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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

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

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Merch v3

Keith Paradise is a freelance writer who somehow won a Keystone Press Award during his 
decade spent as a newspaper reporter in Pennsylvania, where he covered sports, education, and 
the murder of a neighborhood turkey. Originally from Pittsburgh, he is a senior writer for 
Billiards Digest magazine and his name has appeared twice in the notable section of The Year’s 
Best Sports Writing anthology—including in 2024 for his Defector article on the rise and fall of 
sports clothing icon Starter.

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Keith Paradise

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A general overall interior view of PNC Park in the fourth inning during a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on September 4, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

Los Angeles Dodgers v Pittsburgh Pirates

Why Are There Still Pirates Fans?

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Samer Kalaf

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel in the rain

Miami Dolphins v Cleveland Browns

Mike McDaniel’s Really Bombing Up There

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Patrick Redford

A crazy-ass map of the Thunder as Agentic basketball team

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Podcasts

An Interview With The Guy Anthony Edwards Called “Fly As Fuck” While Giving Timothee Chalamet The White Boy Of The Year Award

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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Funbag

‘The Postmortal,’ 90,000 Copies Later

KINGS03E-C-03JUN02-SP-CG --- Kings's Vlade Divac, lays on the floor as he fouls out in the final minutes of regulation. The Kings lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the final seconds of overtime at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Ca. The Sacramento Kings played the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Arco Arena in Sacramento, Ca., on Tuesday, May 28, 2002.

KINGS03E-C-03JUN02-SP-CG — Kings’s Vlade Divac, lays on the floor as he fouls out in the final minutes of regulation. The Kings lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the final seconds of overtime at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Ca. The Sacramento Kings playe

Were The 2002 NBA Western Conference Finals Really Fixed?

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Albert Burneko

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Giri Nathan

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Israel Daramola

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

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Ray Ratto

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Tom Ley

Male students playing basketball, Western High School, Washington, D.C., circa 1899

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Harken Ye Unto The 2025–26 NBA Season Preview, Which Stands Before You

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Kelsey McKinney

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Defector At The Movies

What Even Is ‘After The Hunt’?

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Lauren Theisen

TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 20: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after game seven of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners at the Rogers Centre on October 20, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario.

American League Championship Series – Seattle Mariners v Toronto Blue Jays – Game Seven

The Sounds Of Autumn

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) after a week 11 NFL game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs on November 20, 2016 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. The Buccaneers won 19-17.

NFL: NOV 20 Buccaneers at Chiefs

Doug Martin’s Family Says He Was Experiencing Mental Health Crisis Before Dying In Police Custody

George Springer of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a three-run home run to take the lead in the seventh inning during Game Seven of the American League Championship Series. He's like 18 inches off the ground and everyone in the stands is freaking out.

Championship Series – Seattle Mariners v Toronto Blue Jays – Game 7

More Of This, Please

Charles Omenihu #90 of the Kansas City Chiefs grabs the face mask of Geno Smith #7 of the Las Vegas Raiders during the first quarter in the game at Arrowhead Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Las Vegas Raiders v Kansas City Chiefs

A Thorough And Depressing Review Of The Raiders’ Three First Downs

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Bournemouth at Selhurst Park on October 18, 2025 in London, United Kingdom.

Crystal Palace v Bournemouth – Premier League

Soccer

It Doesn’t Get Much Better Than Bournemouth-Crystal Palace

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Chefector

The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off Rises For Soufflés

Head coach Jonathan Gannon fist bumps Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals prior to a game against the Carolina Panthers at State Farm Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona.

Carolina Panthers v Arizona Cardinals

Which Trash Team Rules The NFL’s Dumpster?

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Kathryn Xu

Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates victory with his team.

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Racing

Is Max Verstappen Actually Going To Win This Championship?

Hamilton Nolan is a journalist based in New York City. Subscribe to his work at <a href="https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687350200913000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0naFbUVOe-5ZgtPDtIM3gz">HamiltonNolan.com</a>.

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Hamilton Nolan

Joey Dawejko is knocked down by Damian Knyba

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The Fights

Getting Beat Up In A Mostly Empty Arena Is Just A Job

Normal Gossip: portraits

Alex Sujong Laughlin

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Rax King Plays The Banjo

Azzi Fudd #35 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts during the first half of an NCAA women's basketball game against the St. John's Red Storm at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on February 12, 2025 in Storrs, Connecticut.

St. John’s v Connecticut

Crosswords

The Crossword, Oct. 20: Pitch Perfect

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Barry Petchesky

DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 19: Jaxson Dart #6 of the New York Giants walks off the field after his team's 33-32 loss against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on October 19, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

New York Giants v Denver Broncos

The Giants Will Kill Me And I Will Deserve It

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays hits a home run against the Seattle Mariners.

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Everything Is No Longer Coming Up Mariners

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College Football

You Can Have Money Or Sympathy, But Not Both

Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv stage a pro-Israel demonstration at the Dam Square, lighting up flares and chanting slogans ahead of the UEFA Europa League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam, Netherlands on November 07, 2024. Maccabi fans clashed with pro-Palestinian citizens and ripped off Palestinian flags hung on the streets. In the lead-up to the Ajax vs Maccabi Tel Aviv match, several areas of Amsterdam have been designated as security risk zones.

Pro-Israel Maccabi fans stage demonstration in Amsterdam, at least ten arrests

Keir Starmer Won’t Tolerate Racist Hooligans Being Barred From Aston Villa’s Stadium

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 18 Ole Miss at Georgia

This Is Just What Georgia Does

Ange Postecoglou Head Coach of Nottingham Forest looks dejected with empty seats behind during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea at City Ground on October 18, 2025 in Nottingham, England.

Nottingham Forest v Chelsea – Premier League

Big Ange Has Never Been More Out

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning during Game Four of the National League Championship Series

Championship Series – Milwaukee Brewers v Los Angeles Dodgers – Game 4

Shohei Ohtani Plays The Greatest Baseball Game Of All Time

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