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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

Collared Peccary or Javelina is widespread through the Southwestern United States and Central and South America. It is not a member of the pig family, despite its looks.

Animals

I Ate All Your Precious Golf Worms And I’d Do It Again

Tom Ley

The Ohio State University Marching Band performs prior to a game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium on October 21, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio.

College Football

Report: Connor Stalions Lurked In The Shadows At 11 Big Ten Games

Billy Haisley

Jeremy Doku of Manchester City battles with Pascal Gross of Brighton &amp; Hove Albion during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Brighton &amp; Hove Albion at Etihad Stadium on October 21, 2023 in Manchester, England.

Soccer

Jérémy Doku Unleashed

Ray Ratto

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 23: Adolis Garcia #53 of the Texas Rangers celebrates after hitting a solo home run against Jose Urquidy #65 of the Houston Astros during the eighth inning in Game Seven of the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park on October 23, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Adolis Garcia Is The Engine

Israel Daramola

Caleb Williams #13 of the USC Trojans looks on against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium on October 14, 2023 in South Bend, Indiana.

Caleb Williams Might Be Buckling Under The Weight Of His Own Hype

Lauren Theisen

It’s On Max Scherzer, Again


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

A photo of a television with a Dolphins/Eagles game on it, with Nick Sirianni's face filling the screen. Below it is a media cabinet, and there are some books and a PS5 behind a sound bar. In front of that sound bar is a small 1980s boombox.

I Just Want To Listen To Merrill Reese Call The Eagles Game While I Watch. It Is Harder Than You’d Think.

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


Nicholas Russell

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protestors gather as they demonstrate against Israeli war on Gaza calling for a ceasefire at Sergelstorg Square in Stockholm, Sweden, October 22, 2023.

Politics

What Happens After The Rally Ends?

Patrick Redford

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 22: Dexter Lawrence II #97 and Kayvon Thibodeaux #5 of the New York Giants sack Sam Howell #14 of the Washington Commanders in the second quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium on October 22, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

Sam Howell Cannot Stop Getting Sacked

<p>Andre Kobayashi Deckrow is Post-Doctoral Associate in the Heritage Studies and Public History program and the Department of History at the University of Minnesota. He is currently working on a book about Japanese state-led migration to São Paulo in the 1920s and &#8217;30s. When not teaching or researching, he can be found rooting for Seattle sports teams or cooking Japanese food.</p>


Andre Kobayashi Deckrow

Pedro Okuda of Team Brazil celebrates a win over Panama in the WBC qualifiers in 2012.

How Baseball Became Brazilian

An image of a jumbotron at Michigan State university before a football game. It has a giant photo of Hitler on it, as part of a trivia video.

Michigan State: Sorry For Putting Hitler On Our Jumbotron

Jose Leclerc #25 of the Texas Rangers celebrates after striking out Jon Singleton #28 of the Houston Astros to end the eighth inning in Game Six of the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park on October 22, 2023 in Houston, Texas.

José Leclerc Stepped Away From The Void

Dave McKenna

George Harrison and Eric Clapton, playing their guitars, in a black-and-white concert photo from the 1970s

Music

You Too Can Score Cheap On The Open Market For Dead People’s (Hammond) Organs

Albert Burneko

Arizona's Zac Gallen and Philadelphia's Bryce Harper watch Harper's sixth-inning home run soar into the night during Philadelphia's 6-1 win in Game 5 of the NLCS.

Never Make Zac Gallen Face Kyle Schwarber And Bryce Harper In The Same Inning Ever Again

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


Chris Thompson

Signage during the LIV Golf Invitational -Miami at Trump National Doral Miami on October 20, 2023 in Doral, Florida.

Golf

39,000 Steps At A LIV Golf Party In Trumpland

A UFC referee cradles the head of Alexander Volkanovski, crumpled against the fencing at the end of his match against Islam Makhachev

The Fights

UFC Fave Volkanovski Takes Bad And Unnecessary Beating In Abu Dhabi

Defector Up All Night

Oh What The Heck, Here’s A Weekend Open Thread

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<p>Robert Rubsam writes fiction and nonfiction. His work has appeared in the NYT Magazine, the Atlantic, the Washington Post, the Baffler, and Liberties. He is a contributing writer for Commonweal Magazine.</p>
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Robert Rubsam

Arts And Culture

Charles Bissell Has Finally Moved On From The Wrens

Connor Stalions Implicated In Latest Alleged Scheme Carried Out By Jim Harbaugh


<p>Corey Atad is a freelancer writer based in Toronto with an unhealthy Air Bud obsession.</p>


Corey Atad

A scene from eddie alcaraz's new film, Divinity

Defector At The Movies

The Survival Of Independent Cinema Begins With The Belief Of Those Who Make It

Luis Paez-Pumar

Into The Woods

In ‘Under The Skin’, The Woods Are The Final Isolation

Barry Petchesky

Dare You Traverse The Tricky Trail?

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


Sabrina Imbler

An orange caterpillar with five distinctive eyeposts and a some tinier legs by the head

Creaturefector

When The Legs Are A Lie

David Roth

Onterrio Smith of the Minnesota Vikings diving for some extra yards in a NFL Playoff Game against the Eagles in January of 2005.

Podcasts

Holiday In Onterrio

<p>Mark Dent is a writer at The Hustle. His work has appeared in <em>The New York Times</em>, <em>Texas Monthly</em>, Vox, <em>Wired</em>, <em>The Kansas City Star</em>, and elsewhere. He lives in Dallas.</p>


Mark Dent

<p>Rustin Dodd is a writer at The Athletic and a 2023-24 Knight-Wallace fellow at the University of Michigan. He previously worked as a sportswriter at <em>The Kansas City Star</em> from 2010 to 2017. He lives in Brooklyn.</p>


Rustin Dodd

Mike Garrett of the Kansas City Chiefs rushing against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I, on Jan. 15, 1967.