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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

Patrick Redford

Samer Kalaf

WNBA

Liberty Fans Found Weeping After Realization That The Aces Are Matchless

Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in The Normal School, New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review, and elsewhere.

Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

Podcasts

A Whodunit At Junk Science Summer Camp

Lauren Theisen

Corbin Carroll celebrates by smoking a cigar in the clubhouse

Corbin Carroll’s Small Ball Came Up Big

Luis Paez-Pumar

Johan Bakayoko of PSV celebrates 0-1 with Sergino Dest of PSV during the UEFA Champions League match between RC Lens v PSV at the Stade Bollaert Delelis on October 24, 2023 in Lens France

Soccer

The Champions League’s ‘RedZone’ Had Its Crowning Moment

Ray Ratto

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 24: Kevin Ginkel #37 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after striking out J.T. Realmuto #10 of the Philadelphia Phillies (not pictured) during the eighth inning in Game Seven of the Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 24, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The Diamondbacks Ginked Their Way To The World Series

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

Dan McQuade

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 24: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after flying out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning in Game Seven of the Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 24, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

How Do You Cope?

Alex Sujong Laughlin

The Golden Bachelor contestant looks out over a balcony

Arts And Culture

‘The Golden Bachelor’ Turns Grief Into Joy

Albert Burneko

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

David Roth

Giri Nathan

Justin Ellis

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Tom Ley

A bunch of old-timey celebrities, including Pat Boone, sign autographs in Lakers uniforms during a charity game in Ye Olden Tymes.

All Anyone Could Ever Hope To Know Or Learn About The 2023–24 NBA Season, Or Indeed About Anything, And Well In Advance Too

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 23: Jordan Addison #3 of the Minnesota Vikings catches a first half touchdown against Charvarius Ward #7 of the San Francisco 49ers at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 23, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Sometimes You Just Have To Grab The Football

Travis Dermott Made The NHL Blink

Logo for The Messenger, with letters flickering out and then going blank. First the 'h', then the 'nge', then the 'T e e r.' Blue background, white text.

Journalismism

The Messenger Is Speedrunning The Media Startup Life Cycle

A little girl in a witch outfit and a jack-o-lantern are in a spooky window

Funbag

Should Halloween Always Be The Last Saturday In October?

Nate Tibbetts talks to the media during a press conference announcing him as the team's new head coach on October 20, 2023, at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Mercury Turn To A Girl Dad To Solve Their Problems

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 20: Toronto Maple Leafs center David Kampf (64) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) await the puck drop on the face off during the second period of game two in the Eastern Conference First Round between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 20, 2023, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Gavin Napier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

It’s Time For Hockey Until Your Eyes Bleed

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

How Your Name Can Determine Your Opportunities, With Xian Zhao

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

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.

Jérémy Doku Unleashed

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

It’s On Max Scherzer, Again

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.

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

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?

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

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.

Andre Kobayashi Deckrow

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