CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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.

Defector

Albert Burneko

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE - JANUARY 17: Republican presidential candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to supporters at LaBelle Winery on January 17, 2024 in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. DeSantis, who finished second behind frontrunner, former U.S. President Donald Trump in this week's Iowa caucuses, is campaigning in New Hampshire ahead of that state's primary on January 23 before moving on to South Carolina on Friday. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Politics

Nation Rejects Sweaty Pig

Luis Paez-Pumar

Palworld monster with a striking resemblance to Electabuzz in Pokemon

Video Games

Is ‘Palworld’ Plagiarism, Parody, Or Just Stupid?

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.

Drew Magary

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 12: NBC Sunday Night Football color commentator Cris Collinsworth (L) and play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico walk onto the field before a game between the New York Jets and the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Funbag

The Trouble With Cris Collinsworth

Tom Ley

Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots the ball during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on January 22, 2024 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE

Karl-Anthony Towns’s Big Night Turned Into A Big Bummer

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 22: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts after being showered with water after defeating the San Antonio Spurs at the Wells Fargo Center on January 22, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Embiid scored a franchise-record 70 points in the game.

Joel Embiid’s Epic Performance Must Be Seen To Be Believed

Lauren Theisen

Pro Wrestling

Kazuchika Okada’s Exit Is A Warning Siren For The Rest Of Japan

Giri Nathan

Patrick Redford

Hubert Hurkacz shakes hands after beating Arthur Cazaux

Tennis

A Tennis-Pilled Novice And Tennis Knower Discuss The Australian Open So Far

HONOLULU, HI - NOVEMBER 22: Head coach Shaka Smart of the Marquette Golden Eagles cheers his players in the first half during a college basketball game against the Purdue Boilermakers during the championship game of the Allstate Maui Invitational at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on November 22, 2023 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

College Basketball

Coaches Keep Running Onto The Court, But Can Any Of Them Actually Defend?

Josh Reynolds jumps into the stands after a touchdown catch

The Lions Are The Only Choice Left

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

Nicholas Russell

The Harvard Book Store in Cambridge, MA on October 25, 2021.

What Comes After The Post-Crisis Reading List?

Ray Ratto

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 21: Head coach Tara VanDerveer of the Stanford Cardinal celebrates with her player Cameron Brink #22 after Stanford defeated the Oregon State Beavers 65-56 at Stanford Maples Pavilion on January 21, 2024 in Palo Alto, California. Tara VanDerveer recorded her 1,203 NCAA career victory passing Mike Krzyzewski with 1,202 NCAA career wins. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Women's Basketball

Tara VanDerveer Will Never Know A Hot Seat

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Jungkook of BTS performs on NBC's "Today" at Rockefeller Plaza on November 08, 2023 in New York City

Crosswords

The Crossword, Jan. 22: Line By Line

Fans celebrate on the floor after the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes in overtime on January 21, 2024, at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Elder Wisdom

Here Is The New Rule About Storming The Court

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 21: 1 #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after scoring a 22 yard touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

The Chiefs Are The NFL’s Traveling Circus

Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs scores against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on January 20, 2024 in Washington

There’s No Ignoring Victor Wembanyama

Israel Daramola

Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens wears a "Top 10" chain as he walks off of the field after an NFL Divisional Round playoff game against the Houston Texans at M&amp;T Bank Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Lamar Jackson And The Ravens Cleared A Few Things Up

Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass during the first half against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs at Levi's Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California.

That’s Exactly Why Brock Purdy Drives People Insane

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 19: The NCAA logo on the basketball court during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament between the Butler Bulldogs and the Pittsburgh Panthers at the Verizon Center on March 19, 2011 in Washington, DC. The Bulldogs won 71-70. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Death To The NCAA

DOJ Joins Antitrust Lawsuit Against The NCAA

October 16, 1972 Sports Illustrated cover and signed limited edition Wilt Chamberlain sports porcelain figurine on display during the press preview at Sotheby's Auction House on August 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Journalismism

Here It Is: One More Obit For Sports Illustrated

Beware The Fearsome Tennis Child Mirra Andreeva

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

a stuffed specimen of a swamp antechinus, which is a small brown marsupial, against a green background

Creaturefector

The Sex Fest Keeps Getting Worse and Worse

Kathryn Xu

A box of Sports Illustrated supplements. White bottles of various sizes. The most visible bottle is Sports Illustrated Nutrition: Collagen + Enzymes

Sports Illustrated As We Know It Appears To Be Dead

David Roth

Justin Ellis

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

A bad guy reacts to having a grill thrown through his windshield by Jack Reacher

Arts And Culture

It Is Now Time To Discuss Jack Reacher Throwing A Grill At A Guy

Barry Petchesky

VALLES MARINERIS, MARS - Mars' own Grand Canyon, Valles Marineris, is shown on the surface of the planet in this composite image made aboard NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The image was taken from a video featuring high-resolution images from Arizona State University's Thermal Emission Imaging System multi-band camera on board the spacecraft. The mosaic was then colored to approximate how Mars would look to the human eye. Valles Marineris is 10 times longer, five times deeper and 20 times wider than Earth's Grand Canyon. (Photo by NASA/Arizona State University via Getty Images)

Science

There’s So Much Ice On Mars, You Guys

Anthony Edwards and Mike Conley celebrate a bucket.