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Big Boy, the largest operating steam locomotive, arrives in Silver Springs, New York, on its only East Coast tour this month to celebrate its 250th anniversary. (Photo by John Whitney/NurPhoto)

Everybody Loves Big Boy

185
Jeff McNeil of the Athletics slides into third base safe against the Boston Red Sox in the top of the fourth inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on July 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California.

Did The A’s Infect The Red Sox With Whatever Is Wrong With Them?

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Adam Silver, Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger are seen at Day 10 of the 2025 US Open Tennis Championships at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 2, 2025 in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York City. (Photo by XNY/Star Max/GC Images) *** Local Caption ***Adam Silver;Joshua Kushner;Bob Iger

Lakers Owner Mark Walter Suddenly Sells Team Amid Federal Investigation

124

Blogs of Note

With The Power Of AI, Information Can Pour Straight Through Your Skull And Onto The Ground Without Ever Slowing

While Wearing An Orange Wig And A Big Red Foam Nose, Fabrizio Romano Insists He’s Not A Clown

Melon’s Odyssey On The Black Market For Life-Saving Cat Medicine

Two Scrabble Superstars Explain Their Unbelievable Championship Match

The “Ground Zero Mosque” Strategy Makes An Even More Pathetic Return

A table displaying various handmade Viking axes carved by Bosnian Stipe Pleic
Podcasts

Eventually Everyone Needs An Axe Guy

A child plays alone in a soccer goal on a grassy field
Minor Dilemmas

Will My Only Child Be A Weirdo?

106
Sophie Cunningham #8 of the Indiana Fever reacts to DiJonai Carrington #7 of the Chicago Sky foul during the first half on August 8, 2026 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Podcasts

Trans Rights And Lesbian Lefts, With Maya Goldberg-Safir

3
A person holding a plate of curry fries
Food

All Day I Dream Of Curry Fries

114

The last good website.

Why Your Team Sucks

Todd Bowles and Jon Gruden talk at training camp

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Lamar Jackson

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Baltimore Ravens

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FLOWERY BRANCH, GEORGIA - MAY 27: Michael Penix Jr. #9 of the Atlanta Falcons runs through drills alongside Tua Tagovailoa #1 as head coach Kevin Stefanski looks on during OTA’s at IBM Performance Field on May 27, 2026 in Flowery Branch, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Penix Jr.; Tua Tagovailoa; Kevin Stefanski

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Atlanta Falcons

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Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Dallas Cowboys

Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Miami Dolphins

Jeff Hafley

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow poses at the Met Gala

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Andy Reid
Various hip-hop magazines
Arts And Culture

Lost Recipes

82

Arts And Culture

‘The Cruelest Game’ Examines Tennis As Torture

47
Three photos of Charli XCX

Charli XCX Made A Beautiful Monument To Impermanence

22

American Football Is Still Making Magic

Mike Kinsella of American Football performs onstage during a concert at O2 Academy Leeds.

The Sports Idiot Is Dead, Long Live The Sports Idiot

Podcasts

Here is the logo of the Normal Gossip podcast

Normal Gossip

The Distraction podcast

The Distraction

Try Hard

Only If You Get Caught

Nothing But Respect

Science

US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (R) looks on as President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order

Three Vaccines Is Less Vaccine Than One Vaccine, According To Donald Trump

a still of ESPN reporter Lindsey Thiry batting away a big bug

What Big Bug “Attacked” An ESPN Reporter At Rams Camp?

We Wouldn’t Be Here Without Poop

an ichthyosaur eats a pterosaur, all above the gaping maw of a pliosaur

Would You Eat This Cretaceous Turducken?

WNBA

MLB

Umpires explain a rule review to manager John Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning of their MLB game against the Boston Red Sox.

Red Sox Stumble Into Rules Review Hell, Emerge With Inconsequential Run

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Sportscaster Mike Krukow watches from the broadcast center between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park on October 1, 2021 in San Francisco, California.

Mike Krukow, One Of Baseball’s Greatest Hangs, Is Ready To Go

152
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Miami Heat speaks to the media during an introductory press conference at Kaseya Center on July 16, 2026. The Distraction logo is at upper right.

Mugged By Seagulls, With Rohan Nadkarni

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Jefry Yan #84 of the New York Mets celebrates after striking out Angel Martínez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians for his first career strikeout during the sixth inning of his major league debut on August 5, 2026.

It’s Jefry Yan Time

66

Advice

Cathy Engelbert playing golf.

Cathy Engelbert Is Doing The Job She Was Hired To Do

491
A little boy walks among the tombstones at Arlington National Cemetary in Washington D.C.

How Do I Talk To My Kid About Death?

104
Kristaps Porzingis with blood on his forehead from a collision.

Concussion Protocols Are A Sham

484
A man carries his child sideways in his arms as he walks up a road

Is It Even Possible To Discipline A Two-Year-Old?

115

Crosswords

Passengers arrive on an Amtrak train at Union Station on December 04, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Amtrak carried a record 32.8 million passengers in their 2024 fiscal year, a 15 percent increase over the same period in 2023.

The Crossword, Aug. 10: Midpoint

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JR Ritchie #60 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the second inning during the game against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on August 2, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Crossword, Aug. 3: Lucky Stars

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Serena Williams of United States prepares to serve against Maya Joint of Australia during their Ladies' Singles first round match on day two of The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 30, 2026 in London, England.

The Crossword, July 27: Way Downtown (Themeless)

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ABC/ESPN sideline reporter Katie George interviews head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs after the Friday afternoon college football game between the UGA Bulldogs and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on November 28, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.

The Crossword, July 20: No Half Measures

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More

Announcements

Transactions, August 10

163
printing press
Cycling

The Tour de France Femmes Was A Contentious, Hypercompetitive Classic

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NICE, FRANCE - AUGUST 09: Demi Vollering of Netherlands and Team FDJ United - SUEZ - Yellow Leader Jersey celebrates at finish line as stage and final overall race winner during the 5th Tour de France Femmes 2026, Stage 9 a 99.2km stage from Nice to Nice / #UCIWWT / on August 09, 2026 in Nice, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
Podcasts

What Does It Take To Make Big City Dreams Work?

12
A picture I took from the Brooklyn Bridge the first week I lived in New York, almost a decade ago.
NBA

Don Nelson Followed His Bliss And Changed Basketball

97
Coach Nelson meets the press. The Golden State Warriors have named Don Nelson as the team's new head coach, it was announced today by Executive Vice President of Basketball Operation's Chris Mullin. Event in, Oakland, Ca, on 8/30/06.
Politics

Alligator Alcatraz Isn’t Just An American Fantasy

52
Asylum seekers, who entered Israel illegally via Egypt, lean at the fence of the Holot detention centre in Israel's southern Negev Desert, on February 17, 2014.
Staff Chat

Staff Chat Starts Now? Staff Chat Starts Now

934
Undated group photo of the original "Our Gang."
Announcements

The Defector Interns Say Fogo de “Ciao”

78
Sarah and Sohini eat dinner
Interviews

Let’s Unpack LaMelo Ball’s Sugary Abode

97
LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets attends a 2025 NBA Summer League game

See All Posts →

Interviews

Life's Rich Pageant

Let Me And A Food Scientist Sample The Abandoned Fish Sauce Terrorizing A Small Canadian Town

Interviews

Colson Whitehead Talks About Embracing Change, Pulling Off A Heist, And Finding A Good Coffee Table

Interviews

An Interview With Three Italian Backpackers Who Crossed The Pyrenees And Accidentally Ran Into The Tour de France

Arts And Culture

Meet The Broadway Actor Teaching Public Defenders How To Win In Court

Interviews

John Early’s Secret Is Total Commitment