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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

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

The Bachelorette Ultimatum

Ray Ratto

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 01: Owner and managing general partner Mark Davis (L) of the Las Vegas Raiders talks with head coach Josh McDaniels on the Raiders' sideline before the team's game against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Same As It Ever Was In Raiderland

Lauren Theisen

Ryne Nelson Was An Excellent Janitor

Dennis Young is the news editor at Front Office Sports.

Dennis Young

A white man in running gear clutching his right quad while laying on the sidewalk.

Negative Splits

‘Limits’ Is Funnier Than Any Movie About Running Has A Right To Be

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Josh Jung #6 of the Texas Rangers slides into home plate to score a run on a wild pitch in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Four of the World Series at Chase Field on October 31, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

We Were Spared A Double Bullpen Game But Little Else

Tom Ley

Someone who might be Connor Stalions on the CMU sideline.

This Is So Stupid

Stalions Resurfaces

Israel Daramola

Head coach Dabo Swinney of Clemson Tigers takes the field during pregame against Charleston Southern Buccaneers at Memorial Stadium on September 9, 2023 in Clemson, South Carolina.

College Football

Dabo Swinney Engages In Heated Theological Debate With Sports Radio Caller

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

ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 28: Alek Thomas #5, Corbin Carroll #7 and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. #12 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate after the Diamondbacks defeated the Texas Rangers in Game 2 of the 2023 World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Saturday, October 28, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Funbag

Now That I Think About It, The Unwritten Rules Of Baseball Are Actually Cool

Dave McKenna

WASHINGTON, D.C. - CIRCA 1966: First Baseman Frank Howard #9 of the Washington Senators bats during an Major League Baseball game circa 1966 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.. Howard played for the Senators from 1965-71. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Frank Howard

Frank Howard Was The Only Senator Who Mattered

Luis Paez-Pumar

A general view of the performance as Saudi Arabia is displayed on the LED Screen during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final Draw at Doha Exhibition Center on April 1, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.

Soccer

Saudi Arabia Will Host The 2034 World Cup

Samer Kalaf

Giri Nathan

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

Named By The Stars, With Naveen Farrani

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

Dan McQuade

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 7: Robert Covington #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers encourages the crowd to get loud against the Boston Celtics during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round of the 2018 NBA Playoff at Wells Fargo Center on May 7, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Sixers Shake Up NBA By Reacquiring Robert Covington

Jon Gray #22 of the Texas Rangers pitches in the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game One of the World Series at Globe Life Field on October 27, 2023 in Arlington, Texas.

Longtime Haters Of The Colorado Rockies Are Real Quiet Right Now

Albert Burneko

James Harden, in a dayglo green hoodie, watches a game from the bench.

James Harden Traded To Los Angeles Clippers After All

Barry Petchesky

PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 30: Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish (23) skates with the puck on a break away during the third period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Anaheim Ducks on October 30, 2023, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

I Can’t Believe The Penguins Managed To Lose That One

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

A close-up of three leg-like appendages of a green caterpillar with orange and black spots

Creaturefector

The Great Defector Leg Quiz

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

Center Dwight Howard #12 of the Taoyuan Leopards reacts at the courtside during the T1 League game between TaiwanBeer HeroBears and Taoyuan Leopards at University of Taipei Tianmu Gymnasium on February 19, 2023 in Taipei, Taiwan.

A Timeline Of The Sexual Assault Allegations Against Dwight Howard

Sergio Perez of Mexico driving the (11) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 collides with Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving the (16) Ferrari SF-23 during the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 29, 2023 in Mexico City, Mexico.

Racing

Sergio Pérez’s Season Cratered On Turn One

A collage of QBs from this weekend's NFL games. Jaren Hall, Mitch Trubisky, Tyson Baget, Brett Rypien, Will Levis, Josh Dobbs, P.J. Walker, Tommy DeVito

Who Are These People?

Patrick Redford

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 20: High school basketball player Cooper Flagg (Montverde Academy) attends the Duke Blue Devils’ Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium on October 20, 2023 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)

College Basketball

Knock Me Over With A Fucking Feather, Cooper Flagg Commits To Duke

LANDOVER, MARYLAND - OCTOBER 29: Haason Reddick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles forces Sam Howell #14 of the Washington Commanders to fumble in the fourth quarter at FedExField on October 29, 2023 in Landover, Maryland.

Struggling Eagles Sack Sam Howell Just Once

Palestinians in Gaza carry bodies through the street

Politics

Bearing Witness To Gaza’s Grief Shouldn’t Feel Like A Radical Act

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets in action against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field on September 14, 2023 in New York City. The Mets defeated the Diamondbacks 11-1. Over his face is the Defector Crosswords logo, which is DEFECTOR CROSSWORDS in a crossword puzzle grid with other words around it, and trust me they all fit maybe definitely they do work. It's just 'part' of the full crossword puzzle.

Crosswords

The Crossword, Oct. 30: Spooky Season

Billy Haisley

Jude Bellingham player of Real Madrid celebrates his goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on October 28, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.

Jude Bellingham Has Already Made Madrid His Own

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 29: Tommy DeVito #15 of the New York Giants hugs Zach Wilson #2 of the New York Jets after the Jets' 13-10 overtime win at MetLife Stadium on October 29, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)