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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

Barry Petchesky

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - AUGUST 18: Xavier McKinney #29, Dexter Lawrence II #97 and Kayvon Thibodeaux #5 of the New York Giants run out onto the field before a pre-season football game against the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium on August 18, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants defeated the Panthers 21-19. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

O Captain! More Captains!

Ray Ratto

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 29: Alex Cobb #38 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Cincinnati Reds as a almost full moon rises behind him in the fifth inning at Oracle Park on August 29, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Alex Cobb Was Dealing So Hard, Gabe Kapler Conveniently Forgot How To Count

Tom Ley

Lucas Giolito #24 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 22, 2023 in Anaheim, California.

Who Wants Some Guys?

Billy Haisley

Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio de la Ceramica, August 27, 2023, Vila-real, Spain.

Soccer

Barcelona Has Found Another One In Lamine Yamal

Israel Daramola

Arts And Culture

‘Bottoms’ Turns High School Into A Violent, Absurdist Playground

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

Head coach Doug Pederson of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates after the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Houston, Texas.

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2023: Jacksonville Jaguars

Patrick Redford

US international grandmaster Hans Niemann waits his turn to move during a second-round chess game against Jeffery Xiong on the second day of the Saint Louis Chess Club Fall Chess Classic in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 6, 2022. - Niemann said on October 5 that he "won't back down," after the chess platform chess.com reported he has "probably cheated more than 100 times" in online games. (Photo by Tim Vizer / AFP) (Photo by TIM VIZER/AFP via Getty Images)

Chess

Hans Niemann And Magnus Carlsen Announce A Reluctant Ceasefire

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 3: Out of town tourists check a subway map on April 3, 2023 in New York City. Officials in New York City expect 61 million tourists to visit in 2023, an increase of 9% over 2022 figures of 56.4 million. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)

Funbag

It’s No Sin To Be A Tourist

Lauren Theisen

Please Let Ronald Acuña Do His Job In Peace

Giri Nathan

Coco Gauff tells umpire Marijana Veljovic to call a time violation against her opponent, Laura Siegemund, at the U.S. Open

Tennis

Coco Gauff Wins A Tense, Endless Mess

Gabri Veiga of RC Celta celebrates after scores the team's first goal during the LaLiga Santander match between RC Celta and FC Barcelona at Estadio Balaidos on June 04, 2023 in Vigo, Spain.

Saudi Arabia Is Winning Europe’s Game

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Breanna Stewart #30 of the New York Liberty handles the ball during the game against the Las Vegas Aces on August 28, 2023 in Brooklyn, New York.

WNBA

The Liberty Rocked The Baby

Felix Kent

CANADA - JULY 24: Leonard Cohen (Photo by Andrew Stawicki/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

How Do You Reconcile A Part You Hate In A Work You Love?

Team Bora ride during the first stage of the 2023 La Vuelta cycling tour of Spain, a 14,8 km team time-trial in Barcelona, on August 26, 2023. (Photo by Pau BARRENA / AFP) (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)

Cycling

The Opening Stages Of The Vuelta a España Have Been A Big Mess

Jason England

Roger Goodell, Jay-Z and Blue Ivy Carter attend Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona.

Music

50 Years Later, Is There Anything Left Of Hip Hop?

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

General view during the balance beam exercise at the women's artistic gymnastics individual competition on August 19, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at the Olympic Sports Complex Indoor Hall in Athens, Greece.

Gymnastics

Al Fong, Valeri Liukin, And The Stubborn Culture Of The Tyrant Coach

Pro Wrestling

The Biggest Wrestling Show Ever Was About Friendship (And One Little Backstage Fight)

Quarterback Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants after defeating the Carolina Panthers 21-19 in a pre-season football game at MetLife Stadium on August 18, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Why Your Team Sucks 2023: New York Giants

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Randy Arozarena of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after scoring on a throwing error by Harrison Bader.

Yankees Lose Again, Find Novel Way To Humiliate Themselves

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

A message on the Camden Yards scoreboard that says "BEE DELAY: 5 MINUTES"

Bees Buzz Baltimore Bullpen, Bother Buff Baseball Bros

Footballer Jenni Hermoso during the victory celebration at Madrid Rio on August 21, 2023, in Madrid, Spain.

Spain’s Women’s National Team Is Winning Again

Simone Biles competes in the floor exercise on day four of the 2023 U.S. Gymnastics Championships at SAP Center on August 27, 2023 in San Jose, California.

The Simone Biles Comeback Continues At Full Speed

Luis Paez-Pumar

Darwin Nunez of Liverpool celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Liverpool FC at St. James Park on August 27, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Darwin Núñez Arrived Just In Time For Liverpool

Kathryn Xu

(L-R) Corbin "COM" Lee, Christine "potter" Chi, Alexander "jawgemo" Mor and Kelden "Boostio" Pupello of Evil Geniuses pose onstage with the VALORANT Champions Los Angeles Trophy.