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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

NYC: Come To Our WNBA Comedy Show On May 16

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Live Event

Visual Editor. Runs <a href="http://defectorstore.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defectorstore.com</a>. Philadelphia-based, if you couldn’t tell.

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Dan McQuade

Joe Don Baker, in a loud white shirt with color slots on it, sits in a blue car talking to a kid in a yellow shirt. Silhouettes of a man and three robots are in front of the image.

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Arts And Culture

‘Mitchell’ Is Part Of Joe Don Baker’s Legacy, For Better Or Worse

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David Roth

Honorary pace car driver, Alan Ritchson attends the "Reacher" activation on the midway prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Distraction logo is at upper right.

NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500

Podcasts

Hands Like Small Turkeys, With Brandy Jensen

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Kelsey McKinney

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Swole Woman Casey Johnston Has Written A Swole Book

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Albert Burneko

The obnoxious Grok logo, on a phone screen, in a hand silhouetted against a neon green background.

Grok logo ugh so corny fuck off Elon

The Machines

Elon Musk’s Idiot Chatbot Goes Full Boer

Violet Lucca is the author of <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/david-cronenberg-clinical-trials-violet-lucca/21170132">David Cronenberg: Clinical Trials</a>. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Art in America, Sight and Sound, the Village Voice, and elsewhere. She was the VP of Digital at Harper’s Magazine and Digital Producer at Film Comment, and was the host of their respective podcasts.

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Violet Lucca

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Defector At The Movies

‘The Shrouds’ Is David Cronenberg’s Typically Prescient Epitaph For Our Present And His Career

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Lauren Theisen

sarah snook on stage with several screens showing her

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‘The Picture Of Dorian Gray’ Is A Digital Monument To Vanity

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Soraya Roberts

FRIENDSHIP_01

‘Friendship’ Can’t Sustain The Relationship

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Barry Petchesky

TORONTO, ON- MAY 14 - Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) and Toronto Maple Leafs center David Kampf (64) battle in the snow in first period action as the Toronto Maple Leafs play the Florida Panthers in game five in the second round of the NHL Stanley Cup play-offs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. May 14, 2025. Steve Russell/Toronto Star

Toronto Maple Leafs oplay the  Florida Panthers in game five in the second round of the NHL Stanley Cup play-offs

Toronto Once Again Wins The Stanley Cup Of Angst

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.09

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Chris Thompson

Torey Lovullo gives the business to an umpire.

Torey Lovullo argues

No, You’re Outta Here!

Maya Goldberg-Safir writes about women’s basketball and splits her time between Chicago and Oakland, where she was born and raised. She is the creator of <a href="https://wnbaroughnotes.substack.com/">Rough Notes</a>, a newsletter chronicling women’s basketball from the court, the road, and the heart.

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Maya Goldberg-Safir

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History

How The Japanese-American Basketball Leagues Built Natalie Nakase

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Patrick Redford

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 13: Luguentz Dort (5) of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts to making a three pointer as Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets prepares for the inbound during the fourth quarter of OKC's 112-105 win at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

DENVER NUGGETS VS THUNDER, NBA

Nikola Jokic Is Outnumbered

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Typing

Sabrina Imbler

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Interviews

An Interview With A Fired Contract Specialist At The Office Of Personnel Management

Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

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Drew Magary

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College Football

Bill Belichick Brought Along His Merry Band Of Losers

Javier Báez #28 of the Detroit Tigers is showered with ice water after hitting a three-run walk-off home run

Boston Red Sox v. Detroit Tigers

Javy Báez Comes Back For Seconds

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Ray Ratto

Group shot of the 1919 White Sox. They would after this year be known as the "Black Sox Scandal" team, due to the allegation that eight members of the team accepted bribes to lose the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.

Group Shot of 1919 White Sox

Baseball Frees Its Gambling Ghosts

Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in The Normal School, New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review, and elsewhere.

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Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

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Stewing In Anger

Tyrese Haliburton greets fans after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-105 in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs.

Indiana Pacers v Cleveland Cavaliers – Game Five

No One Ever Sees The Pacers Coming

DALLAS, TX - MAY 13: Dallas Stars center Mikael Granlund (64) scores a goal for a hat trick during game 4 of round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Dallas Stars and the Winnipeg Jets on May 13, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

NHL: MAY 13 Stanley Cup Playoffs¬†2nd Round Jets at Stars

Mikael Granlund Takes Jets Downapeg

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Kathryn Xu

Marc Marquez of Spain and Ducati Lenovo Team, Alex Marquez of Spain and BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP during the 2025 MotoGP Michelin Grand Prix of France at Circuit Bugatti on May 11, 2025 in Le Mans, France.

MotoGP Michelin Grand Prix of France – Race

Racing

Finding The Limit At Le Mans

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Tom Ley

Russell Westbrook #4 of the Denver Nuggets celebrates after a three point basket during the third quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the LA Clippers at Ball Arena on April 29, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Los Angeles Clippers v Denver Nuggets – Game Five

Journalismism

Nobody Can Do That

Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates with fans in the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Target Center on February 06, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Rockets 127-114. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Houston Rockets v Minnesota Timberwolves

Funbag

Notes From A Reborn NBA Fan

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Four main characters in 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33'

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Video Games

‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ Makes Your Wandering Worth It

Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics lays on the ground after being injured against the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 12, 2025 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Boston Celtics v New York Knicks – Game Four

It Can All Go To Hell In A Hurry

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Billy Haisley

Neco Williams of Nottingham Forest looks dejected after the draw in the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Leicester City FC at City Ground on May 11, 2025 in Nottingham, England.

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