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

Albert Burneko

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, looking quite pissed off.

The San Francisco Giants And Cable TV Conspired To Prevent This Blog, But Failed

Patrick Redford

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 26: A Northwestern Wildcats helmet is seen at Big Ten football media days at Lucas Oil Stadium on July 26, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

College Football

If It’s Northwestern Against The World, Lay The Points

Ray Ratto

FLUSHING, NY - AUGUST 08: Chicago Cubs First Baseman Jeimer Cajndelario (9) and Chicago Cubs Center Fielder Cody Bellinger (24) hi five to celebrate the victory after the Major League Baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets on August 8, 2023, at Citi Field in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

The Cubs Have Been Good All Along

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

Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns runs a drill during the Cleveland Browns OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023 in Berea, Ohio.

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2023: Cleveland Browns

Israel Daramola

Arts And Culture

New Documentary Makes It Clear Johnny Manziel Has Learned Nothing From His Glory Days

Sean T. Collins has written for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Vulture, Decider, Pitchfork, and many others. He lives with his family on Long Island.

Sean T. Collins

Jon Moxley delivers a move to Anthony Bowens during the AEW Dynamite - Beach Break taping on January 26, 2022, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH.

Pro Wrestling

How Queer Pro Wrestlers Are Handling America’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Heel Turn

Lauren Theisen

The Orioles Have Big Dreams And A Small Man In Charge

Tom Ley

A view of the ESPN logo on a camera after the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 30, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Media Meltdowns

ESPN Is About To Get Much More Annoying

David Roth

New York City Mayor Eric Adams sitting at a literal table with some restauranteurs at the Manhattan restaurant Ali Baba. This is not the same as the figurative "table of success" at which his haters are his waiters.

Politics

A Seat At The Table Of Success

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Colin Cowherd blathers on about quarterbacks on his FS1 show.

Colin Cowherd Pratfalls Through The Laziest Possible Segment Of Football Analysis

Kathryn Xu

Pedro Grifol scuffles with Guardians coaches

Losing Has Revealed The Rot At The Heart Of The White Sox

Ousmane Dembélé in a Barcelona hoodie, smiling.

Soccer

What The Hell Is Going On With Ousmane Dembélé?

Will Levis waits to be drafted in the green room backstage during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 27, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Why Your Team Sucks 2023: Tennessee Titans

William Friedkin attends the La Lecon De Cinema photocall during the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2016 in Cannes, France.

In An Era Of Gnarly Filmmakers, William Friedkin Aimed To Be The Gnarliest

Alex Sujong Laughlin

WASHINGTON, DC - April 7: The fossilized 36 million-year-old skeleton of a tree squirrel known as Douglassciurus jeffersoni is on display as part of the "Objects of Wonder" exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. Paleontologist Gene Hunt, pictured, said it's one of the most complete prehistoric squirrel skeletons ever discovered. (By John Kelly/The Washington Post)

Funbag

Where Are All The Squirrel Skeletons?

Billy Haisley

Leicy Santos of Colombia controls the ball during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Colombia and Jamaica at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on August 8, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia.

Colombia Knocked Out Jamaica And Can Now Return To Normal

Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99

Diana Moskovitz

Simone Biles celebrates with her coach Laurent Landi after competing on the vault at the Core Hydration Classic at Now Arena on August 05, 2023 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

Gymnastics

Simone Biles Is Having Fun Again

Aaron Boone Is Helpless

Orioles TV and radio play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown, from a 2019 MASN segment.

Orioles Eat Mountains Of Shit After Suspending Broadcaster For Congratulating Improved Team

Luis Paez-Pumar

Kenza Dali (3rd R) of France celebrates with teammates after scoring her team's second goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between France and Morocco at Hindmarsh Stadium on August 08, 2023 in Adelaide / Tarntanya, Australia.

France Is Taking Care Of Business

Randal Grichuk #15 of the Los Angeles Angels fails to deny a two-run double by Patrick Bailey #14 of the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 7, 2023 in Anaheim, California.

That’s What The Angels Get For Trying

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Couples take to the floor in the 'Crossword Puzzle' dance at East Ham Palais de Dance.

Crosswords

Introducing The Defector Crossword

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

A reconstruction of the ancient enormous whale Perucetus colossus

Creaturefector

Why He Look Like That?

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 06: Gold medal winner Mathieu Van Der Poel of The Netherlands reacts after the 96th UCI Cycling World Championships Glasgow 2023, Men Elite Road Race a 271.1km one day race from Edinburgh to Glasgow / #UCIWT / on August 06, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

Cycling

No Amount Of Pain Could Keep Mathieu van der Poel From His Masterpiece

Lauren James of England stamps on Michelle Alozie of Nigeria which later leads to a red card being shown following a Video Assistant Referee review during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between England and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium on August 07, 2023 in Brisbane / Meaanjin, Australia.