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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

Defector's 2025 Tip Jar Sweepstakes: Join Chris and Kelsey in the Great Blogger Bake Shop

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Tip jar sweepstakes

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David Roth

Head coach Antonio Pierce of the Las Vegas Raiders stands on the sidelines during the national anthem prior to an NFL preseason football game against the San Francisco 49ers, at Allegiant Stadium on August 23, 2024.

San Francisco 49ers  v Las Vegas Raiders

Podcasts

The Good, The Bad, And The Kalyn, With Kalyn Kahler

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Presentation by two secretaries of the typing robot at the exhibition 'Happiness in the office', in Paris, France, on October 13, 1960.

Le robot Facit

The Machines

ESPN Masks Cynical AI Pivot As Benevolent Coverage Of “Underserved” Sports

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Ray Ratto

T.J. McFarland #48 of the Oakland Athletics pitches in the top of the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Oakland Coliseum.

Seattle Mariners v Oakland Athletics

What Defector Saw At “The Janson Junk Game”

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Patrick Redford

US Chess grandmaster Hans Niemann speaks to the press in the run-up to the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk Aan Zee, on January 11, 2024. Niemann was previously accused of cheating by former world champion Norway's Magnus Carlsen, but the two have now ended their feud. (Photo by Olaf KRAAK / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT

CHESS-NED-GRANDMASTER

Chess

Hans Niemann And Magnus Carlsen Are, Somehow, Going At It Again

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

CLEVELAND - 1987: Defensive backs Hanford Dixon #29 and Frank Minnifield #31 of the Cleveland Browns draw plays in the dirt on the field before a game at Municipal Stadium circa 1987 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

Browns Dixon and Minnifield

Jamboroo

A Well-Executed Day

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Barry Petchesky

A man waves the Russian national flag as he arrives at the patriotic concert at the Red square in downtown Moscow ahead the Russia Day on June 11, 2023. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP) (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

TOPSHOT-RUSSIA-POLITICS

Media Meltdowns

Dimwitted Right-Wing Influencers Accused Of Being Unwitting Russian Assets

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 13: Head coach Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs talk prior to a preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on August 13, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Kansas City Chiefs v Chicago Bears

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2024: Kansas City Chiefs

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.

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Michael Rosen

An umpire mediates between two people networking

SABR

Looking For Friends Among Baseball’s Most Passionate Nerds

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)

La Vuelta – 79th Tour of Spain 2024 – Stage 13

Cycling

Primoz Roglic Shows He’s Up For The Fight

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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)

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Tennis

Taylor Fritz Gets Over The Hump

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Kathryn Xu

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

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Food

No Breakfast But A Chinese Breakfast

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Typing

Sabrina Imbler

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

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Creaturefector

Skink Outside The Box

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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.

FC Barcelona v Real Valladolid CF  – La Liga EA Sports

Soccer

Barcelona Finally Figured Out Raphinha

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Samer Kalaf

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

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The White Sox Can Always Find A Way To Get Lower

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

Los Angeles Dodgers v Los Angeles Angels

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

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)

San Francisco 49ers v Seattle Seahawks

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.

jumping-bug-flips—header

Meet The Round Little Gymnasts In Your Backyard

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

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Chris Thompson

Paul Skenes

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.

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

Oasis On Stage

Funbag

Oasis Is Back, You Wankers!

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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

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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.

AFC Championship – Kansas City Chiefs v Baltimore Ravens

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.

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Dayna Evans

The Great Outdoors

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

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.

Boeing CST-100 Starliner Banner

Science

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

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

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.

Los Angeles Chargers v Minnesota Vikings

Crosswords

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

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