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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

Lauren Theisen

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Leon Draisaitl #29 and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins #93 of the Edmonton Oilers react as the Florida Panthers celebrate their victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game Seven of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

So, What’s Gonna Happen This Time?

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

Paul Skenes reacts after giving up a home run in the seventh inning against the Houston Astros

Having Paul Skenes On Your Team Should Not Be Such A Bummer

Tom Ley

DENVER, CO - MAY 11: Hitting Coach Clint Hurdle of the Colorado Rockies talks to Michael Toglia #4 in the dugout in the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field on May 11, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Hurdle was named the interim bench coach after the game when Manager Bud Black and Bench Coach Mike Redmond were fired after the Rockies 7-33 start to the season.

Clint Hurdle Is Thinking Big Thoughts

<p>Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in <i data-stringify-type="italic">The Normal School</i>, <i data-stringify-type="italic">New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review</i>, and elsewhere.</p>


Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

Podcasts

Spontaneous Diffusions Of Vocal Energy

<div>Jen Kinney is a journalist and audio producer with a troubling fixation on debris, detritus, and discard.</div>


Jen Kinney

Capital

Seven Days At The Bin Store

<p>Former Defector intern, now freelancer.</p>
<p>For professional inquiries or tips please write lucybl00m@protonmail.com or yuck.20 on Signal.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


Lucy Bloom

View from East 34th St Bridge, overlooking perhaps the world's most impenetrable highway interchange. I took a series of photos of it because I thought it was funny that there is not a single angle that captures all of its terminals.

Announcements

Sorry, You Only Get One This Year

Head coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks reacts against the Indiana Pacers during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Knicks Decide They Are Too Good For Tom Thibodeau

Patrick Redford

A large bitcoin guy regards the world they will take over

Politics

What World Does Bitcoin Want To Build For Itself?

<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>


Drew Magary

Funbag

What Is One Thing You Wish You Could Experience Again For The First Time?

Israel Daramola

Arts And Culture

The Cool Athlete Is No Longer In Production

Kelsey McKinney

image of the screen at the Wells Fargo center displaying the words WORSHIP, WISDOM, WORK, WEALTH

Saquon Barkley Lured Me To An Arena Where I Learned Passive Income Is Holy

<div>
<div>Katherine Churchill holds a Ph.D. in English literature. Her writing has appeared in <i>Time</i>, <i>Literary Hub, Electric Literature, Oxford American Magazine</i>, and elsewhere.</div>
</div>
<div></div>


Katherine Churchill

The Exclusive Men’s-Only Rare Books Club, And The Woman Who Has A Key

College Baseball

Can’t Sleep. Hopped Up On Bunts.

Norway's Magnus Carlsen (L) plays against India's Gukesh Dommaraju during the first game of Norway chess tournement in Finansparken in Stavanger on May 26, 2025. (Photo by Carina Johansen / NTB / AFP) / Norway OUT

Chess

Magnus Carlsen Melts Down, Pounds Table After Inexplicable Blunder

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, arrives for a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing in Dirksen building on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Nominees Adam R. Telle, to be assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Richard L. Anderson, to be assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, and Dr. Matthew C. Napoli, to be deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation, National Nuclear Security Administration, testified.

Joni Ernst Is A Piece Of Shit

Jac Caglianone rounds the bases in spring training.

Red Alert! The Dinger-Starved Royals Have Promoted A Mighty Lad

Luis Paez-Pumar

Players of Seattle Sounders pose for a team photograph before the MLS match against Minnesota United on June 01, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.

Soccer

Seattle Sounders Players Protest For Fair Share Of Lucrative Club World Cup Bonuses

Ellie the Elephant, the New York Liberty mascot, performs before the game between the New York Liberty and the Connecticut Sun

WNBA

The Liberty Are Godzilla And The WNBA Is A Bunch Of Tall Buildings

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Commentator and former NFL player Tom Brady (C) reacts on the field prior to the NFC Divisional Playoff between the Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions at Ford Field on January 18, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Crosswords

The Crossword, June 2: Can You Dig It?

George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Sunday, May 25, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.

Blue Jays Rally Undone By George Springer’s Little Hops

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


Sabrina Imbler

Mamta Patel Nagaraja, a fired NASA associate chief scientist for exploration and research, giving a keynote at the Department of Transportation for a White House event

Interviews

An Interview With A Fired NASA Associate Chief Scientist

Kathryn Xu

Max Verstappen of Oracle Red Bull Racing drives the Red Bull RB21 Honda.

Racing

Max Verstappen Shatters The Illusion


<p>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</p>


Diana Moskovitz

AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley competes in the girls high jump during the CIF State Track and Field Championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium on May 30, 2025 in Clovis, California.

Youth Sports

Despite Online Outrage, The California State Track Meet Was Mostly Just A Track Meet

Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers grabs the ball against Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 31, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Pacers Were Just Too Much To Handle

Désiré Doué of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates after scoring his teams third goal during the UEFA Champions League Final 2025 between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Internazionale Milano at Munich Football Arena on May 31, 2025 in Munich, Germany.