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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

Ray Ratto

TAMPA, FL - MARCH 7: Players from the Tampa Bay Lightning skate during warmups with special hockey tape for Pride Night against the Philadelphia Flyers at Amalie Arena on March 7, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)

The NHL Skates Backward

Patrick Redford

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 02: Dillon Brooks #9 of the Houston Rockets poses for a photo during media day on October 02, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Dillon Brooks Believes He’s Being Targeted And Victimized For Punching People In The Balls

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Dustin Johnson crouches on the green during a LIV Golf event, with a large "LIV GOLF" sign in the background. He is wearing shorts.

Golf

World Ranking Body Formally Shoos LIV Golf Back To The Kids’ Table

Steve Garvey, in the foreground, at his induction into the Legends of Dodgers Baseball inaugural class back in September of 2018. He's got sunglasses on and is clapping.

Politics

Nobody Wants Senator Steve Garvey

Kathryn Xu

Manager Rocco Baldelli of the Minnesota Twins relieves Sonny Gray #54 in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros during Game Three of the Division Series at Target Field on October 10, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Negating Effects Of First-Half-Inning Run Scoring On Competitive Integrity And Entertainment Fidelity

Dennis Young is the news editor at Front Office Sports.

Dennis Young

Kelvin Kiptum celebrates after winning the Chicago Marathon

Negative Splits

Freak Athletes And Freakier Technology Have Tamed The Marathon

Giri Nathan

Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs contests a shot

Victor Wembanyama Stood Out In The Spurs’ Preseason Opener

Samuel Bankman-Fried, founder and CEO of FTX, testifies during a Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry hearing about "Examining Digital Assets: Risks, Regulation, and Innovation," on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on February 9, 2022. The photo is stylized. His big poofy hair is mostly what the photo is of, plus the top half of his face. The canvas behind him is ugly and Brown, kind of in a gradient.

Arts And Culture

Michael Lewis’s ‘Going Infinite’ Goes In Circles

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

The driver rating screen in an Uber app is seen February 12, 2016 in Washington, DC. - Global ridesharing service Uber said February 12, 2016 it had raised $200 million in additional funding to help its push into emerging markets.The latest round comes from Luxembourg-based investment group LetterOne (L1), according to a joint statement. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Funbag

The Five-Star Rating System Is Dogshit. Here’s How We Can Fix It

Luis Paez-Pumar

Belgium's forward Eden Hazard celebrates during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018.

Soccer

Eden Hazard Deserved A Better Ending

Jordan Love is pushed by a Raiders defender after throwing a pass.

Jordan Love Flops Against A Very Bearsy Opponent

Lauren Theisen

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 05: William Carrier #28 of the Vegas Golden Knights shoots the puck during the first period against the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena on October 05, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Edits by Defector to put the logo on the boards

Something Old, Something New: You Can Borrow My NHL Preview

Samer Kalaf

The Namedropping podcast logo, a coffee cup with a scratched-out name

Podcasts

A Street Rat Named Desire, With Alli Katz

Kelsey McKinney

A well-made Custard Cream cookie from the show, with a clean stamped pattern that says "CUSTARD CREAM."

Chefector

The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off Trembles And Weeps Through Biscuit Week

Billy Haisley

Arsenal's Brazilian midfielder #11 Gabriel Martinelli celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium in London on October 8, 2023.

Gabriel Martinelli Is Built For The Big Ones

Bryce Harper walks back to the dugout as the Atlanta Braves celebrate their win

The Phillies Went For The Throat And Missed

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces handles the ball under pressure from Jonquel Jones #35, Betnijah Laney #44 and Courtney Vandersloot #22 of the New York Liberty in the fourth quarter of Game One of the 2023 WNBA Playoffs finals at Michelob ULTRA Arena on October 08, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aces defeated the Liberty 99-82.

WNBA

Jackie Young’s Game 1 Barrage Arrived Right On Schedule

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 of Team United States walks out ahead of the Women's Vault Final on Day Eight of the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at Antwerp Sportpaleis on October 07, 2023 in Antwerp, Belgium.

Gymnastics

The Reign Of Simone Biles Continues

Logan Sargeant drives a Williams car in the Qatar Grand Prix.

Racing

The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix Was An Atrocity

Christian Pulisic of AC Milan celebrates after scoring first goal during the Serie A Tim match between Genoa CFC and AC Milan at Luigi Ferrari Stadium on October 7, 2023 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Christian Pulisic Is Finally Back In The Groove

Israel Daramola

Mekhi Becton #77 and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett of the New York Jets celebrate after beating the Denver Broncos 31-21 at Empower Field At Mile High on October 08, 2023 in Denver, Colorado.

It’s Nathaniel Hackett’s Big Day

Bill Belichick looks frustrated as the Patriots lose.

It’s Time To Entertain The Idea Of Bill Belichick Losing His Job

Sam LaPorta and Josh Reynolds celebrate after scoring a touchdown

The Lions Are Swaggering

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

Dan McQuade

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 08: George Pickens #14 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after his receiving touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium on October 08, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Steelers Stink! They’re In First Place!

Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after a touchdown by Christian McCaffrey #23 during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium on October 08, 2023 in Santa Clara, California.