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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

Michael Rosen is a transportation planner and author of the <a href="https://pitchplots.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pitchplots.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1725119706246000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3LfT9S-qtmoiPwAXtsicWT">&#8220;Pitch Plots&#8221;</a> Substack. He lives in Los Angeles.

Michael Rosen

An umpire mediates between two people networking

Looking For Friends Among Baseball’s Most Passionate Nerds

Patrick Redford

LUGO, SPAIN - AUGUST 30: (EDITORS NOTE: Multiple exposures were combined in camera to produce this image.) Primoz Roglic of Slovenia and Team Red Bull Bora - hansgrohe prior to the La Vuelta - 79th Tour of Spain 2024 - Stage 13 a 176km stage from Lugo to Puerto de Ancares 1659m / #UCIWT / on August 30, 2024 in Lugo, Spain. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

Cycling

Primoz Roglic Shows He’s Up For The Fight

Giri Nathan

Taylor Fritz of the United States celebrates a point against Alexander Zverev of Germany during their Men's Singles Quarterfinal match on Day Nine of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 03, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Tennis

Taylor Fritz Gets Over The Hump

Kathryn Xu

A picture of youtiao, or fried dough sticks, in a tray.

Food

No Breakfast But A Chinese Breakfast

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

a close-up of a green skink with its tongue out

Creaturefector

Skink Outside The Box

Billy Haisley

Raphinha of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring his team's fifth goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Real Valladolid CF at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on August 31, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.

Soccer

Barcelona Finally Figured Out Raphinha

Samer Kalaf

White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore argues with umpire and gets ejected from the game

The White Sox Can Always Find A Way To Get Lower

Ray Ratto

Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after hitting a three run home run in the tenth inning against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Angels Walked Shohei Ohtani To Face Mookie Betts. What Happened Next Will Shock You.

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

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 15: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after beating the Seattle Seahawks 21-13 at Lumen Field on December 15, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2024: San Francisco 49ers

two small brown hexapods called globular springtails jump. off a white surface and spin into the air, against a purple background.

Meet The Round Little Gymnasts In Your Backyard

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

A Troubleshooting Paul Skenes Is Somehow Even More Frightening

Race winner Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Ferrari poses for a picture on the podium, with the fans down on the track during the F1 Grand Prix of Italy.

Racing

At Monza, Charles Leclerc Conjures The Dream Of A Competent Ferrari

Ancienne Belgique (AB) - Brussel - Belgium - 04/06/2005 Oasis: Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher Photo gie Knaeps

Funbag

Oasis Is Back, You Wankers!

Israel Daramola

Head coach Mike Norvell of the Florida State Seminoles reacts to a play during the first half of a game against the Boston College Eagles

College Football

Florida State Stinks Up The Joint

Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on from the sideline during the national anthem prior to the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at M&amp;T Bank Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Why Your Team Sucks 2024: Baltimore Ravens

Dayna Evans is a baker and writer who got really into surfing recently. She runs Downtime Bakery in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia.

Dayna Evans

The Great Outdoors

East Coast Surfing’s Rich, Overlooked Legacy Gets Its Due

Barry Petchesky

In this illustration, a Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is shown in low-Earth orbit. NASA is partnering with Boeing and SpaceX to build a new generation of human-rated spacecraft capable of taking astronauts to the International Space Station and expanding research opportunities in orbit. Boeing's upcoming Orbital Flight Test is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract with the goal of returning human spaceflight launch capabilities to the United States.

Science

No Need To Worry About Eerie, Mysterious “Pulsing” Noise Coming From Janky Boeing Starliner, NASA Insists

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after scoring a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Crosswords

The Crossword, Sept. 2: Them’s Fighting Words

James Wood Sounds Like A Happy Future

Show Us Your Fantasy Football Team

Argentina, Patagonia, Rio Pinturas, Cueva de las Manos

The Machines

Whatever AI Looks Like, It’s Not

Tom Ley

A fan dressed as a hotdog performs for the cameras during the college football game between the North Dakota State Bison and the Colorado Buffaloes on August 29, 2024 at Folsom Field in Boulder, CO.

Defector Up All Night

Chill Out In The Labor Day Weekend Open Thread

David Roth

A picture of Donald Trump at the first presidential debate next to a rendering of a trading card which includes a swatch of the suit he wore in that debate, taken from the website selling those cards.

Politics

Donald Trump Is Still Selling NFTs, Now Also Selling Trading Cards With Bits Of His Suit Embedded In Them

Head coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions looks down prior to the NFC Championship NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California.

Why Your Team Sucks 2024: Detroit Lions

Joao Pedro of Brighton & Hove Albion celebrates scoring a goal to make the score 2-1 during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Manchester United FC at Amex Stadium on August 24, 2024 in Brighton, United Kingdom.