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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

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

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden greet trick-or-treaters during a Halloween event at the White House on October 30, 2024 in Washington, DC. The President and First Lady are hosting children from local neighborhoods, public schools and military families for the annual trick-or-treating event.

Funbag

What’s The Weirdest Thing You Ever Received While Trick-Or-Treating?

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

a photo of a brown basilisk lizard missing a forelimb sitting on a reed

Creaturefector

Fat AND Sassy? A Three-Legged Lizard Really Can Have It All

Kathryn Xu

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Teoscar Hernandez #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on after popping out to end the twelfth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game three of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Every Dodgers Almost-Homer In Extra Innings, Ranked

Patrick Redford

FBI Director Kash Patel leads news conference to announce arrests tied to illegal sports betting and poker game schemes, in New York City on October 23, 2025. NBA coach Chauncey Billups of the Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested on Thursday for alleged involvement in illegal gambling. Billups, a former Detroit Pistons star and member of the NBA Hall of Fame, was arrested in connection with rigged illegal poker games tied to the Mafia, FBI Director Kash Patel said. Rozier and a former NBA player, Damon Jones, were arrested in a sports betting case, Patel said at a press conference in New York. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)

Podcasts

Everything Is Gambling Now, With Liz Franczak

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

Nicholas Russell

YONKERS, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 11: A view of autumn foliage at the Untermyer Park and Gardens over the Hudson Valley on November 11, 2021 near New York City.

Interviews

Erin Somers On The State Of Literary Fiction, Hudson Valley Life, And Reviving The Infidelity Novel

Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and has written for The Guardian, The Second Serve, The Athletic, and other publications.

Owen Lewis

Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada celebrates his win over Francisco Comesana of Argentina during day two of the Rolex Paris Masters 2025 on October 28, 2025 in Nanterre, France.

Tennis

Felix Auger-Aliassime Is Once Again Threatening To Turn The Corner

Lauren Theisen

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after hitting an RBI double

The Blue Jays Won’t Let Shohei Ohtani Do That Again

Ray Ratto

Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds the bases after hitting a walk-off home run in the 18th inning during Game Three of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Monday, October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

If You Went To Sleep, Sorry But You Are Not Forgiven

Israel Daramola

Death To The NCAA

Be Careful, Indiana, You’re The Hottest Team In Football

David Roth

Terry Bradshaw (left) and Howie Long (right) on the set of the Fox NFL Sunday broadcast. Cleatus the Robot is in the background. Bradshaw is telling a story about texting someone he thought was Andy Reid and getting offered a chance to buy some pigs.

Terry Bradshaw: A Man I Believed To Be Andy Reid Recently Tried To Sell Me Pigs

A detailed view of a hand holding a Fanduel Sports Network–branded microphone during an interview after the Detroit Pistons defeated the Boston Celtics on February 26, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Gambling

The NBA Media Is Not Built To Cover A Gambling Scandal

Giri Nathan

A circle around the mark Jaylen Brown left on OG Anunoby's jersey during a game

Jaylen Brown’s Really Leaving His Mark On Opponents

Luis Paez-Pumar

Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool looks on alongside teammates during the Premier League match between Brentford and Liverpool at Gtech Community Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Brentford, England.

Soccer

Alright, What The Damn Hell Is Going On With Liverpool?

Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 26, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico.

Racing

The Championship Lead Seizes Lando Norris

Vikram Murthi

Arts And Culture

Jafar Panahi Returns With The Masterful Revenge Drama ‘It Was Just An Accident’

Head coach Brian Kelly of the LSU Tigers walks off the field after a game against Texas A&M on October 25 in Baton Rouge. He kind of looks like someone who is about to get fired.

College Football

The Coaching Hot Seat Is Now An Ejector Seat

Tom Ley

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) scrambles to avoid pressure in the second quarter during the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium on October 26, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Those Steelers Uniforms Looked Like Shit

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Inductee CC Sabathia is introduced during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Clark Sports Center on July 27, 2025 in Cooperstown, New York.

Crosswords

The Crossword, Oct. 27: I’ve Seen This One (Themeless)

PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 26: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) gets sacked by Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary (52) in the fourth quarter during the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium on October 26, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Green Bay Packers Show Immunity To Aaron Rodgers

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Nico Harrison, Mavericks Fans, And Rooting Against Your Guys

Albert Burneko

Donald Trump, looking like shit in front of a blue curtain.

Politics

Get A Job, Asshole

Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers points to the sky after pitching a complete game and winning Game Two of the 2025 World Series.

They Can’t All Be Yoshinobu Yamamoto

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

Dan McQuade

Rick Mathews holding a sign that says "ALL" on a children's coaster to say he has all of them.

Life's Rich Pageant

The Journey Of All 1,091 U.S. Roller Coasters Ends With A Toot Around The Track

Former Binance CEO Changpeng "CZ" Zhao arrives at federal court in Seattle, Washington, on April 30, 2024. Changpeng Zhao, the founder and former chief executive of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, was sentenced today to four months in prison after he pleaded guilty to violating laws against money laundering. (Photo by Jason Redmond / AFP)