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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

Kathryn Xu

Race winner Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren celebrates on arrival in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia.

Racing

Oscar Piastri Seizes The Lead

Ray Ratto

Manager Bud Black #10 of the Colorado Rockies looks on before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 11, 2025 in San Diego.

Bud Black Has Either The Best Or The Worst Job In Baseball

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Elly De La Cruz is showered in $100 bills after socking a dinger.

O’s, No!

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

Dan McQuade

Participants take part in the Corgi Derby at Musselburgh Racecourse, Musselburgh, East Lothian, as part of its Easter Saturday race day celebration. Picture date: Saturday April 19, 2025.

Animals

Please Enjoy These Images Of The 2025 Corgi Derby

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on April 16, 2025 in New York City.

Crosswords

The Crossword, April 21: Happy Arbor Day

Patrick Redford

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 20: Ty Jerome #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat in game one of the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on April 20, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Heat 121-100. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images)

See What Makes The Cavaliers Special Through The Ty Jerome Game

Fred VanVleet #5 of the Houston Rockets dives for the ball against Gary Payton II #0 and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter in Game One of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2025.

The Warriors And Rockets Know Each Other’s Weaknesses

Barry Petchesky

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 10: Malik Beasley #5 of the Detroit Pistons and Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks look on during the third quarter of a game at Little Caesars Arena on April 10, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

The Knicks Gave The Pistons A Lesson In Playoff Entropy

Los Angeles, CA - April 19: Minnesota Timberwolves bench reacts after a basket as Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on in the second half of a first round game one NBA basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

The Lakers Have Bigger Problems Than Luka Doncic Can Fix

WINNIPEG, CANADA - APRIL 19: Winnipeg Jets players celebrate on the ice following a 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Game One of Game One of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Canada Life Centre on April 19, 2025 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images)

That’s About As Hot As It Gets In Winnipeg

DENVER, CO - APRIL 19: Russell Westbrook (4) of the Denver Nuggets pushes the ball in transition as Ben Simmons (25) of the LA Clippers defends during the third quarter of the Nuggets' 112-110 overtime win at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

There Is No Getting Off The Russell Westbrook Rollercoaster

Tom Ley

Fans celebrate a three-point basket by Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors against the Denver Nuggets in the fourth quarter at Chase Center on April 04, 2025 in San Francisco, 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.

Defector Up All Night

Get Busy In The NBA Playoffs Open Thread

David Roth

Luis Paez-Pumar

The Wyoming basketball team, left to right: Coach Everett Shelton; James Reese, forward; Milo Komenich, center; Kenny Sailors, forward; James Weir, guard; and Leon Brown, guard.

Silence! You Are Summoned To Read A Preview Of The 2025 NBA Playoffs

Israel Daramola

Listening Habits

The Case For A New MTV

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

a headshot of fired CDC health communications manager Sarah Boim

Politics

An Interview With A Fired CDC Health Communications Manager

WINNIPEG, CANADA - APRIL 23: Winnipeg Jets fans cheer on their team as they get set to face off against the Colorado Avalanche in Game Two of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canada Life Centre on April 23, 2024, in Winnipeg, Canada. (Photo by David Lipnowski/Getty Images)

The Stanley Cup’s Got To Return To Canada Sometime, Right?

Fruit Plate, Menges Lakeside Hotel and Resort, Livingston Manor, New York, USA, John Margolies Roadside America Photograph Archive, 1978. It looks real messed up. Cottage cheese in the middle and such.

Podcasts

At Beautiful Mount Airy Lodge

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

Nicholas Russell

: A COVID face mask dangles from the rear-view mirror of a car

Life Lessons

Why I Keep Masking

A bunch of baseball cards behind. In front are two cards. One has this tip: "Never put poison in your mouth. And if you see someone put poison in their mouth, you should get help right away." The other says: "Drug dealers are always trying to tempt ballplayers. They like to hang around celebrities and try to get us to join them at parties. We learn to just say no. We tell them to get lost or we'll call police. Call it what you want, pot, grass, crack, speed, angel dust, or coke — it's dangerous stuff that can hurt you and even kill. If you're approached, just say no and then call your local police or tell your parents."

“Don’t Put Poison In Your Mouth,” And Other Great Tips From ’80s And ’90s Trading Cards

A Dangerously Bad Bullpen Is Everyone’s Problem

Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets argues with referee Justin Van Duyne (64) during the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

Everyone Can Do That

Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammate Declan Rice during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg match between Real Madrid C.F. and Arsenal FC at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 16, 2025 in Madrid, Spain.

Soccer

Arsenal Was Perfect When It Had To Be

Eva Holland is a freelance writer and editor based in Whitehorse, Yukon. She&#8217;s a correspondent for Outside magazine and the author of the books Nerve and <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/no-sleep-til-fairbanks#/">No Sleep &#8216;Til Fairbanks</a>.

Eva Holland

‘North Of North’ Is An Arctic Comedy That Will Warm Your Heart

APRIL 16: (R-L) DeMar DeRozan #10, Domantas Sabonis #11, and Zach LaVine #8 of the Sacramento Kings sit on the bench at the end of the game in their loss to the Dallas Mavericks in othe NBA play-in tournament game at Golden 1 Center on April 16, 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.

Extinguish The Beam

French player Dominique Malonga speaks to the press during the 2025 WNBA Draft at the Shed in New York City on April 14, 2025.