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Defector

Ray Ratto

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 19: Mark Andrews #89 of the Baltimore Ravens drops a pass on a two-point conversion during the second half of an NFL football divisional playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York.

The Ravens Will Just Have To Stew In Their Failure

Samer Kalaf

A pile of Rams and Eagles players in the snow.

Eagles Win, Despite Their Best Efforts

Dave McKenna

Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin smile after beating the Lions in the divisional round.

The Commanders Are Happy To Be Here, And Happier To Beat Down The Lions

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

Dan McQuade

A white piece of paper with the Packers, NFL Wild Card, and Eagles logos at the top. Written below in pen are drive charts for each team.

These Are The Items Your Dedicated Eagles Sicko Needs For A Game

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) runs the ball after a reception against the Houston Texans during the AFC Divisional Playoff game

The Chiefs Are Experts In Demoralization

Israel Daramola

Arts And Culture

David Lynch Was The Artist of Our Time

An Eagles fan yells at Packers fans at the game

A Thorough Analysis Of This Latest Philly Sports Fan Bullshit

Patrick Redford

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JANUARY 16: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers attempts to drive past Cason Wallace #22 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half at Paycom Center on January 16, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

The Thunder Articulate A Philosophy Of Pressure

The building of the Washington Post newspaper headquarter is seen on K Street in Washington DC on May 16, 2019.

Journalismism

The Familiarity And Sadness Of Watching The Washington Post Go To Hell

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket around Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

What Could Possibly Be The Problem With More Cavaliers-Thunder?

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Under The Influence

TikTok Users Learn The Internet Isn’t Forever

Tom Ley

Announcements

Transactions, January 17

Investigations Editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99

Diana Moskovitz

An aerial view of a street in the Eaton fire. The entire street is burned and decimated. It looks like a bomb went off. A sole person walks down the empty steet.

We Need A New Deal To Save Local Journalism

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Women's Basketball

Unrivaled Could Be A New Solution To The WNBA’s Old Problems

<div dir="ltr">Dom Cosentino is a writer in Brooklyn who takes Pittsburgh sports way too seriously.</div>
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Dom Cosentino

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 11: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on prior to an NFL football wild card playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&amp;T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

What’s Mike Tomlin’s Standard Now?

Michael is a writer who has worked with The Atlantic, The New Yorker, WIRED, Vox, The New York Times, and other publications. His first book, The Other Olympians, which uncovers the stories of several European athletes who transitioned gender in the 1930s, is now available for purchase.

Michael Waters

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 20: Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) (C) and Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-VA) (L) raise their hands when asked if they know a transgender woman during an event to celebrate the House passing The Protection Of Women And Girls In Sports Act outside the U.S. Capitol on April 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. President Joe Biden has promised to veto the legislation, which defines sex as 'based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth' and would ban all transgender women and girls from competing in female school sports.

Politics

The Trans Sports Ban Portends Something Much Darker

David Roth

An Enchanted Tools robot called the Mirokai is displayed during the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show CES in Las Vegas.

Podcasts

The Future Feels Like The Raiders, With Ed Zitron

SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 15: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies tries to dunk over Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Frost Bank Center on January 15, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

Ja Morant Summited Mount Wembanyama

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

19th century drawing of a physician holding death at bay.

Jamboroo

Fear Of Death Will Kill Us All

Bob Uecker walks onto the field to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1 of the NLCS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

Bob Uecker Was Just The Best

Katelyn Burns is a freelance journalist and columnist for MSNBC. She co-hosts the Cancel Me, Daddy podcast and is a co-founder of The Flytrap, a worker-owned feminist newsletter. Find her on BlueSky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/katelynburns.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bsky.app/profile/katelynburns.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1737039410886000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0AGF3RbPU2rsUfV7tUou_r">@katelynburns.com</a>

Katelyn Burns

Video Games

Can Pro ‘Overwatch’ Be Brought Back To Life?

Day'Ron Sharpe #20 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket against Bones Hyland #5 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the fourth quarter at Intuit Dome on January 15, 2025.

It Doesn’t Get Any Less Essential Than Nets-Clippers

Barry Petchesky

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Ryan McLeod #71 of the Buffalo Sabres skates with the puck against Sean Walker #26 of the Carolina Hurricanes during an NHL game on January 15, 2025 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

How To Complete A Hat Trick Without Taking A Shot

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Giannis Antetokounmpo waits for a free throw.

How Serious Are The Milwaukee Bucks?

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

A fire fighting helicopter drops water as the Palisades fire grows near the Mandeville Canyon neighborhood and Encino, California, on January 11, 2025. The Palisades Fire, the largest of the Los Angeles fires, spread toward previously untouched neighborhoods January 11, forcing new evacuations and dimming hopes that the disaster was coming under control. Across the city, at least 11 people have died as multiple fires have ripped through residential areas since January 7, razing thousands of homes in destruction that US President Joe Biden likened to a "war scene." (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

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