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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

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

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Merch v3

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Daryl Watts #9 of the Toronto Sceptres celebrates after scoring the equalizer against the Ottawa Charge during the PWHL Takeover Tour match at Rogers Place Arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on February 16, 2025.

Ottawa Charge  Vs Toronto Sceptres PWHL Takeover Tour Match In Edmonton

PWHL

The Sceptres Have All The Help They Need

Image from iOS (36)

Luis Paez-Pumar

Joshua Zirkzee of Manchester United reacts after a missed chance during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Manchester United FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 16, 2025 in London, England.

Tottenham Hotspur FC v Manchester United FC – Premier League

Soccer

No One Can Save Manchester United From Itself

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Ray Ratto

Dallas Mavericks fans lift a cutout of general manager Nico Harrison with a clown nose during a protest of the trade of Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Doncic outside the American Airlines Center.

NBA: FEB 08 Dallas Mavericks Fans Protest

Nico Harrison’s Reasons Are Not Getting Any Better


<p>Visual Editor. Runs <a href="http://defectorstore.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defectorstore.com</a>. Philadelphia-based, if you couldn’t tell.</p>


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Dan McQuade

VictorPortraitWClaw

David Roth

Ricky Jay, with his hair balding halfway up his head but black and tall, and a large black beard, in a black suit with a black tie and a dark purple shirt, looking at the camera holding a cut-in-half watermelon with two playing cards into the inside.

ricky-jay-16-9

Arts And Culture

Someone Has To Save The Film And TV That Studios Won’t

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Tom Ley

Screenshot 2025-02-17 at 11.47.15 AM

Abysmal Kevin Hart Special Interrupted By Sporadic Basketball

<p>Grace Byron is a writer from the Midwest based in Queens whose writing has appeared in The Cut, <em>Vogue</em>, <em>LARB</em>, <em>The Baffler</em>, <em>Bookforum</em>, and elsewhere. Find her @emotrophywife. Her debut novel <em>Herculine</em> is forthcoming from Saga Press.</p>


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Grace Byron

Bill Gates speaks at the Global Solutions Summit

Conclusion Global Solutions Summit

What’s The Point Of Bill Gates?

Cale Makar #8 of the Colorado Avalanche skates with the puck against the Minnesota Wild in the third period at Xcel Energy Center on January 09, 2025 in St Paul, Minnesota. The Avalanche defeated the Wild 6-1.

Colorado Avalanche v Minnesota Wild

Crosswords

The Crossword, Feb. 17: In The Ballpark

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<div class="p-rich_text_section">Tom Scocca is the editor of <a href="http://indignity.net">Indignity</a>, a subscription-supported newsletter of news, essays, and commentary.</div>
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Tom Scocca

NYPD officers prepare to make arrests during a rally and a march in Manhattan to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recent raids and crackdown on migrants in New York. New York City, U.S., February 13, 2025.

Rally against ICE in New York

Margin Of Error

The Country That Was Here Is Gone

Justin Tucker #9 of the Baltimore Ravens sits on the bench in the second half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 25, 2024 in Houston, Texas.

Baltimore Ravens v Houston Texans

Seven More Massage Therapists Have Accused Justin Tucker Of Sexual Misconduct

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


Typing

Sabrina Imbler

an image of a fly larva (maggot) that has the face of a termite

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Creaturefector

Hell Yeah: This Maggot Has A Face On Its Butt

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Lauren Theisen

Los Angeles Dodgers Workout

Hell Yeah: Shohei Ohtani Throws Baseball 14 Times

a baby loggerhead turtle does a happy turtle dance inside a bucket of water

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Are You Entranced By The Turtle Dance?

J.T. Miller #10 of Team USA and Colton Parayko #55 of Team Canada fight

NHL 4 Nations Face-Off – United States v Canada

Canada Still Alive In 4 Nations Despite Pugnacious Defeat In Montreal

JuJu Watkins #12 of the USC Trojans celebrates a 71-60 win against the UCLA Bruins in the second half at Galen Center on February 13, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

UCLA v USC

College Basketball

JuJu Watkins Is The Whole Story

Two manet paintings with a Pop Art painting crashing over them

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Eagles Win Loan Of Manet Painting In Super Bowl Bet, Which Is What This Thing Was About All Along

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Giri Nathan

US Vice President JD Vance, standing alongside President Donald Trump (R), speaks about the mid-air crash between American Airlines flight 5342 and a military helicopter in Washington, in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. Divers pulled bodies from the icy waters of Washington's Potomac river Thursday after a US military helicopter collided midair with a passenger plane carrying 64 people, with officials saying there were likely no survivors. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP) (Photo by OLIVER CONTRERAS/AFP via Getty Images)

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-AVIATION-ACCIDENT

Politics

JD Vance Would Throw His Own Kids Under A Bus If Donald Trump Were Driving It

Halley’s Comment

Drewbert Thompchesky

Little King Trashmouth

Bette Davis’ Cigarette

OminousCorn

Typists at work at Unilever House in Blackfriars, London, September 1955. Original Publication: Picture Post - 8002 - Leave Youth Alone - pub. 24th September 1955

Unilever Typing Pool

Things We Actually Like

Let’s Remember Some Comments From 2024

<p>Vince Mancini is a culture writer and old school blogger whose work has appeared in GQ, The Ringer, Uproxx, and more. He writes <a href="https://vincemancini.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vincemancini.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1739555630062000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0e3B6TjurbpZyGcyNkVTcQ">The #Content Report</a> on Substack and podcasts about prestige TV on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/c/frotcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.patreon.com/c/frotcast&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1739555630062000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0xjEhxjt84GGvFCgoW4S0E">Pod Yourself</a>.</p>


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Vince Mancini

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Capital

‘Pistachio Wars’ Tells The Story Of California’s Terraforming

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Barry Petchesky

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - FEBRUARY: Matthew Tkachuk #19 of Team United States points to a teammate after scoring his second goal of the third period against Juuse Saros #74 of Team Finland during the 4 Nations Face-Off game between the United States and Finland at Bell Centre on February 13, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)

NHL 4 Nations Face-Off – United States v Finland

Rowdy Tkachuk Boys Wreak General Havoc On Finland

Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs tries to avoid a sack by DE Brandon Graham #55 of the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday February 9, 2025.

NFL: FEB 09 Super Bowl LIX – Eagles vs Chiefs

Podcasts

How To Describe An Ass-Kicking

<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>


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Drew Magary

Man napping on lobby couch, ca. 1930

Jamboroo

The Art Of Chilling

A Blue Whale swimming underwater is showing her tail fin

Cautious Whales Sing In A Whisper Orcas Cannot Hear

Everton supporters invade the pitch after James Tarkowski scores his sides second goal during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC at Goodison Park on February 12, 2025 in Liverpool, England.

Everton FC v Liverpool FC – Premier League

Everton And Liverpool Drove Everyone The Good Kind Of Crazy

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Life's Rich Pageant

A Stinky Pilgrimage To The Corpse Flower, With Notes Of Rat, Sweat, And Cheese

a set of homemade toasted subs with ground beef, cheese, green pepper and onion

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Life Lessons

How I Got Comfortable With Cooking, And Eating

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