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Defector

Ray Ratto

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 16: LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer yells while the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots free-throws during a NBA basketball game on January 16, 2024 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by John McCoy/Icon Sportswire)

Steve Ballmer Hopes New Uniforms And Logos Can Change The Fundamental Clipperness Of The Whole Situation

LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks to the referee against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center on November 04, 2023 in Orlando, Florida.

If A Ninth-Place Team Complains About Officiating, Does It Make Any Sound At All?

Kelsey McKinney

Flaco, a brown and black Eurasian eagle owl who escaped the Central Park Zoo, roosts in a tree in New York's Central Park with a squirrel nearby.

Animals

Flaco Gave Us A Willingness To See The World

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts to a play while standing on the sidelines as guard Stephen Curry watches in the foreground during a game against the Chicago Bulls on January 12, 2024.

Golden State Secures Steve Kerr For The End Of The Curry Era

Justin Ellis

Wake Forest basketball fans packed together and celebrating after storming the court following their 83-79 upset victory over Duke.

College Basketball

Can Someone Please Tell Me If Storming The Court Is Ever OK?

CINCINNATI, OH - JULY 07: Eugenio Suarez #7 of the Cincinnati Reds throws the ball against the Cleveland Indians in the third inning at Great American Ball Park on July 7, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Answer To MLB’s Pants Problem Is Vests

Patrick Redford

The Mavericks Are Huge, Healthy, And On A Roll

<p>A professional baseball player. This is not his real name.</p>


John Wholestaff

Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani (17) in action, pitching vs San Francisco Giants.

A Pitcher’s View On The Tommy John “Epidemic”

Giri Nathan

Two Mavericks fans interact with Kevin Durant

Savor The Discomfort Of Kevin Durant Confronting A Mavs Fan Who Called Him A “Bitch”

Barry Petchesky

Science

Landing On The Moon Isn’t Getting Any Easier

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<div class="p-rich_text_section">Tom Scocca is the editor of <a href="http://indignity.net">Indignity</a>, a subscription-supported newsletter of news, essays, and commentary.</div>
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Tom Scocca

In this photograph a group of townsfolk descend on a disciple after it was discovered that the ritual he participated in left a person dead during an Epoch Event in Toronto on August 6, 2011

Margin Of Error

Fantasy Convention

Tom Ley

Jordan Poole #13 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket against Immanuel Quickley #5 of the New York Knicks in the second half during an NBA In-Season Tournament game at Capital One Arena on November 17, 2023 in Washington, DC. 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. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Jordan Poole Is Just Gonna Pass The Ball Right To—Oh No Fuck Me!

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

Journalismism

Vice’s Avaricious Stewards Finally Succeeded At Bleeding It Dry

David Roth

A man skiing fresh powder in Alta, Utah. You might assume from context that the man skiing is Drew Magary, but it is not.

Podcasts

A Bloody Footprint By The Toilet

Here are three players showing three different ways to rock the diaper.

Nike And Fanatics’ Innovative MLB Uniforms Leave Baseball Players With Unintentional Diapers

Think Your Rinky-Dink Three-Horse Flyover Burg Can Host An NBA All-Star Weekend? Think Again

Albert Burneko

NAPLES, ITALY - FEBRUARY 21: Robert Lewandowski (2nd L) of FC Barcelona, celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Napoli and FC Barcelona at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, on February 21, 2024.

Soccer

More Like Barcelimbo

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Alex Carpenter #25 of New York celebrate her first period goal against Montreal at UBS Arena on February 21, 2024 in Elmont, New York.

PWHL

You Can Bet On Alex Carpenter’s Shot

<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Dennis Young is the news editor at Front Office Sports.</span></p>


Dennis Young

Amy Cragg from Portland, Oregon, celebrates at the finish line after winning the US Women's Marathon Olympic Team Trials with a time of 2:28:27 in Los Angeles, California on February 13, 2016. Highlighted Joanna Zeiger behind her, who finished last, the image is a GIF and zooms into her

Olympics

At The Olympic Trials Marathon, DFL Means Pain Over Regret

Lauren Theisen

Pro Wrestling

John Cena Can’t Escape Vince McMahon’s Fantasy World


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

a female ant-mimicking spider Myrmarachne formicaria

Creaturefector

Everybody Wants To Be An Ant

Billy Haisley

Marko Arnautovic of FC Internazionale scores the goal during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 first leg match between FC Internazionale and Atletico Madrid at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 20, 2024 in Milan, Italy.

Atlético Madrid Reverts To Type

Nick Saban is seen prior to WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) on February 7, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Death To The NCAA

Nick Saban’s Plan For Saving College Football: Uhhhhh, Hmmmmm, Buhhhh, Duurrrr


<p>Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99</p>


Diana Moskovitz

Andy Polo of Universitario celebrates his goal during Liga 1 Profesional Peru match between Alianza Lima and Universitario at Estadio Nacional de Lima on February 10, 2024 in Lima, Peru.

Peruvian International Andy Polo Found Liable For Domestic Violence


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

A screenshot of the "defector browser", which is just a simple looking browser but with slanted top and bottom like the Defector logo, and it's on a pale blue background, and the webpage up is a pixel art of an office that's an Athletic Director's office