CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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

Kathryn Xu

VALORANT Champions Tour 2023: LOCK//IN - Groups

Esports

‘Valorant’ Has Given Us An Unbelievable Underdog Story

Billy Haisley

Bia Zaneratto of Brazil celebrates after scoring her team's third goal during during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group F match between Brazil and Panama at Hindmarsh Stadium on July 24, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia.

Soccer

Brazil’s Quintessentially Brazilian Goal Is Soccer At Its Finest

Patrick Redford

PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 23: (L-R) Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates on second place and race winner Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark and Team Jumbo-Visma - Yellow Leader Jersey pose on the podium ceremony after the stage twenty-one of the 110th Tour de France 2023 a 11 5.1km stage from Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris / #UCIWT / on July 23, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Cycling

The Tour de France’s Best Rivalry Will Only Get Better

Luis Paez-Pumar

Germany's forward #11 Alexandra Popp (R) celebrates scoring her team's first goal during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women's World Cup Group H football match between Germany and Morocco at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, also known as AAMI Park, in Melbourne on July 24, 2023.

Alexandra Popp Is The Dream Crusher

<div id="message-list_1773066846.655809">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>Abigail Segel is a contributing writer at Defector. She is also an editor for The IX Soccer and the Equalizer. Her work has been published in the Guardian and the Montreal Gazette.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>


Abigail Segel

Lo'eau LaBonta and Sam Coffey face off in the 2022 NWSL Championship match.

Even During A World Cup Summer, There’s A Lot Of Fun To Be Found In The NWSL

Lauren Theisen

Bryce Harper makes a forceout at first base

Bryce Harper Knows His Way Around First Base

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


Sabrina Imbler

Paleoanthropologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, Professor Lee Rogers Berger holds a replica of the skull of "NEO" a new skeleton fossil findings of the Homo Naledi Hominin species at the cradle of Human Kind in Maropeng near Johannesburg on May, 9 2017 in South Africa. Primitive hominids may have lived in Africa at the same time as humans, researchers said Tuesday, in new findings that could change the understanding of human evolution. Fossils found deep in South Africa's Rising Star cave complex in 2013 have been dated by several expert teams with their findings suggesting the hominids, called Homo naledi, may have lived alongside Homo sapiens. It had previously been thought that the hominids were millions of years old. A team of 20 scientists from laboratories and institutions around the world, including in South Africa and Australia, established the age of the fossils which suggests that Homo naledi may well have lived at the same time as humans. (Photo by GULSHAN KHAN / AFP) (Photo by GULSHAN KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Science

Here’s A Recap Of Lots Of Science Drama About Ancient Human Death

Life Lessons

On The Meaning Of Going Back For More J.T. Realmuto Highlights At 11:47 P.M.

Lucy Bronze of England battles for possession with Melchie Dumornay of Haiti during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group D match between England and Haiti at Brisbane Stadium on July 22, 2023 in Brisbane / Meaanjin, Australia.

It’s Melchie Dumornay’s World Cup, And We’re Just Watching It

Ray Ratto

Defector At The Movies

Barbenheimer: The Ratto Review

Maitreyi Anantharaman

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 28: Chelsea Gray #12 of the Las Vegas Aces passes as Tiffany Mitchell #25 of the Minnesota Lynx defends in the fourth quarter of their game at Michelob ULTRA Arena on May 28, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aces defeated the Lynx 94-73.

WNBA

Chelsea Gray Serves Aces Wins In Every Flavor

Max Verstappen on the podium with both pieces of his trophy

Racing

There Is Only One Way To Deny Max Verstappen His Trophy

Johnny Cueto Is The Marlins’ Silver Lining

Sophia Smith #11 of the United States celebrates scoring during the first half of the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group E match between USA and Vietnam at Eden Park on July 22, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Sophia Smith Is The Answer To Every Question

An array of eggplants at Marché Jean-Talon in Montreal.

Chefector

It’s Summer! Let’s Cook Some Eggplant

Tom Ley

A hearse and another vehicle drive in circles on a soccer field

Defector Up All Night

Soccer Game Called Off Due To Hearse On The Field

David Roth

Shintaro Fujinami, in profile, adjusts his cap during an appearance with the Oakland A's on July 16.

Shintaro Fujinami Is Trying To Find The Feel

Aitana Bonmati of Spain and Barcelona celebrates after scoring her sides first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group C match between Spain and Costa Rica at Wellington Regional Stadium on July 21, 2023 in Wellington / Te Whanganui-a-Tara, New Zealand.

Spain Came Just Short Of Perfection

<p>Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.</p>


Nicholas Russell

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in the film Barbie

‘Barbie’ Was Born Out Of The Anxiety Of Modern Filmmaking

<p>Kim McCauley covers soccer for The Athletic and ESPN, and worked as a data analyst at Angel City FC. You can <a href="https://twitter.com/kimischilling" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/kimischilling&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690042325485000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3FfPKUcZC9_LzSiHDnR1Ox">follow her on the bird app</a>.</p>
<div class="yj6qo ajU"></div>


Kim McCauley

Alyssa Thompson #7 of the United States dribbles the ball during the first half of an international friendly against Wales at PayPal Park on July 09, 2023 in San Jose, California.

What Is This USWNT Player’s Deal: Alyssa Thompson

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


Chris Thompson

Red rambling rose plant climbing the wall of a pink thatched cottage, Shottisham Suffolk, England.

So You Want To Grow Climbing Roses

Elly De La Cruz Is Not Like Other Baseball Players

A photo with added illustration of Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder, with his tongue sticking waaaaay out to the side. As in, it almost reaches his jacket collar.

Dan Snyder Officially Out As Commanders Owner, Set To Spend Rest Of Life As Anonymous Tyrant

Jarred Kelenic #10 of the Seattle Mariners looks on before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on July 03, 2023 in San Francisco, California.

Jarred Kelenic Is Really, Really Sorry About Kicking That Water Cooler

<p>Adlan Jackson is a writer-editor at Hell Gate. He has written for <em>The New York Times Magazine</em>, <em>The New Yorker</em>, Pitchfork, Study Hall and more.</p>


Adlan Jackson

The central branch of Brooklyn Public Library, wrapped in Jay-Z lyrics.