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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

Loading screen from Crusader Kings 3, showing a group of four people crowded around a chess board.

The Backlog

Embrace ‘Crusader Kings III’ And It Will Take Over Your Life

Ray Ratto

2 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates after hitting a three-run home run in the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on August 28, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Kyle Schwarber Had A Real Shot At Home Run History

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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

Armed members of the National Guard patrol Union Station on August 27, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Margin Of Error

Well, He Sent In The Troops

Israel Daramola

College Football

It’s Time To See What Arch Manning Can Do

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 11: Jerry Jones attends the Premiere of Netflix's "America's Team: The Gambler And His Cowboys" at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on August 11, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

What’s In Jerry Jones’s Head?

Kelsey McKinney

Food

I Apologize For The Behavior Of Barry “The Popcorn Moron” Petchesky

David Roth

Justin Jefferson wearing sunglasses and looking up and to the left, smiling widely. He's not in uniform. I put the little Defector logo up there so it looks like he's smiling at it.

Podcasts

Jerry Jones Promises He’ll Be Normal, With Kalyn Kahler

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


Chris Thompson

ESPN Demotes Wrong Culprit From Lousy NBA Finals Commentary Team

Patrick Redford

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 27: Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia (R) argues with Taylor Townsend of the United States (L) following their Women's Singles Second Round match on Day Four of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 27, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Tennis

Jelena Ostapenko Remains A Sore Loser

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


Sabrina Imbler

Science

RFK Jr. Is Making His Bid To Become One Of American History’s Biggest Killers

Lauren Theisen

Tennis Player Acts Normal

Barry Petchesky

Woman holding giant sized popcorn and drink

I Submit To You That Popcorn Is A Bad Movie Snack

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell delivers emotional comments during an NFL Divisional Round game between the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2025: Detroit Lions

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 27: Reese McGuire #20 of the Chicago Cubs pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the eighth inning at Oracle Park on August 27, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

“Pitcher” Is A State Of Mind

a swarm of bumblebee catfish climbing the vertical rock of a waterfall

Creaturefector

Where Are You Going, Fish?

<p>Lindsey Adler is a writer based in Brooklyn. She exclusively covered sports for a decade but has other interests, too.</p>


Lindsey Adler

Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher perform onstage at the Oasis Live '25 - Toronto concert at Rogers Stadium

Arts And Culture

The Oasis Reunion Tour Has Shaken Up My Gallagher Brother Power Rankings

Samer Kalaf

Samer Kalaf in a Hell Gate hat at the Mets game

Life's Rich Pageant

TNT Sports Airs Guerrilla Marketing For Worker-Owned Website That Isn’t Defector

Albert Burneko

A man faces the realistic artist" robot "Ai-Da" using artificial intelligence at a stand during the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva on May 30, 2024.

The Machines

Butlerian Jihad Now

Tom Ley

Retired football player and Fox Sports analyst Tom Brady looks on prior to Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Media Meltdowns

NFL Once Again Tweaks Rules To Make Tom Brady Look Better At His Job

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - 2025/04/06: A banner saying “Greenland not for sale” and “Kalaallit Nunaat Kalaallit Pigaat” translated to "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders” seen during a demonstration against the Trump administration. Protesters gathered in front of the American Embassy in response to the Trump administration's repeated statements about wanting control over Greenland. These statements, which questioned Denmark’s sovereignty and emphasized Greenland’s strategic value, sparked outrage in both Greenland and Denmark. Greenlandic leaders and citizens strongly rejected any suggestion of being "for sale," stressing their right to self-determination and fears of losing their cultural identity. The situation has unified Greenland’s political parties and raised broader concerns about international law and Arctic geopolitics. (Photo by Kristian Tuxen Ladegaard Berg/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Politics

Danish Intelligence Service Tells Trump To Stop Oafish Espionage Maneuvers

Josina Anderson Advises Independent Noun-Inclusion Vis-À-Vis Chemtrails

<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

Mark Andrews #89 of the Baltimore Ravens drops a pass on a two-point conversion during the second half of an NFL football divisional playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York.

Why Your Team Sucks 2025: Baltimore Ravens

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Yowei Hosts A Party

Hurricane Katrina Showed How Quickly It Can All Fall Apart

taylor swift and travis kelce at the 2024 US. Open. He is wearing a stupid hat and looking at her lovingly.