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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

Giri Nathan

Moritz Wagner #21 of the Orlando Magic reacts in the first half of a game against the Chicago Bulls at Kia Center on November 27, 2024 in Orlando, Florida.

It’s Moe Wagner, Not Mo Wagner

Barry Petchesky

Animals

I Have Created A Turkey Fiend

Kelsey McKinney

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


Chris Thompson

Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith look at the three final contestants' tea displays.

Food

The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off Attempts Another Almost-Grand Finale

Lauren Theisen

Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov (97) is mauled by teammates after scoring an overtime game-winning goal

The Wild Are Running … Uh, You Know

<p>Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in <i data-stringify-type="italic">The Normal School</i>, <i data-stringify-type="italic">New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review</i>, and elsewhere.</p>


Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

Podcasts

Secret Family Fortune Tellers And Other Deathbed Revelations

Karl-Anthony Towns drives to the cup against Wendell Carter Jr. of the Magic.

Karl-Anthony Towns Sees Your Gruel, And Raises

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<p>Charles P. Pierce is a writer at <em>Esquire</em> and the author of four books, most recently <em>Idiot America</em>, and has been a working journalist since 1976. He lives near Boston with his wife but no longer his three children.</p>
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Charles P. Pierce

FOXBOROUGH, MA - OCTOBER 24: A pylon-camera is seen during an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears at Gillette Stadium on October 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Things We Actually Like

Blessed Be The Pylon Cam

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


Sabrina Imbler

Germanic warrior taking stimulants imagined by Stanislav(Stanisław) Kontny,

History

Veni, Vidi, Snorti: I Came, I Saw, I Did A Bump

Ray Ratto

Jameis Winston (5) of the Cleveland Browns reacts to missing David Njoku (85) for a first down during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos on December 2, 2024.

There Are No Small Servings Of The Jameis Winston Experience

Life reconstruction of Ninumbeehan dookoodukah in a palaeoenvironment reconstruction depicting its life and burrowing across seasons. (a) Ninumbeehan is resting on the edge of a river with a low water table as the wet season ends. (b) A small community of Ninumbeehan are in their estivation burrows at the apex of the arid season. (c) The onset of the humid season brings rain, triggering a mass emergence of Ninumbeehan from their estivation burrows.

Creaturefector

How A Sleepy Ancient Amphibian Became A Link To An Endangered Language

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


Dan McQuade

College Football

UConn And UMass Created And Abandoned College Football’s Goofiest Rivalry Trophy

Tari Eason and Amen Thompson defend a shot in a Rockets game against the Clippers.

Hell Is Being Defended By Tari Eason And Amen Thompson

<p>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 <em>Point B</em>. Handsomest man in the world.</p>


Drew Magary

DALLAS, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 30: A detail view of the College Football Playoff championship trophy is shown prior to the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on November 30, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.

Funbag

You Are Not Prepared For How Cool The 12-Team Playoff Will Be

Soraya Roberts

Arts And Culture

Crowd Work Isn’t A Substitute For Comedy

Dave McKenna

A still from a movie. a white woman in a red coat and a red beanie stands in front of a dilapidated house that needs fixing up.

Defector Watches A Christmas Movie: ‘’Tis The Season To Be Irish’

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Matt Eberflus looking vaguely disheveled as he coaches the Bears

Matt Eberflus Made Bears History In The Bad Way

Luis Paez-Pumar

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrating after scoring the second goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City FC at Anfield on December 01, 2024 in Liverpool, England.

Soccer

Liverpool Is Winning A Battle Of Attrition

Patrick Redford

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 01: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Keegan Murray #13 of the Sacramento Kings go for a loose ball in the first half at Golden 1 Center on December 01, 2024 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

This Is What Getting Left Behind Looks Like

Samer Kalaf

Aaron Rodgers Suffers Further Indignity

Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens reacts during the third quarter after missing a field goal against the Philadelphia Eagles on December 1, 2024.

Justin Tucker Just Can’t Find The Range

Tom Ley

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO - OCTOBER 19: Brooke Slusser #10 of the San Jose State Spartans serves the ball during the first set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on October 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Politics

Bigots Don’t Know Ball

Lin Manuel Miranda debuts the 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' song 'Jabba Flow' at 'Hamilton' on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on May 4, 2016 in New York City

Crosswords

The Crossword, Dec. 2: Hot Ones

An Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) licks nectar from the Ethiopian red hot poker flower (Kniphofia foliosa). the wolf is really into it

These Beautiful Wolves Are Freaks For Nectar

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<p class="sc-77igqf-0 bOfvBY">Vince Guerrieri is an award-winning journalist and author in the Cleveland area. He likes Lake Erie perch sandwiches, Jim Traficant and long walks on the field at League Park. His website is <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://vinceguerrieri.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://vinceguerrieri.com/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">vinceguerrieri.com</a>, and you can follow him on Twitter <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">@vinceguerrieri</a>.</p>
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Vince Guerrieri

How The Art Modell Law Could Keep The Browns From Leaving Cleveland

Kyle Kuzma #33 of the Washington Wizards reacts against the Chicago Bulls during the second half in the Emirates NBA Cup at Capital One Arena on November 26, 2024 in Washington, DC.