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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

Luis Paez-Pumar

Bills Week

An Ode To Bill, The Pokémon Maniac

Alex Sujong Laughlin

A group of people gathers around an old timey radio to listen to a boxing match.

Announcements

Defector Is Launching New Podcasts

Barry Petchesky

28 April 2024, Baden-Württemberg, Donaueschingen: A mallard duck swims in a pond in Donaueschingen Castle Park. Photo: Silas Stein/dpa (Photo by Silas Stein/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Bill Shapes, Ranked

Lauren Theisen

Bill Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers poses for a photo during the 2025 MLB All-Star player photo shoot

How Did Will “Bill” Smith Do At The MLB All-Star Game?

Ray Ratto

Bill Belichick’s Talent Is Becoming Tiresome

Giri Nathan

Bill Ackman, Founder and CEO, Pershing Square Capital Management speaks about higher education and Harvard University during at the 28th annual Milken Institute Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on May 6, 2025. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)

Bill Ackman Says He’ll Give Tennis Hall Of Fame $10 Million After His Weird, Sad Match

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

James Butler Hickok, known as Wild Bill Hickok (1837-1876), American frontiersman and U.S marshal, struggles in a fight against fifteen soldiers. The chromolithograph illustration is from a book published circa 1882.

And Now, A Letter From A Bill

I Have Found A Personal Finance Influencer Who Isn’t As Bad As “Personal Finance Influencer” Sounds

Kelsey McKinney

black and white woodblock print of a scene in love's labour's lost

Shakespeare Makes Me A Slower And Better Reader

Bill’s Wines & Liquors: The Defector Review

Willie Mays leaps against a green wall to grab a fly ball

All-Star Week Needs A Cool Catch Contest

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

Kathryn Xu

Common loon flapping its wings in the morning

Fatal Battles In Common Loons: A Subsequent Analysis

Tom Ley

An Interview With A Guy Who Hosts A Podcast About ‘The Bill Simmons Podcast’

Bill Skarsgard In His Nude ‘Nosferatu’ Getup Would’ve Been A Better MLB All-Star Week Host Than Pat McAfee

Billy Haisley

Cole Palmer of Chelsea FC celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammates Reece James and Joao Pedro of Chelsea during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium on July 13, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Cole Palmer Demolished A Bill-Less PSG, And The Rest Is History

Dave McKenna

Katie Taylor, right, and Amanda Serrano during their undisputed super lightweight championship fight at Madison Square Garden in New York, USA. (

Taylor–Serrano III Couldn’t Live Up To Its Historic Billing

1998: Pro wrestler Bill Goldberg. (Photo by Icon Sportswire)

Bill Goldberg Was A Star From Day 1

The Space Shuttle Discovery, aboard a specially modified NASA Boeing 747, flies over the Washington, DC, April 17, 2012, as seen from Arlington, Virginia. NASA is transferring the Shuttle, which completed 39 missions and spent 365 days in space, to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles Airport. AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB (Photo by Saul LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The “Big Beautiful Bill” Is Trying To Steal A Space Shuttle

Hamilton Nolan is a journalist based in New York City. Subscribe to his work at <a href="https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687350200913000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0naFbUVOe-5ZgtPDtIM3gz">HamiltonNolan.com</a>.

Hamilton Nolan

William Zepeda (R) lands a punch on Shakur Stevenson (L) during their lightweight title fight at Louis Armstrong Stadium on July 12, 2025 in New York City.

The Fighters Pay The Bills

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Jermaine Johnson #52 of the New York Jets blocks a punt from Sam Martin #8 of the Buffalo Bills in the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York.

Crosswords

The Crossword, July 14: Quarterback Scramble

Bill Laimbeer #40 takes the ball during the NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics

Bill Laimbeer Made Me A Youth Basketball Maniac

EAST RUTHERFORD - JUNE 9: NBA legends Bill Russell and Bill Walton talk before game three of the NBA Finals on June 9, 2002 at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The New Jersey Nets are attempting to stop the Los Angeles Lakers from winning their third championship in a row. AFP PHOTO/MATT CAMPBELL (Photo credit should read MATT CAMPBELL/AFP via Getty Images)

Where Have All The Sports Bills Gone?

A big duck with Bills Week coming out if its bill

It’s Bills Week

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 13: Winner Jannik Sinner of Italy and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain embrace at the net after the Gentlemen's Singles Final on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon on July 13th, 2025, in London, England. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Getty Images)

Tennis

Jannik Sinner Recalibrated And Got Back Into His Rivalry With Carlos Alcaraz

NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell discusses the state of the union and its direction for the upcoming year before fielding questions from the media on February 05, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.