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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

Albert Burneko

John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards dribbles to the basket against the Los Angeles Lakers

John Wall Was Too Fast

Veronica de Souza

Make It Nice

Make It Nice: A Big Bedroom, A Small Living Room, And A Dated Bathroom

Defector Staff

Announcements

Defector Is Celebrating Its Fifth Birthday By Giving You A Big Fat Discount

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


Sabrina Imbler

A photo of a green fla-necked chameleon posing against a swirly yellow and green background

Creaturefector

Chameleons Endure Tiny Knock To Colorful Reputation

<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

Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers yells during warmups before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&amp;T Bank Stadium on December 21, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2025: Pittsburgh Steelers

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<div>Casey Taylor is a writer living and working in Pittsburgh. He is currently writing a book for St. Martin&#8217;s Press about cannabis religions, Haile Selassie I, and the Cold War in the Caribbean. He also writes a free newsletter called <a href="https://weedchurch.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://weedchurch.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1709306863919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1mVH2xiID6S0zvlyj6yHco">Weed Church</a> covering foolish spiritual things that occur to him. His work has appeared in The New Republic, WIRED, New York Magazine, and a sports blog he can’t currently recall the name of. You can <a href="mailto:caseyt7@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">email</a> him if you’d like.</div>
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Casey Taylor

Politics

Kim Jong Un, Girl Dad

Kelsey McKinney

Starving Palestinians including women and children holding pots wait to receive food distributed by a charity organization as Israel continue to block humanitarian aid from reaching the Gaza Strip on August 10, 2025.

The Free Press Reports Gaza’s Starving Children Have Pre-Existing Condition Of Being Bombed By Israel

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Sonia Citron #22 and Kiki Iriafen #44 of the Washington Mystics interact during the first half of the game against the Golden State Valkyries at CareFirst Arena on July 31, 2025 in Washington, DC.

WNBA

The Mystics’ Rookies Have Made The Team Better Than Intended

Patrick Redford

Michael Porter Jr. Is The Incredibly Dumb Man For An Incredibly Dumb Moment

Kathryn Xu

Andruw Monasterio #14 of the Milwaukee Brewers doused with liquid after the game against the Cincinnati Reds.

Milwaukee Brewers Weird (Nerd Version)

Luis Paez-Pumar

Players, match officials and fans take part in a minute's silence as a fan mosaic depicting "DJ20" is displayed in memory of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield on August 15, 2025 in Liverpool, England

Soccer

Diogo Jota Will Never Walk Alone

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


Chris Thompson

Ice Cube makes an angry face while lost in an emptied WeWork.

Defector At The Movies

Twelve Minutes Of Ice Cube Stumbling Around An Empty Office In An Escalating Panic Almost Redeems The Rest Of ‘War Of The Worlds’

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Podcasts

Erika Learns To Sing

Lauren Theisen

Life Lessons

Seeking Closure At Planet Hollywood, Where My Life Once Exploded

Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos shakes hands with Bo Nix #10 prior to an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Tampa, Florida.

Why Your Team Sucks 2025: Denver Broncos

Ray Ratto

William Contreras of the Milwaukee Brewers rounds first base after hitting a two run homer against the New York Mets at American Family Field on August 10, 2025 in Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Brewers Are Baseball’s Weirdest Winners

Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks up the pitcher's mound in the fourth inning during a game against the Cleveland Guardians at PNC Park on April 19, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Crosswords

The Crossword, Aug. 18: Musical Arrangement


<p>Corey Atad is a freelancer writer based in Toronto with an unhealthy Air Bud obsession.</p>


Corey Atad

Zohran Mamdani smiling with a megaphone in the park

Selling Zohran

David Roth

David Brooks making a surprised face while being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on the OWN Netwrok.

Journalismism

David Brooks: Wearing A Mets Hat Might Just Save Our Democracy


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 01: Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears fumbles the ball as he is sacked by DeMarcus Ware #94 of the Dallas Cowboys in the third quarter at Cowboys Stadium on October 1, 2012 in Arlington, Texas.

Life's Rich Pageant

Bears Fan Who Spent $12,107 On A Jay Cutler Card: “I Don’t Want To Spend $12,107 On A Jay Cutler Card”

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<div class="p-rich_text_section">Puja Patel is a writer, editor, and curator who has served as the Editor-in-Chief of Pitchfork and <em>Spin</em>, a culture editor for Deadspin, and a columnist for MTV and the <em>Village Voice</em>. Her work has appeared in publications such as the <em>New Yorker</em>, <em>Harper&#8217;s Bazaar</em>, and <em>Rolling Stone,</em> among others. She serves on the advisory board of NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music and Building Beats, a nonprofit organization that provides music education to underserved youth across New York City and Los Angeles.</div>
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Puja Patel

Mods Asleep

Months, Ranked

Brandy Jensen

Joni Mitchell posed in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1972

A Playlist For Being Chill About Your Crush

The Cringiest Love Songs That Make Us Cry

Why Your Team Sucks 2025: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

<p>Amy Phillips is the former Executive Editor of Pitchfork. She has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Village Voice, and many other publications. A Philadelphia native, she currently lives in Brooklyn.</p>


Amy Phillips

Amy at 14 in her childhood bedroom (L) / Amy's daughter as a baby in that same room (R).