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

Luis Paez-Pumar

Jan Paul van Hecke of Brighton &amp; Hove Albion celebrates after he scored his side's first goal for 1-1 during the Premier League match between Brighton &amp; Hove Albion FC and Fulham FC at Amex Stadium on March 8, 2025 in Brighton, England.

Soccer

The Premier League’s Tightest Race Is For Fifth Place

Lauren Theisen

The Senators Are So Back

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Head coach Kara Lawson of the Duke Blue Devils celebrates with her team following their victory against the NC State Wolfpack in the championship game of the ACC women's basketball tournament at First Horizon Coliseum on March 9, 2025 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

College Basketball

Kara Lawson And Duke Get Revenge With A Conference Title

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

Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings and NFC throws a pass during the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Skills Showdown on January 30, 2025 at the UCF Campus in Orlando, Florida.

Seahawks Replace Former Jets Punchline With Former Jets Punchline

Giri Nathan

Yosuke Watanuki of Japan plays a backhand against Frances Tiafoe of the United States in their third round match during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 09, 2025 in Indian Wells, California. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Tennis

Yosuke Watanuki Is Here To Drink Soda And Cause Upsets

Patrick Redford

SIENA, ITALY - MARCH 08: Demi Vollering of Netherlands and Team FDJ - SUEZ celebrates at podium as race winner during the 11st Strade Bianche 2025, Women's Elite a 136km one day race from Siena to Siena 320m / #UCIWWT / on March 08, 2025 in Siena, Italy. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

Cycling

The Demi Vollering Revenge Tour Is Officially On

Mikko Rantanen celebrates his goal with teammates

They Should Call Them The Dallas Even More Stars

Kelsey McKinney

Wow, Perfect! A Hat You Can’t Read!

Ray Ratto

ampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg greets Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred Jr. before the Opening Day game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field on Sunday, April 3, 2016

Rob Manfred Is The Face Of An Elite Mutiny Against Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg

Dave McKenna

Antoine Dupont of France breaks to score a try that is later disallowed due to a knock on during the Guinness Six Nations 2025 match between Ireland and France at the Aviva Stadium on March 08, 2025 in Dublin, Ireland.

Rugby

Ireland Stumbles In Six Nations, Rekindles Title Hopes For Failed Imperialist Country Where Rugby Was Invented

Former President Barack Obama greets head coach Tyronn Lue of the Los Angeles Clippers ahead of the game against the Detroit Pistons at Intuit Dome on March 05, 2025 in Inglewood, California.

Crosswords

The Crossword, March 10: Double Speak

Barry Petchesky

TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees throws a warm up pitch in the second inning during a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 28, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

Spring Training Is An Attack On Me Personally

Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks meets with head coach Pete Carroll in the third quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lumen Field on November 27, 2022 in Seattle, Washington.

Tom Brady’s Vision For The 2025 Raiders Looks An Awful Lot Like The 2023 Seahawks

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Evan Mobley drives past Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Cavaliers Are Now Playing With Their Food

Samer Kalaf

Browns Convince Myles Garrett To Stay For Yet Another Rebuild

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 03: Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 03, 2025 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Cooper Flagg Has Had A Season For The Ages

Celtics Bring Lakers Back Down To Earth

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Stephen Curry (4) of Team USA in action during Men's Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day fifteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aytac Unal/Anadolu via Getty Images)

‘Court Of Gold’ Is Brilliant When It Gets Specific

Draymond Green smiles at a press conference after being told that Karl-Anthony Towns did not miss a game because he was scared of Jimmy Butler, per Green's speculation, but because of the death of a family friend

Draymond Green Pivots From Slander To Depraved Podcast Promo

The Backlog

‘Like A Dragon’ Breathed New Life Into The ‘Yakuza’ Series

Mark Asch

Interviews

‘Eephus’ Director Carson Lund On Baseball As A Way Of Being

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

a photo of Sabrina Valenti, formerly a budget analyst for NOAA. Sabrina has brown curly hair and is standing against a floral background.

An Interview With A Fired NOAA Budget Analyst

Israel Daramola

Music

To Live And Age In Rap Music

Alex Prewitt is a writer in Brooklyn. He shoots free throws the normal way.

Alex Prewitt

How “Ball Don’t Lie” Became More Than A Basketball Mantra

David Roth

Vice President JD Vance speaks during a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border on March 5, 2025 in Eagle Pass, Texas. His eyes are closed and he looks like he's singing. Beard looks like shit.