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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

Take Defector's 2025 Reader Survey

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Tom Ley

big_dumber

Michael Kay Constitutionally Incapable Of Enjoying An Extended Gaze At Cal Raleigh’s Huge Ass

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Kathryn Xu

Christian Horner, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing walks in the Paddock prior to practice.

F1 Grand Prix of Austria – Practice

Racing

Red Bull Belatedly Fires Team Principal Christian Horner

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Kelsey McKinney

jackson merril leaps up over the outfield fence to grab a ball

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The Robbin’ Padres Are At It Again

<p>Asher Elbein is <a href="https://www.asherelbein.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.asherelbein.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1712179533443000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2CJ0U-vHMdK0s6sOdzlGGF">a journalist and fiction writer</a> based in Austin, Texas. Among other places, his work has appeared in The New York Times, Scientific American, Undark Magazine, Audubon, and Texas Monthly.</p>


Asher Elbein

alligator

Politics

Why Do Fascists Dream Of Alligators?


<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

A bird's-eye view of the Love Island basketball court, which resembles a huge blue H on a yellow background. It lacks baselines, and the right half of the court lacks a three-point line. Other than that, it's great

love-island-basketball-court-overhead

This Is So Stupid

The Basketball Court On ‘Love Island’ Is All Fucked Up

Jonas Valanciunas #17 of the Sacramento Kings looks on against Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at Ball Arena on March 5, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. 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.

Sacramento Kings v Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets Are In A Standoff With Jonas Valanciunas And It Somehow Matters

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Samer Kalaf

New York Times Seeks Buyouts Before Imposing Layoffs

Journalismism

The New York Times Had To Work With A Eugenicist So They Didn’t Get Scooped By A Bigot

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Patrick Redford

Slovenian Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the fourth stage of the 2025 Tour de France cycling, Amien Metropole - Rouen (173 km), on Tuesday 08 July 2025 in France. The 112th edition of the Tour de France starts on Saturday 5 July in Lille, France, and will finish in Paris, France on the 27th of July. BELGA PHOTO JASPER JACOBS (Photo by JASPER JACOBS / BELGA MAG / Belga via AFP)

CYCLING TOUR DE FRANCE 2025 STAGE 4

Cycling

Tadej Pogacar Strikes The First Blow With Some “Pure Racing”

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Billy Haisley

Spain's Alexia Putellas scores their side's first goal during the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 Group D match at the Arena Thun in Thun, Switzerland.

Spain v Belgium – UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 – Group B – Arena Thun

Soccer

Spain Is Untouchable When Alexia Is Feeling It

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.09</p>


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Chris Thompson

Dave Martinez looks bummed shortly before being fired.

Dave Martinez

The Nationals Should Quit Pretending

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Giri Nathan

Aryna Sabalenka reacts to a break of serve during her victory against Laura Siegemund of Germany in the Quarter-Finals of the Ladies' Singles Competition on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon on July 8th, 2025, in London, England. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Getty Images)

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Tennis

Aryna Sabalenka Could Round Out Her Game By Hiring Some Elderly Training Partners

<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

A gallery assistant looks at a vintage horn gramophone belonging to John Peel during a photo call for highlights from Bonhams Live In Session: Property From The John Peel Archive sale which takes place on Tuesday June 14 at Bonhams in London. Picture date: Friday June 10, 2022.

Bonhams John Peel sale

Funbag

I Listen To Music Wrong

John Saward

Outfielder Dave Parker #39 of the Pittsburgh Pirates swings and watches the flight of his ball against the Chicago Cubs during a circa 1970's Major League Baseball game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Parker played for the Pirates from 1973-83.

Pittsburgh Pirates v Chicago Cubs

Dave Parker’s Great Bounty

Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria gets an injury in the Gentlemen's Singles Fourth Round match against Jannik Sinner of Italy on day eight of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 07, 2025 in London, England.

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On The Brink Of A Defining Victory, Grigor Dimitrov’s Body Failed Him

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Ray Ratto

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Arts And Culture

Sure, We Gained Our Independence, But We Lost The Ability To Make Anything As Good As ‘Taskmaster’

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Climate

The Floodwaters Are Rising

A cat on a fake baseball card. He's grey and little and next to a keyboard. There is a wood border around the card, with the Toledo Mud Hens logo in the corner, and a Defector logo in the other corner, and WEBLEY: Toledo Mud Hens

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Creaturefector

The Newest Toledo Mud Hen Is A Purrfect Midseason Addition

<p>Alex Tey is a writer, photographer, and birdwatcher living in Queens, New York. Alex is short for Alexandra.</p>


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Alex Tey

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Life's Rich Pageant

The Anti-Fascist Power Of Trans Women Wrestling In Nacho Cheese

<p>Becky Ferreira is a science reporter based in Ithaca, N.Y. She writes <a href="https://www.404media.co/author/becky/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.404media.co/author/becky/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1740083778769000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3_mk31dNhas5lklZb38a6k">The Abstract</a>, a weekly science column for 404 Media. Her book <em>First Contact</em>, about the search for alien life, will be out in fall 2025.</p>


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Becky Ferreira

Sun over dying Earth. Illustration of the Sun, around 5 billion years in the future, heating a dying Earth. The oceans have evaporated, leaving salt-encrusted rocks. The Moon is seen passing in front of the massively swollen Sun. This stage of the Sun's life, known as its red giant stage, will begin when the Sun exhausts the hydrogen fuel in its core. It will then begin burning hydrogen in a shell surrounding the core, causing the Sun to expand. The expanding Sun will engulf the inner planets, and possibly the Earth. If the Earth survives this stage of the death of the Sun, it will freeze as the Sun collapses into a white dwarf star.

Red giant Sun, illustration

Science

Are You Team Fiery Sun Death Or Team Lifeless Husk?

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Jim Spanfeller Somehow Worse At Writing Than Running A Media Company

WEST PALM BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez (4), left, with GM Mike Rizzo during the second day of full squad workouts at the Nationals training facility on February 22, 2023 in West Palm Beach, FL. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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Mark Lerner Stops Neglecting The Nationals Long Enough To Fire Everyone

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Maitreyi Anantharaman

Summer McIntosh is interviewed by NBC Sports Nicole Auerbach after winning the Women's 400 Meter Individual Medley Final on Day 3 of the TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont at FMC Natatorium on March 07, 2025 in Westmont, Illinois

Crosswords

The Crossword, July 7: Tennis, Anyone?

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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

Donald Trump looks up at the new flag on the south lawn of the White House on July 06, 2025 in Washington, DC.

trump looking up

Margin Of Error

Totally Petty

Third placed Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber sprays Champagne on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain.

F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain

239th Time’s The Charm For Nico Hülkenberg

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Barry Petchesky

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 26: Baseball: World Series, Chicago White Sox A,J, Pierzynski (12) and Bobby Jenks (45) victorious after winning Game 4 and series vs Houston Astros, Houston, TX 10/26/2005 (Photo by John Biever/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X74496 TK4)

Chicago White Sox A.J. Pierzynski and Bobby Jenks, 2005 World Series

Bobby Jenks Made The Most Of A Short Time

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