former chauffeur at Augusta National, unofficial historian and protector of what's most sacred about the place. The real story of Augusta isn't green jackets. It lives in the people time quietly leaves behind. Gift link here: nytimes.com/athletic/7174158…
Image from Jerry Brewer (@JerryBrewer)
1
6
2,956
Kent Babb retweeted
Jerry Brewer (@JerryBrewer) profile picture
Jerry Brewer@JerryBrewerApr 6
Y'all I'm so grateful for the nice words and even the dissenting opinions related to my work at the women's Final 4 and the Geno-Dawn spot. But I really, really want you to read this one. Put a lot of heart into it. nytimes.com/athletic/7174158…
The man who saw everything: Lawrence Bennett’s long drive through Augusta’s history (Gift Article)

The man who saw everything: Lawrence Bennett’s long drive through Augusta’s history (Gift Article)

“Probably nobody on the planet knows more about Augusta National than me."

nytimes.com
15
50
11
202
79,244
Load more