CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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

Israel Daramola

College Football

UCLA Reminds Us Why We Love College Football

Giri Nathan

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 07: ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on set ahead of Super Bowl LIX on February 07, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs will face each other on Sunday. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)

Journalismism

Adam Schefter Reports That Mark Sanchez Was Stabbed In “Robbery,” Doesn’t Explain His Error

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Podcasts

Sabrina Goes Hunting

Barry Petchesky

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 17: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates with the puck in the third period of Game Six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 17, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Connor McDavid Will Be The Biggest Bargain In Sports

Luis Paez-Pumar

Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots throws a pass during the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on October 5, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York.

Drake Maye Had Me Hooting And Hollering For A 12-Yard Pass

Samer Kalaf

Tyler Lockett #4 of the Tennessee Titans recovers a fumble for a touchdown in front of Budda Baker #3 of the Arizona Cardinals during the fourth quarter

No Team Has Ever Tried Harder To Lose Than The Cardinals

Kelsey McKinney

Taylor Swift on the red carpet wearing a red dress with winged eyeliner and looking out of the corner of her eye at the camera

Arts And Culture

No Good Art Comes From Greed

Ray Ratto

Jorge Polanco of the Seattle Mariners celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning in game two of the Division Series at T-Mobile Park on October 5, 2025 in Seattle.

The Mariners Are Not Going To Give Up On October Without A Fight

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils dunks the ball against the Houston Cougars in the first half during the Final Four round of the men’s NCAA basketball tournament at Alamodome on April 5, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.

Crosswords

The Crossword, Oct. 6: I’m A Dead Man

Justin Ellis

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 05: Rico Dowdle #5 of the Carolina Panthers carries the ball during the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins in the game at Bank of America Stadium on October 05, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Rico Dowdle Tapped The Power Of The Pickle

Patrick Redford

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 18: The Free Press' Honestly with Bari Weiss (pictured) hosts Senator Ted Cruz presented by Uber and X on January 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Uber, X and The Free Press)

Bari Weiss Signs Huge Deal To Usher CBS News Into Its Vichy Era

Kathryn Xu

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays tosses his bat after hitting a grand slam.

The Blue Jays Are Trying To Mercy Rule The Yankees

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks on stage to military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico

Hegseth Delivers Inspiration, Pushups, To The Youth

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks to the media ahead of Game One of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs finals between the Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury at Michelob ULTRA Arena on October 03, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

WNBA

The Hottest Ticket In Vegas? Cathy Engelbert’s Press Conference

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


Chris Thompson

Donald Trump makes a face in the Oval Office.

Politics

Treasury Department Has Plans To Mint Dollar Coin Featuring Donald Trump’s Likeness

Grim Visions Emerge From The Riyadh Comedy Festival

Does Anyone Know Which Teams Are Any Good?

ASHDOD, ISRAEL - OCTOBER 02: Some ships and activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, illegally seized by Israel, are brought to the Port of Ashdod (Usdud) under escort of Israeli naval vessels in Ashdod, Israel, on October 02, 2025. Israeli naval forces attacked 21 vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla since late Wednesday and detained at least 317 activists aboard, according to the official flotilla tracker. The detained activists are being transported to Israel's Ashdod Port, from which they will be deported to Europe, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. (Photo by Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Israel Breaks International Law So That It Can Continue To Starve Gaza

Dylan Fugel

This Is So Stupid

Name A 28-Year-Old

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 02: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees celebrates during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox in game three of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on October 02, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

Now You Know About Cam Schlittler

<p>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 <em>Point B</em>. Handsomest man in the world.</p>


Drew Magary

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 28: A man walks his dog in Central Park as the sun rises behind trees turning color on October 28, 2024, in New York City. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

Jamboroo

October Is The Stuff Of Life

<p>Becky Ferreira is a science reporter based in Ithaca, N.Y. She writes <a href="https://www.404media.co/author/becky/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.404media.co/author/becky/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1740083778769000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3_mk31dNhas5lklZb38a6k">The Abstract</a>, a weekly science column for 404 Media. Her book <em>First Contact</em>, about the search for alien life, <a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/becky-ferreira/first-contact/9781523527755/">is available now.</a></p>


Becky Ferreira

National Astronomy Observatory, Socorro, New Mexico (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Science

A Brief History Of Martian Ruckuses

Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers reacts during Game One of the American League Wild Card Series between the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians.

Hunting For The Wettest Guys Of The MLB Playoffs, With Lauren Theisen

<div dir="auto">
<div dir="auto">Corbin Smith is a writer and photographer from Vancouver, Washington. His work has appeared in Deadspin, The Daily Beast, and <em>Rolling Stone</em>. He is also the host of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pacific-northwest-insurance-corporation-moviefilm/id1712416222"><em>The Pacific Northwest Insurance Corporation Moviefilm Podcast,</em></a> a podcast about movies.</div>
</div>
<div class="yj6qo ajU"></div>


Corbin Smith

A booth at The Materials Show in Portland, Ore. in February of 2025. It's an empty couple of tables with a big banner behind it with the word BLOOM on it and some stuff about sustainability.

Capital

The Future Of The Sneaker Business First Requires A Future

CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 01: Steven Kwan #38, Petey Halpin #0, and Daniel Schneemann #10 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate after beating the Detroit Tigers 6-1 in game two of the American League Wild Card Series at Progressive Field on October 01, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)