Evolution, Not Extinction: Why the CKA SAVE Project is Leading the New Era of Sports Media
Posted on February 10, 2026
By Dr. Keith Adams, Ed.D., CMAA President & Founder, CKA SAVE Project
Growing up in the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia), the ritual was sacred. My brother Rick and I would wait our turn to dive into the Washington Post sports section. We lived for the stories and the stats, guided by the giants of the industry—Kornheiser, Wilbon, Boswell, Brennan, Jenkins, and Adande. When those writers took their seats on national television, it felt like D.C. had a seat at the table.
As a high school player, being covered by the local Gazette, the Journal, or Sentinel was a big deal, but getting a mention in the Washington Post High School Sports section? That was the greatest honor you could achieve. Years later, as a head coach at Springbrook High School, that legacy remained: every one of my managers had the Post Sports Desk number taped to the scorebook. We lived for that coverage. In 2004, for one glorious week, we were ranked Number 1 in the entire DMV.
But this week, the news hit home: The Washington Post is eliminating its sports department.
It is a "painful but necessary" restructuring, according to executive editor Matt Murray. One-third of the staff across the company is gone. A storied institution that served as the heartbeat of our local sports community for decades is effectively being shuttered in its current form. While reporters will still cover the Super Bowl and the Olympics in a limited capacity, the daily, deep-rooted local sports desk—the one that validated the dreams of countless young athletes—is no more.
From Legacy to Literacy: The Changing Landscape
I have seen the cracks in the wall for years. First, it was the move from the physical paper to the website; then, the exodus of legendary writers; and finally, the shift toward "flash" and "hot takes" over substance. As Andy Dufresne said in The Shawshank Redemption, "Get busy living or get busy dying."
At the CKA SAVE Project, we choose to live.
We do not linger on what happened yesterday. While it is right to be saddened by the loss of a legendary section, we must recognize that sports news, data, and entertainment haven’t disappeared—they have moved. Journalist Darren Rovell recently noted that in today’s economy, you cannot simply build a destination and hope people show up; you have to earn a place in the "stream." The winners now treat creators and platforms as the product. Content builds community, and community builds commerce.
However, as Matt Brown of Extra Points recently observed, the loss of institutional sports desks creates a massive void in investigative resources and deep-access reporting. A lone reporter with a cell phone can’t always replicate the impact of a dedicated newsroom. This is where the danger lies: when the "dirt-kickers" and question-askers disappear, the industry practitioners lose the information they need to make sound decisions.
Filling the Void: The OCP Global Access Initiative
The elimination of traditional desks creates a crisis of authority. This is exactly why the CKA SAVE Project is uniquely positioned to expand through our OCP Global Access Initiative. While legacy media retracts, we are leaning in. We are not just another media venture; we are the natural evolution of three decades of work in the trenches of education and athletics. We are bridging the gap between the "solo creator" model and the "institutional" model by providing a platform built on decades of professional credibility.
1. Credibility Born from the Arena
I haven’t just studied these issues; I’ve lived them. My career spans nearly twenty years of championship-level coaching and thirty years of educational leadership.
- The Record: From helping to lead Paint Branch High School to a state championship in 2000 to achieving a 90% graduation rate at Hood College, I have proven that winning and academic excellence coexist.
- The Research: My doctoral work examined the specific motivations of NCAA Division I student-athletes.
- The Team: Our podcast panelists—our "Cavalcade of Stars"—aren't reading scripts. They are current and former players, coaches, officials, and administrators with practical work experience at every level of the game. When we speak, it is with the authority of those who have been in the locker room, the classroom, and the boardroom.
2. An Independent, Data-Driven Voice
In an era of manufactured outrage and screaming matches, the Odd Coaches Podcast (OCP) chooses Conversation over Confrontation. We make our points without yelling. We use data and research. Because we are owned and produced by the CKA SAVE Project, our coverage is strictly independent. We are not influenced by donors, sponsors, or partner institutions. We operate with full editorial control, committed only to the truth as we see it, informed by experience.
3. Expanding the National Coverage Map
Through the Global Access Initiative, we are taking the OCP into the heart of the action. Our 2026 National Coverage Map is expanding to bring our audience directly into the conversations that matter. We are securing credentialed access to major championships, conferences, and media days nationwide. We aren't just "covering" the news; we are providing the context that lone reporters often lack and that shrinking newsrooms can no longer afford to pursue.
The New Standard: Finding the Balance
The Washington Post mentioned they would move some writers to cover the "culture of sports." At the CKA SAVE Project, we have been defining and supporting that culture for years.
Our foundation is built on helping student-athletes Find the Balance. For seven years, our CKA Holiday Basketball Tournaments celebrated players who excelled both in the classroom and on the court.
- Our Student Leadership Conferences and town halls have shifted the dialogue on student motivation and project management.
- We have seen close to 100 of our alumni go on to play college sports at all levels, prepared for life beyond the game.
We aren’t here to generate clicks or yell for attention. We are here to lead. We provide a year-round masterclass in leadership 52 weeks a year—from Motivation Monday through Find the Balance Friday.
Conclusion: Join the Conversation
The world of sports journalism is evolving. Evolution isn’t a moral failure; it is an economic reality. When the giants of the past step away, the responsibility falls to those of us who have "meat on the bone"—those with the experience, the data, and the passion to keep the conversation substantive.
We are uniquely positioned to lead because we are not tourists in this space. We are the coaches who stayed late to help a student with a paper. We are the administrators who balanced budgets while keeping programs afloat. We are the advocates fighting for systemic change.
The Washington Post sports section may be gone, but the need for high-quality, authentic sports journalism has never been greater. We invite you to step out of the noise and join the dialogue.
Today is a new day. Welcome to the conversation.
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