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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

Albert Burneko

Giri Nathan

Israel Daramola

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Patrick Redford

Ray Ratto

Tom Ley

Male students playing basketball, Western High School, Washington, D.C., circa 1899

Harken Ye Unto The 2025–26 NBA Season Preview, Which Stands Before You

Kelsey McKinney

Defector At The Movies

What Even Is ‘After The Hunt’?

Lauren Theisen

TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 20: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after game seven of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners at the Rogers Centre on October 20, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario.

The Sounds Of Autumn

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) after a week 11 NFL game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs on November 20, 2016 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. The Buccaneers won 19-17.

Doug Martin’s Family Says He Was Experiencing Mental Health Crisis Before Dying In Police Custody

George Springer of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a three-run home run to take the lead in the seventh inning during Game Seven of the American League Championship Series. He's like 18 inches off the ground and everyone in the stands is freaking out.

More Of This, Please

Charles Omenihu #90 of the Kansas City Chiefs grabs the face mask of Geno Smith #7 of the Las Vegas Raiders during the first quarter in the game at Arrowhead Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.

A Thorough And Depressing Review Of The Raiders’ Three First Downs

Luis Paez-Pumar

Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Bournemouth at Selhurst Park on October 18, 2025 in London, United Kingdom.

Soccer

It Doesn’t Get Much Better Than Bournemouth-Crystal Palace

Chefector

The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off Rises For Soufflés

Head coach Jonathan Gannon fist bumps Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals prior to a game against the Carolina Panthers at State Farm Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona.

Which Trash Team Rules The NFL’s Dumpster?

Kathryn Xu

Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates victory with his team.

Racing

Is Max Verstappen Actually Going To Win This Championship?

<p>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>.</p>


Hamilton Nolan

Joey Dawejko is knocked down by Damian Knyba

The Fights

Getting Beat Up In A Mostly Empty Arena Is Just A Job

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Podcasts

Rax King Plays The Banjo

Azzi Fudd #35 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts during the first half of an NCAA women's basketball game against the St. John's Red Storm at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on February 12, 2025 in Storrs, Connecticut.

Crosswords

The Crossword, Oct. 20: Pitch Perfect

Barry Petchesky

DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 19: Jaxson Dart #6 of the New York Giants walks off the field after his team's 33-32 loss against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on October 19, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

The Giants Will Kill Me And I Will Deserve It

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays hits a home run against the Seattle Mariners.

Everything Is No Longer Coming Up Mariners

College Football

You Can Have Money Or Sympathy, But Not Both

Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv stage a pro-Israel demonstration at the Dam Square, lighting up flares and chanting slogans ahead of the UEFA Europa League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam, Netherlands on November 07, 2024. Maccabi fans clashed with pro-Palestinian citizens and ripped off Palestinian flags hung on the streets. In the lead-up to the Ajax vs Maccabi Tel Aviv match, several areas of Amsterdam have been designated as security risk zones.

Keir Starmer Won’t Tolerate Racist Hooligans Being Barred From Aston Villa’s Stadium

This Is Just What Georgia Does

Ange Postecoglou Head Coach of Nottingham Forest looks dejected with empty seats behind during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea at City Ground on October 18, 2025 in Nottingham, England.

Big Ange Has Never Been More Out

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning during Game Four of the National League Championship Series

Shohei Ohtani Plays The Greatest Baseball Game Of All Time

painting of a girl reading a book on a sofa

Under The Influence

Learning Is More Than Just Collecting Facts

Chris "Mad Dog" Russo and Michael Lombardi attend the SiriusXM's Chris "Mad Dog" Russo Broadcast From Bar A at The Jersey Shore Bar Anticipation on July 26, 2024 in Lake Como, New Jersey.

Please Spend Some Time Imagining Mike Lombardi Begging For Money In Saudi Arabia

Every Program Wants To Rule The World

Max Scherzer of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after striking out Randy Arozarena #56 of the Seattle Mariners in the fifth inning during Game Four of the American League Championship Series. He is making "the Tim Robinson face."

Night Of The Old Guy

A movie theater, closed for a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, advertises its reopening on March 12, 2021, in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York