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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

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Jordan Mailata #68 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with fans during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Championship Parade on February 14, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Crosswords

The Crossword, March 31: Rules Lawyer (Themeless)

Veronica de Souza

Drawing of an Interior: Atelier, 1857. Artist Anon. (Photo by Heritage Images via Getty Images)

Make It Nice

Introducing: Make It Nice

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

Dan McQuade

NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 29: Jon Scheyer head coach of the Duke Blue Devils has a laugh with Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils after winning the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament game against the Alabama Crimson Tide on March 29, 2025 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Cooper Flagg, wearing a hat and a blue Duke East Regional championship shirt has his hands over his face while Duke coach Scheyer has him in a half-hug with. a huge grin on his face. Scheyer is wearing the same shirt as Flagg, and the same hat too—only his is backwards.

College Basketball

Oh, No! They Made A Likable Duke Basketball Team

Ray Ratto

Ronald Holland II #00 of the Detroit Pistons and Donte DiVincenzo #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves fight in the second quarter. Holland II and DiVincenzo were ejected from the game at Target Center on March 30, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Season Is Too Long, And Everybody Is Cranky

UCLA Bruins gathers against the LSU Lady Tigers during the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Spokane Arena on March 30, 2025 in Spokane, Washington.

UCLA Finally Finds Its Place

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

Alysa Liu of United States competes in the Women´s Free Skating during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at the TD Garden on March 28, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. She is dressed in gold and pointing toward the sky with a smile on her face.

Figure Skating

Alysa Liu’s World Title Is More Than Just A Comeback

Tennessee Titans cheerleaders perform in "Luv ya Blue" jackets during a game between the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans, December 17, 2023 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

You Can’t Say Baby Blue Without “Baby”

Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees reacts after hitting a an RBI double in the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on March 27, 2025 in New York City.

Aaron Judge Destroys Pitchers, So Don’t Be A Pitcher And You’ll Be Fine

David Roth

Elon Musk chats with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick as they walk with White House Communications Director Steven Cheung and White House deputy chief of staff for policy and US homeland security advisor Stephen Miller on the south lawn of the White House. Everyone absolutely looks like shit.

Politics

Kingdom Of The Biters

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

Nicholas Russell

Arts And Culture

‘Moby-Dick’ Is Still Too Big For The Opera

Patrick Redford

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 17: Head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies Taylor Jenkins looks on from the bench during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on March 17, 2025 in Sacramento, California. 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 Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Out Of Nowhere, Memphis Grizzlies Fire Coach Taylor Jenkins

Carly Stern is an independent journalist, writer and editor based in Brooklyn. She has written for publications including The New York Times, Vox, The Guardian and The Washington Post.

Carly Stern

Carlos Watson, co-founder of Ozy Media, speaks with press after his sentencing hearing at Brooklyn Federal Court on December 16, 2024 in New York City. Watson was sentenced to almost 10 years in prison for trying to defraud investors and lenders by lying about the company’s finances after being convicted in July. Samir Rao, the other co-founder of Ozy, and Suzee Han, a former Ozy chief of staff, pleaded guilty last year to fraud charges and both cooperated in the case and testified against Watson.

Journalismism

Looking For Closure At Carlos Watson’s Sentencing Hearing

Luis Paez-Pumar

Villagers stand on a rock looking at the ocean in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The Backlog

‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ Arrived At Just The Right Time

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

The Bulls celebrate an incredible last-second win.

How About These Absurd Chicago Bulls?

Israel Daramola

Seth Rogen’s ‘The Studio’ Is The Latest Example Of TV’s Silver Age

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

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (L) and Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings address the media at TCO Performance Center on February 17, 2022 in Eagan, Minnesota.

Hear Me Out: The Vikings Are USING Aaron Rodgers

Dave McKenna

Darrion Williams #5 and Kevin Overton #1 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders react after Williams scored a three point basket to tie the game during the second half in the West Regional Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Chase Center on March 27, 2025 in San Francisco, California.

Texas Tech Made It Feel Like Destiny

Billy Haisley

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo celebrates during the UEFA Women's Champions League Quarter Finals Second Leg match between Arsenal FC and Real Madrid CF on March 26, 2025 in London, England.

Soccer

Alessia Russo Smashed The Real Madrid Pumpkin

Left to right, Jason Narducy, Bob Mould, and Jon Wurster playing a set at Riot Fest in Chicago in 2019.

Podcasts

Catching The Rain, With Bob Mould

Defector Staff

The exterior of Shibe Park, the baseball stadium in Philadelphia. Ca. 1913

Staff Chat

Take Me Out To The Staff Chat

ESPN: LeBron James, On ESPN, To ESPN: “ESPN.”

Lauren Theisen

Head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers John Tortorella reacts as he walks across the ice

John Tortorella Wore Out His Welcome

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

a photo of Veronica Correa, a fired EPA public affairs specialist, standing in snowy woods by a stream