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Candace Buckner

@candacedbuckner.bsky.social
4.8K followers 30 following 173 posts

Sports columnist at The Athletic.

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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Hahaha I’m everywhere Steve! No, not covering the Pacers but I’ll be around this year for sure. For instance, I’ll be covering the Pacers season opener in New Orleans and Tyrese’s first game. Real excited to see his comeback tour, so to speak.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
The Washington Mystics take the court tonight in Game 2 vs the Dream. As good as this year as been for the team & their individual up-and-coming stars, I hope they’ll be viewed for those accomplishments. And not their nickname. I hate that name, here’s why: www.nytimes.com/athletic/763...
nytimes.com
‘Young Hos’ nickname choice by Washington Mystics undercuts the fun, unafraid women behind it (Gift Article)
Reappropriating the term "hos" celebrates a culture that’s rooted in abuse and dehumanization, in which many girls and women are trapped.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
From being a zero-star recruit & undrafted practice-squad player to marrying the GOAT, Jonathan Owens is on 1 of the wildest journeys you’ll see in the NFL Tho curiosity n2 his marriage w/ Simone Biles will always be there I find Owen’s career fascinating. Free read: www.nytimes.com/athletic/761...
nytimes.com
Colts safety Jonathan Owens is on a wild ride — plus he’s married to Simone Biles (Gift Article)
The nine-year pro is one of the Colts' top special-teamers and leads them in TMZ appearances. "At the end of the day, I'm living my dream."
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Loved this quote from Calais Campbell on his QB Lamar Jackson: "It was just like, ‘What just happened? How did he get it in there and get the first down?’ It is like, ‘How many people can actually do that?’ Not many — not many. He might be one of the only ones.” www.nytimes.com/athletic/759...
nytimes.com
Lamar Jackson, illusionist in pads, is healthy again. Prepare to be amazed (Gift Article)
Jackson might say his standard is just “playing football,” but he's a marvel for the rest of us. His sleight of hand will confuse defenses.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Not a leap to believe that the next WNBA commissioner will be a woman with a strong business background. And I say, good luck to that brave soul. For she’ll have perform a delicate dance to be all things to all people. www.nytimes.com/athletic/756...
nytimes.com
Wanted: A new WNBA commissioner. She must be everything to everyone (Gift Article)
She must be approachable, charismatic and respected in the boardroom. The standard for female CEOs will always be higher and more personal.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
So kind of you, Todd :))
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Basically, Steph White had time today.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Thanks for getting it, Scott!
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Thanks Vork!!!!!
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Appreciate you taking the time to read, Lisa!
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Thanks for checking in, Haig 👍🏽
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Reposted by Candace Buckner
Jesse Dougherty @jessedougherty.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Alternate headline: Sports are never just about sports.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Let’s go to a #Fever game & talk basketball… just as Sophie Cunningham wants. But please avert your eyes from the protestor yelling about trans kids, the fans being escorted out and the fact that the #Fever waited two weeks to deny allegations abt sexual harassment www.nytimes.com/athletic/749...
nytimes.com
The WNBA conversation is no longer about basketball, and Sophie Cunningham doesn’t get why (Gift Article)
The Fever and Aces played a highly entertaining basketball game Thursday night. Though other things happened around the basketball part.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Yes, I believe a pro sports commissioner needs to be good at messaging. And WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert gets harshly judged bc she doesn’t talk enough w/ players. But the role of a commish is not just abt relationships. Ultimately it’s abt business: www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
nytimes.com
Cathy Engelbert may be unpopular with WNBA players, but she’s not paid to be their bestie (Gift Article)
Engelbert's failure to protect players might be her downfall, but she seems to be doing the one thing that she’s paid to do well.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Thanks so much for reading, Mark.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Jas, sounds like you’ve had a rough go. But you’re strong. And you’re too strong to believe THAT was a cheap shot.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Hey teamate! Thanks so much for sharing :)
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Reposted by Candace Buckner
Eric Koreen @ekoreen.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
From @candacedbuckner.bsky.social, Monday night was a giant F--- you to Knicks fans, free to read.
nytimes.com
Donald Trump, James Dolan tried to ruin NBA Finals vibe. The Knicks’ loss killed it (Gift Article)
Dolan should've known Trump's presence would hijack attention from the night and complicate logistics for the NBA and deeply invested fans.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
ST. LOUIS — The place that calls itself “Baseball Heaven” is now filled with a bunch of shirtless dudes. Visited my hometown recently to cover the Tarps Off craze, and sneak in a gooey butters reference, and a Nelly lyric. Free access to my column here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/732...
nytimes.com
MLB Tarps Off craze has awakened 'Baseball Heaven' with the bare truth
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Jaxson Dart was “pleasured” to introduce Trump at a political rally, Abdul Carter had different words to describe that scene. A very public rebuke from one NFL teammate to another shed slight on how even unified locker rooms might be functioning in the Trump era. www.nytimes.com/athletic/730...
nytimes.com
Political dissension in the workplace? NFL stars are just like the rest of us (Gift Article)
Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart offered a peek behind the curtain of how locker rooms are functioning in the Trump era.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Good stuff, Curt. Now please ask Google if any of the previous generation’s freedom fighters were millionaires by the time they were 19? Different generation, sir.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
It would be nice and the selfless thing to do, for sure. But capitalism often wins. I just don’t see this realistically happening
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
In what feels like a state of emergency for the Black vote, the NAACP is trying to recruit junior foot soldiers to make a vow and save the day. They’re asking Black athletes to not play at certain Southern schools. It’s a big ask. And it’s unfair. www.nytimes.com/athletic/729...
nytimes.com
NAACP’s big ask is admirable, impossible and mostly unfair (Gift Article)
The oldest civil rights organization in America wants athletes in their teens and 20s to send a message to Southern lawmakers. Good luck.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
“If u expose yourself to something that feels so scary, it just has an effect on u. It just reminds u that nothing really matters that much. Nobody’s thinking about u that much. No one cares about u that much. So don’t take urself too seriously.” Gosh this is good: www.nytimes.com/athletic/729...
nytimes.com
A former NFL player did a disastrous open mic. He thinks everyone should try it (Gift Article)
“If you expose yourself to something that feels so scary,” former NFL player Jack Crawford said, “it just has an effect on you."
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Statistical records falling almost every game… Efficient shooting from deep… Caitlin Clark is saying hello once again to the game she’s ready to dominate This one’s open and free for all, take a look 👀 www.nytimes.com/athletic/728...
nytimes.com
New-and-improved Caitlin Clark reintroducing herself to the game she’s ready to dominate (Gift Article)
Clark is politely saying hello again to the league and reestablishing her star trajectory that temporarily stalled a year ago.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Thank ya Jeff!
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
I laughed :)
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Hahaha good one Susanne 😉
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Amen and noted. And I would say The Athletic’s women’s basketball coverage is top shelf. (As was coverage of USA women’s hockey team) now let us get to NWSL so I can see how we cover that league but I’ve been impressed with the resources and talent thrown at women’s hoops & tennis
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
It’s up to WNBA fans to raise the roof (and the floor) of the conversation Open for all, so click and read. Interested in your thoughts: www.nytimes.com/athletic/724...
nytimes.com
It’s up to WNBA fans to raise the roof (and the floor) of the conversation (Gift Article)
As WNBA fans on social media share their fervor, opinions and drivel, the discourse needs help. Right now, it sounds like NBA lite.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Sprinter Allyson Felix and NFL player Drew Dalman. One athlete in her autumn, and another in his prime. Both have rejected the conventional wisdom of what is expected of their bodies. And I can’t decide who’s more impressive. www.nytimes.com/athletic/723...
nytimes.com
For sprinter Allyson Felix and NFL player Drew Dalman, two equally courageous decisions
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Thanks Susanne!!
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
But now we back up! Writing again. And it is my goal to make this page way less transactional — just sending links without interacting with good folks. Eh, we’ll see :)
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Gosh, this little profile needed some sprucing up. Finally updated the bio (thanks Susanne, for pointing that out). I gotta post here more, it’ll just take developing a habit. I must admit being away from most social media for the last few months was liberating.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Oh my! Good looking out Susanne! I completely forgot about that bio lol
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Hey y’all! I’ve been at @theathletic.com for a little over a week now. New digs but same ol’ me :) Couldn’t shake thoughts about this random Pacers couple going viral and the reactions to them, so I wrote this. Hope you enjoy: www.nytimes.com/athletic/719...
nytimes.com
What’s an Indiana Pacers couple to do when viral moment goes off the rails?
Social media found its fix. The "Inside" crew had its fun. Now, we can all move on, until the next moment breaks through our boredom.
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Reposted by Candace Buckner
Tom Schad @tomschad.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Just wanted to take a minute, for no particular reason whatsoever, and celebrate some of the brilliant work that my @postsports.bsky.social colleagues have done in recent weeks. These stories take time and resources. They're also what make The Post so great. All gift links/free to read...
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
I wrote about Audi Crooks bc she is special in her craft, & unlike any other star player. What makes her great at hoops & unique among her peers comes from her body. But in a world still too obsessed w/ judging the shape of a woman’s body, how should fans talk about female athletes & their size?
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Thanks so much for reading and sharing, Christopher!
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
The conversation and backlash to the conversation re: the Jacksonville Jaguars news conference revealed one thing: Sports journalists have a problem. Free & open link for all: wapo.st/4sGqfgt
wapo.st
Column | News conferences exist to inform fans. It’s too bad so many don’t get that.
The debate over a reporter’s actions after a Jacksonville Jaguars game reveals a troubling misunderstanding.
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Post Sports @postsports.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
With no one running the asylum, college basketball has gone full crazy. Column from @candacedbuckner.bsky.social
washingtonpost.com
Column | With no one running the asylum, college hoops has gone full crazy
In the latest evidence that no one is in charge, James Nnaji, who was drafted by an NBA team two years ago, is somehow eligible to play at Baylor.
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Tom Schad @tomschad.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Tackling is one of football's basic crafts. Few players in NFL history have mastered it like Bobby Wagner. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
This week Puka Nacua appeared on a live stream — and we could stop right there to break down all the reasons this ranked as an epically dumb decision. Nothing quite makes a crisis manager groan when reading a headline that features the words “pro athletes” & “live streams.” wapo.st/4q5pbBj
wapo.st
Column | Advice to Puka Nacua: Hang out with people who have as much to lose as you
Evidently wanting more attention than one NFL game per week provides, the Rams’ star receiver appeared on a live stream that got him the wrong kind.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
Stripped of his armor of maize and blue, Sherrone Moore looked small. At his arraignment Friday, Moore looked afraid, or maybe he was worried. Without the brim of his block “M” hat framing his face, Moore was exposed yet remained hard to read. He looked only like a criminal defendant.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Like a lot of us last Sunday, Philip Rivers was watching NFL football on his couch. But unlike the rest of us coach potatoes, Rivers got a surprise call to join the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad. And nearly five years after his last NFL game, Rivers might start Sunday 🤯 wapo.st/4pBiuqj
wapo.st
Column | Could a 44-year-old grandpa start an NFL game Sunday? ‘Heck yeah.’
Philip Rivers, 44, hasn’t played in five years and watched this past Sunday’s games from his couch. That might not stop him from being in the Colts’ huddle.
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
Christmas in Cleveland just got more merrier because the quarterback who evokes so much emotion, such weirdness from people, will be the starter for the final four games of the season. It’s Shedeur SZN! www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
washingtonpost.com
Hot takes by the lake: The Shedeur Sanders story
Don’t have an opinion on this fifth-round pick of a last-place NFL team? Then you’re seemingly the only one.
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Post Sports @postsports.bsky.social · 07/12/2025
Indiana's Fernando Mendoza can present himself as Mr. Nice Guy, he is a bad, bad man. On the Hoosiers and their standout quarterback from @candacedbuckner.bsky.social:
washingtonpost.com
Column | Indiana swears by Fernando Mendoza, college football’s purest interview
The quarterback led the Hoosiers to their first Big Ten title since 1967, probably clinched the Heisman Trophy — and kept it clean afterward.
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Tom Schad @tomschad.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
All eyes on 5 today. Expecting word on his game availability from Dan Quinn in a few hours.
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Rachel Bachman, WSJ sports reporter @realbachscore.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
Happy college football signing day. Remembering the days when coaches huddled around fax machines to confirm players' commitments: www.wsj.com/articles/SB1...
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Candace Buckner @candacedbuckner.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
Oh the day of fax! This is good, Rachel!
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