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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.

Defector

Lauren Theisen

Joel Quenneville and Stan Bowman speak to media

The NHL Quietly Ends Its Punishments For The Blackhawks’ Sexual Assault Scandal

Barry Petchesky

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 29: New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks on during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

The Jets Are Desperate Enough To Enable Aaron Rodgers

<p>Heather Chen is a former Defector intern and the managing editor at the <em>Columbia Daily Spectator</em>. She loves hockey, photography, and the good ol’ state of Michigan.</p>


Heather Wei-Xi Chen

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Florida Panthers smokes a cigar while wearing the NHL/WWE Stanley Cup Championship belt in the locker room after Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida.

My Beloved American Girl Doll Will Not Stop Wearing His Big Belt

Ray Ratto

SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 16: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings during the 2024 Play-In Tournament on April 16, 2024 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Klay Thompson Left It All In Oakland

Tom Ley

Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States yells at referee Kevin Ortega during the second half against Uruguay at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on July 01, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Soccer

A Noisy Loss Is Still Just A Loss

Dave McKenna

Dublin , Ireland - 29 June 2024; Paul Mannion of Dublin in action against Jack Glynn of Galway during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final match between Dublin and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Internationals

Galway Boots Dublin Out Of All-Irelands With Historic Upset

Citi Field scoreboard with NHL Trade Alert graphic on it

The Mets’ Pride Night, As Witnessed By Someone Who Cared A Lot About The NHL Draft

Mistico makes his entrance at Forbidden Door

Pro Wrestling

Go See Your Guys Live

Kathryn Xu

Pole position qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing, Second placed qualifier Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and Third placed George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes pose for a photo in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria.

Racing

On Touching And Other Forms Of Intimacy

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


Chris Thompson

Merry James Wood Day To All Who Celebrate

<p>Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and has written for The Guardian, The Second Serve, The Athletic, n+1, Texas Monthly, Air Mail, and other publications.</p>


Owen Lewis

esse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (R) of the United States and Juan Francisco Estrada (L) of Mexico fight during their WBC world and Ring Magazine super flyweight title bout

The Fights

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez Is A Little Guy With Big Aspirations

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Katie Ledecky wins the Women's 1500 Meter Freestyle during the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Trials on June 19, 2024 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

Crosswords

The Crossword, July 1: Crosstown Rivals

Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers high fives Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers after the game on December 23, 2022 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Paul George And The Sixers Have To Make This Work

Luis Paez-Pumar

Jude Bellingham of England, scores his team's first goal with a acrobatic kick during the UEFA EURO 2024 round of 16 match between England and Slovakia at Arena AufSchalke on June 30, 2024 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

England Was Finally Exciting, Still Not Actually Good

Justin Ellis

The super yacht of Russian billionaire businessman and oligarch Roman Abramovich sitting in dock at the Marmaris Port in Turkey in December 2023.

This Is So Stupid

We Are Honor Bound To Commandeer Mark Zuckerberg’s Megayacht

Kelsey McKinney

jacked man with midlength hair sittting at a laptop

Arts And Culture

Why is AI Jesus So Fucking Jacked?

Bad Bunny performing on stage in Philadelphia in 2022, wearing an outfit with red shorts while sitting on a beach chair while enjoying a beverage.

Life Lessons

Fellas, Our Horrible Climate Future Demands You Wear Short Shorts

Food

It’s Pasta Salad Season, Baby!

Billy Haisley

USA's midfielder #15 Joao Lucas Cardoso and USA's goalkeeper #18 Ethan Horvath gesture after Panama's forward #17 Jose Fajardo scores his team's second goal during the Conmebol 2024 Copa America tournament group C football match between Panama and USA at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 27, 2024.

The USMNT Has Outgrown Its Manager

Alex Sujong Laughlin

New Yorkers watch the 2024 Presidential Debate between Trump and Biden in New York City, United States on June 27, 2024.

Politics

Without Fact-Checking, A Presidential Debate Is Just TV

Macklin Celebrini sits in the stands while wearing a suit

Arrival Of The Mack

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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

Donald Trump and Joe Biden, looking like a couple of brain-ruined old mummies during their presidential debate.

Margin Of Error

Debate Losers

Patrick Redford

MOIRANS-EN-MONTAGNE, FRANCE - JULY 21: Yellow jersey of race leader Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark and Jumbo - Visma salutes White jersey of best young rider Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates at the start of stage nineteen of the 110th Tour de France 2023, a 172.8km stage from Moirans-en-Montagne to Poligny / #UCIWT / on July 21, 2023 in Moirans-en-Montagne, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)