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

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

Diana Moskovitz

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars is taken off the field in a medical cart during the second quarter of a game against the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Azeez Al-Shaair Confronted And Ejected After Ugly Hit That Gave Trevor Lawrence Concussion

Giri Nathan

Iga Swiatek of Poland in action against Varvara Gracheva of France in the second round on Day 4 of the Cincinnati Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 14, 2024 in Mason, Ohio

Tennis

Iga Swiatek Suspended After Testing Positive For Banned Substance

Michigan Wolverines players fly a flag prior to a brawl between players from both teams following a 13-10 Michigan win against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on November 30, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.

College Football

Police Pepper Spray Players During Michigan-Ohio State Postgame Fight

Patrick Redford

Lily Yohannes of the United States looks to the ball

Soccer

Enjoy The Lily Yohannes Victory Lap

Justin Ellis

A dish filled with baked macaroni and cheese

Chefector

When Does A Recipe Become Your Own?

Patrick Dubuque is a writer and editor at Baseball Prospectus.

Patrick Dubuque

American baseball pitcher Wilbur Wood, of the Chicago White Sox, demonstrates his 'knuckle ball' at the club's Comiskey Park stadium in Chicago, Illinois, 30th July 1973.

The Last Pitcher

Felix Kent

Simple Hotel Room, Iceland. (Photo by: GHI/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Arts And Culture

Why Does Hotel Art Look Like That?

David Roth

Former Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski, his wife Mickie, and Actor Ken Jeong look on in the final seconds of the Terry's Chocolate Vegas Showdown college basketball game between Duke Blue Devils vs Kansas Jayhawks on November 26, 2024.

Podcasts

Staying Up Late And Being 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

Alm Summer Livestock Herding Offers Relief To Stressed Urban Dwellers

Jamboroo

Pass The Salt

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

Dan McQuade

Trent Green, in a number 10 red Chiefs jersey, watches as a man in an overcoat with black short hair and a black beard holds a football, ready to throw it

They Put Trent Green In This Hallmark Christmas Movie

Lauren Theisen

Politics

The Purpose Of A Bathroom Law

Kathryn Xu

Cup of rose hip berries herbal tea and glass teapot standing on old wooden plank table with wild autumn berries around.

Life Lessons

Consider The Fruit Tea Dilemma

Ray Ratto

Blake Snell of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Miami Marlins on August 30, 2024 in San Francisco. EDITORS NOTE: This image was created with the free lens technique)

The Dodgers Should Cut To The Chase

Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in The Normal School, New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review, and elsewhere.

Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

Bitter Fruit From The Fig Of Deceit

Kelsey McKinney

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off Must Alas Die, Die For Pâtisserie Week

Luisa Rollenhagen is a German-Argentinian freelance journalist based in Berlin. She&#8217;s written for publications such as The Guardian, BuzzFeed News, Deutsche Welle, and GQ.

Luisa Rollenhagen

DUSSELDORF, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 12: A parade float shows an effigy of Donald Trump holding a pair of scissors in his hand with a cut-up US flag in the shape of a swastika at the annual Rose Monday Carnival parade on February 12, 2024 in Dusseldorf, Germany. The Mainz and Dusseldorf Rose Monday parades are known for their biting political satire. Cities in western Germany are celebrating the traditional Rhineland Carnival this week, culminating in today's Rose Monday parades. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Donald Trump Is Everyone’s Problem, Even In Germany

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Referee David Elford blows the whistle as he loses sight of the puck somewhere under Kaleigh Fratkin #13, Hannah Brandt #20, Aerin Frankel #31 of Boston in the crease during scrum in the second period at Tsongas Center on May 29, 2024 in Lowell, Massachusetts.

PWHL

All Your Questions Will Be Answered In This 2024-25 PWHL Season Preview

Israel Daramola

Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during The Pop Out – Ken &amp; Friends Presented by pgLang and Free Lunch at The Kia Forum on June 19, 2024 in Inglewood, California.

It’s Kendrick’s Party, You Can Cry If You Want To

Dave McKenna

Alexandria, VA - October 25 - Hayfield coach Darryl Overton speaks to his team Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, after they fall to No. 3 Riverdale Baptist at Hayfield High School in Alexandria, Va. (Photo by Luke Johnson for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

High School Sports

Scandal-Ridden High School Football Powerhouse Removed From Virginia Playoffs

Defector Reads A Book

Defector Reads A Book Is Leaping Toward The Fire

Billy Haisley

Matheus Cunha of Wolverhampton Wanderers scores his team's first goal whilst under pressure from Joachim Andersen of Fulham during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Craven Cottage on November 23, 2024 in London, England.

Matheus Cunha Is A Wolf In Wolves Clothing

1960s Dinner Including Turkey Roast Beef Rolls Pumpkin Pie Peas Pearl Onions Potatoes sweet Potato Gravy Boat Olives Pickles.

Funbag

An Easy Sweet Potato Brûlée Recipe For You, The Brûlée Lover

Tom Ley

1940s YOUNG BOY STUDYING IN ROOM WITH ARMY NAVY PENNANTS ON WALL

Journalismism

How To Be Sure You Are Reading Some Dumb Bullshit

Alex Sujong Laughlin

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

Drew 'Gonzo' Gonville is at the bottom of the steps of a private jet, dressed in a Santa suit. The beard is pulled down. Bowyn Sykes is dressed in a sleeveless sweater top and a kilt-like skirt. She is on the top step of the airstairs into the private jet. They are looking at each other.

Defector Watches A Christmas Movie: ‘Christmas In The Spotlight’

Lesley Ryder is a writer and a host covering the Chicago Red Stars. She co-created <a href="https://galpalsports.com/">Gal Pal Sports</a>, a platform that lives to make women’s sports fun for everyone.

Lesley Ryder

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 22: NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman addresses the media ahead of the NWSL 2024 Championship at CPKC Stadium on November 22, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.