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Defector

Patrick Redford

Ausar Thompson dunks during a game against the Suns.

The Pistons Have A Unique Disruptor In Ausar Thompson

Barry Petchesky

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 15: Flaco, a Eurasian eagle owl that escaped from the Central Park Zoo, continues to roost and hunt in Central Park, February 15, 2023 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

Birdfector

Flaco Has Flown Free

Tom Ley

Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots a three point basket during overtime against the Boston Celtics on November 6, 2023 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Wolves Can Do Damage When Anthony Edwards Gets Serious

Kathryn Xu

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris talk in the cool down room after the Brazil GP.

Racing

Lando Norris Is Tantalizingly Close To A Win

Albert Burneko

A Bored Ape Yacht Club, uh, ape, whose eyes I have crudely blacked out, with blood running in rivulets from his empty eyesockets.

The Machines

When Blindness Hits A Hundred Bucks A Share, Then Who Will Be Laughing, I Ask You, “Doctor”

Luis Paez-Pumar

Luis Diaz of Liverpool celebrating after scoring the equalising goal during the Premier League match between Luton Town and Liverpool FC at Kenilworth Road on November 05, 2023 in Luton, England.

Soccer

Luis Díaz Delivered For Liverpool As Search For Kidnapped Father Continues

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

Dan McQuade

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 5: Damone Clark #33 of the Dallas Cowboys gets into an altercation with Jason Kelce #62 of the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on November 5, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

It’s Impossible To Be Mad About A Victory Over The Cowboys

Billy Haisley

Francisco 'Isco' Alarcon of Real Betis celebrates a goal during the Spanish league, La Liga EA Sports, football match played between Real Betis and CA Osasuna at Benito Villamarin stadium on October 29, 2023, in Sevilla, Spain.

Isco’s Career Renaissance Is Better Late Than Never

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Commuters board a Piccadilly Line underground train in Stratford.

Crosswords

The Crossword, Nov. 6: Group Hug

Hamilton Nolan is a journalist based in New York City. Subscribe to his work at <a href="https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687350200913000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0naFbUVOe-5ZgtPDtIM3gz">HamiltonNolan.com</a>.

Hamilton Nolan

Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars walks onto the field after the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on October 29, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Jaguars beat the Steelers 20-10.

Jaguars Junction: Bye Week

Lauren Theisen

Joshua Dobbs Has Renewed My Faith In Mediocre Quarterbacks

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 Josh McDaniels of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on in the second half of a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on October 30, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan.

Do Not Disrespect The Patriots In Front Of The Man Who No Longer Works For Them

Tyreek Hill of Miami Dolphins and Trent McDuffie of Kansas City Chiefs battle for the ball during the NFL match between Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs at Deutsche Bank Park on November 5, 2023 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Ach! Tyreek Hill Machen Ze Fumble! Is Choker, Ja?

Washington Huskies running back Dillon Johnson (7) scores on a 52-yard-run against USC Trojans safety Calen Bullock (7) in the second quarter at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum November 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

College Football

Dillon Johnson Just Did Some Serious Video Game Shit To USC

Kelsey McKinney

Zillowing Out

A $675,000 Home Where We Can Panic Together

Conor Stalions stands on the sidelines at a Michigan game last year. He's in all blue, holding a big piece of paper. It's a split image, because on the right is a watermarked Photobucket photo asking God to "please make it stop" with a child praying. Stalions responds that someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

It Appears Connor Stalions Was A Teenage Michigan Football Blogger

<div>Nate Jackson is a former NFL tight end and author of <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/slow-getting-up-a-story-of-nfl-survival-from-the-bottom-of-the-pile-nate-jackson/6430451?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpc-oBhCGARIsAH6ote9JzWMngZDpSjF2eoL1_JlyPm2QhDfkNgOzqvaB4n9ic0qqUNQ4iCwaAsasEALw_wcB">Slow Getting Up</a>. He lives in Denver.</div>
<div></div>

Nate Jackson

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels stands there looking like a stupid asshole in his visor and headset.

The Problem Was Always Josh McDaniels

Ray Ratto

SAN JOSE, CA - NOVEMBER 2: An overhead view as Luke Kunin #11 of the San Jose Sharks fights against Phillip Di Giuseppe #34 of the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center on November 2, 2023 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images)

How Bad Can The Sharks Get?

Emile is a freelance writer, originally from the U.S., now living in Barcelona. He writes about Spanish soccer, namely FC Barcelona and Barça Femeni, on Substack, at <a href="https://barcafemeni.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://barcafemeni.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw14bYDiXeApFrdtb0hLPnFE">La Barça Soc Supporter</a> and appears regularly on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBarcelonaPod" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/TheBarcelonaPod&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3pyv2PojdPBZ1Gkv3_aN-S">The Barcelona Podcast</a>. His work has previously featured at outlets including The Blizzard, <a href="https://urbanpitch.com/author/eavanessian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://urbanpitch.com/author/eavanessian/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0I4zygG7AmIDTzwXlPE2u_">Urban Pitch</a>, The Squall, Barça Blaugranes, and <a href="https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/author/emile-avanessian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/author/emile-avanessian/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3g0kv0jxafpvL520xVCsVU">Sports Collectors Daily</a>.
Emile also writes about the NBA, at his new outpost League Pass in L’Eixample. His previous work can be found at Forum Blue and Gold and his own site, a living relic of the basketblog era, <a href="https://hardwoodhype.com/the-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://hardwoodhype.com/the-work&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753085000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2U949Uf-KXcPwkDPCbW129">Hardwood Hype</a>.

Emile Avanessian

Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Aitana Bonmati receives the Women's Ballon d'Or award during the 2023 Ballon d'Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 30, 2023.

The Moments That Made Aitana Bonmatí The Best In The World

Defector Staff

a woman in a dress sits on a library ladder

Arts And Culture

How The Defector Staff Organizes Their Books

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

LAKE FOREST, CA - JULY 16: Dr. Scott Weldy of the Orange County Bird of Prey Center holds a Cooper"u2019s hawk just prior to releasing it near Lake Forest on Thursday, July 16, 2020. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

North American Birds Will No Longer Be Named After People

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Victor Wembanyama is guarded in the post by Kevin Durant.

Victor Wembanyama Is Way Ahead Of Schedule

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 29: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings runs onto the field before a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 29, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Jamboroo

The End Of Kirk Cousins

Pitching coach Brent Strom meets with Zac Gallen during Game Five of the World Series.

I Hate The Third Time Through The Order!

PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 01: Kevin Ginkel #37 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts during Game 5 of the 2023 World Series between the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. Edits by Defector; The Gink is surrounded by various colors.