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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

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Mike Tanier has covered the NFL for 20 years for Football Outsiders, the New York Times, The Messenger, Bleacher Report, Sports on Earth, and other ancient empires. He&#8217;s a co-author of Aaron Schatz&#8217;s FTN Football Almanac and the author of the Y/A novel for grownups Long Snapper&#8217;s Blues. He lives off Exit 3 of the New Jersey Turnpike with his long-suffering wife, two sons and a 70-pound American Bully named Frank the Tank. His new Substack, <a href="https://miketanier.substack.com/">Too Deep Zone</a>, has officially launched.
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Mike Tanier

Head coach Mike McDaniel of the Miami Dolphins speaks to the media after losing to the Green Bay Packers 30-17 at Lambeau Field on November 28, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Miami Dolphins v Green Bay Packers

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2025: Miami Dolphins

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Tom Brady, Minority Owner of Birmingham City, looks on prior to the Sky Bet League One match between Birmingham City FC and Wrexham AFC at St Andrew’s at Knighthead Park on September 16, 2024 in Birmingham, England.

Birmingham City FC v Wrexham AFC – Sky Bet League One

‘Built In Birmingham’ Can’t Save Tom Brady From Himself

E.Y. Zhao is a writer and editor from St. Louis. Her debut novel, Underspin, set in the world of competitive table tennis, is forthcoming with Astra House in September 2025. She holds a BA in history from Harvard College and an MFA from the University of Michigan.

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E.Y. Zhao

Felix Lebrun of France competes in the Men's Singles Semifinal match against Wang Chuqin of China on day 7 of the United States Smash 2025 World Table Tennis at the Orleans Arena on July 12, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

United States Smash 2025 World Table Tennis – Day 7

Table Tennis

Sweating Through The Existential Angst Of A Las Vegas Table Tennis Tournament

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Lauren Theisen

Mason Miller #22 and Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres celebrate a 3-2 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks

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Better Not Guess Wrong Against Mason Miller

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Typing

Sabrina Imbler

a 3D-printed crab named Wavy Dave is waving his claw at a fiddler crab in the distance

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Creaturefector

The Brief Adventures Of Wavy Dave

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David Roth

A screengrab of Alan Dershowitz on his Dershow podcast's mailbag segment. He is literally saying the words "Jeffrey Epstein" at this moment.

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Life's Rich Pageant

Are You Aware Of The Alan Dershowitz Martha’s Vineyard Pierogi Situation?

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Cameron Brink #22 of the Los Angeles Sparks gestures after a call during the second half against the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena on August 01, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.

Los Angeles Sparks v Seattle Storm

WNBA

Cameron Brink Is Back And Ready To Swat

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.

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Drew Magary

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones speaks to reporters during the team's training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields on July 25, 2024 in Oxnard, CA.

NFL: JUL 25 Cowboys Training Camp

Why Your Team Sucks 2025: Dallas Cowboys

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. #12 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates while running the bases after hitting a two run home run

San Diego Padres v Arizona Diamondbacks

Mason Miller’s Balls Were Fast, But Lourdes Gurriel’s Dong Was Faster

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Barry Petchesky

Waterslide person silhoutted shot on 35mm film vintage style

Waterslide fun

I Can’t Stop Thinking About The Underwater Waterslide Of Horror

Dave McKenna

U.S. President Donald Trump looks at (L-R) golfer Bryson DeChambeau, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, and WWE Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque as he speaks during an executive order signing ceremony in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on July 31, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump signed a series of orders that will expand on his council on sports, fitness and nutrition, including by reviving the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools.

President Trump Signs Executive Order In White House’s Roosevelt Room

Report: Harrison Butker’s PAC Coffers Are As Empty As His Head

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Ray Ratto

A ESPN Monday Night Football television camera prior to an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 26, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Los Angeles Chargers vs Indianapolis Colts

Journalismism

ESPN Now Partially Owned By Biggest League It Reports On

Visual Editor. Runs <a href="http://defectorstore.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defectorstore.com</a>. Philadelphia-based, if you couldn’t tell.

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Dan McQuade

Larry King and his wife, Shawn Southwick, dressed in Ed Hardy clothes

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This Is So Stupid

13 Things I Learned From The Larry King Estate Sale

Capture

Lucy Bloom

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Video Games

Aw Shit, My Favorite Genre Just Got Changed Forever

Tools in the vehicle workshop at the road maintenance depot. In the road maintenance depot in Teterow, the future road attendants for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are trained. The road maintenance department is responsible for around 200 kilometres of state and federal roads. Photo: Jens Büttner/dpa-Zentralbild/ZB

Tools

Funbag

You Don’t Have To Let Big Allen Wrench Control Your Life

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.09

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Chris Thompson

Marcus Semien

Here Is One Real Bad Baseball Swing

Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers calls a play in a huddle with teammates during the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

San Francisco 49ers v Miami Dolphins

Why Your Team Sucks 2025: San Francisco 49ers

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Tom Ley

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever looks on prior to the game against the Chicago Sky during the first half at the United Center on July 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. 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.

Indiana Fever v Chicago Sky

Media Meltdowns

Wall Street Journal Calls For Congressional Investigation Into Caitlin Clark Getting Fouled

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

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Nicholas Russell

Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in Eddington

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Arts And Culture

Ari Aster Wants You To Take The Bait

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Kathryn Xu

Lewis Hamilton of Scuderia Ferrari walks in the paddock during free practice of the Hungarian GP.

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Racing

Heartbreaking: Ferrari Once Again Makes Two Men Lose Their Joie De Vivre

Agustin Ramirez of the Miami Marlins and Edward Cabrera #27 of the Miami Marlins celebrate in the game against the New York Yankees.

New York Yankees v Miami Marlins

The Marlins Are Actually Doing Some Stuff

Marta Vieira and Kerolin Israel of Brazil hold the trophy after the CONMEBOL Copa America Femenina 2025 Final match between Colombia and Brazil at Rodrigo Paz Delgado Stadium on August 2, 2025 in Quito, Ecuador.

Colombia v Brazil – Copa America Femenina 2025: Final

Soccer

The Copa América Femenina Final Had It All: Goals, Controversy, And Marta

Jhoan Duran #59 of the Philadelphia Phillies enters the game for the ninth inning

Detroit Tigers v Philadelphia Phillies

What’s The Big Deal About Jhoan Durán’s Entrance?

Brandon Lockridge and Julio Borbon of the Brewers laugh together.

Milwaukee Brewers laugh

Fifty-Six Hits Is Too Damn Many

Pitching coach Carl Willis #51 of the Cleveland Guardians makes a mound visit in the second inning during Game 2 of the ALCS presented by loanDepot between the Cleveland Guardians and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 in New York, New York.

Championship Series – Cleveland Guardians v. New York Yankees – Game Two

Crosswords

The Crossword, August 4: Big Finish

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