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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

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Kelsey Plum #10 of the Los Angeles Sparks talks with Kahleah Copper #2 of the Phoenix Mercury after the game at Mortgage Matchup Center on June 13, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.

WNBA

Kelsey Plum Is Back At The Center Of A Head-Scratching Trade

Sydney Taylor #12 of the Chicago Sky celebrates with her teammates after a game winning three-point basket during the second half against the Las Vegas Aces on August 1, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

Sydney Taylor Is The Undrafted Rookie Making Sky Games Fun

Lauren Theisen

Carlos Narváez #75 of the Boston Red Sox lays down a sacrafice bunt against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning at Fenway Park

By Bunt Or By Blast, The Red Sox Keep Winning

Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers takes off his cap after recording his 1,000th strikeout during the first inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park

The Dodgers Got Tarik Skubal

David Roth

Head Coach Lane Kiffin of the LSU Tigers speaks at SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at Tampa Marriott Water Street on July 23, 2026.

This Is So Stupid

Who Was The Most Unsettlingly Tan Coach At Preseason Media Days?

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

English: Tufted gray langur (Semnopithecus priam) stroking a Grizzled giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura) caringly at Yala National Park - Sri Lanka.

Creaturefector

Can A Monkey Have A Pet?

Israel Daramola

Tony Romo performing his NFL analyst duties.

Tony Romo On Leave From CBS After Drunk Driving Arrest

Kathryn Xu

Kody Clemens #2 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates his walk-off, grand slam as he rounds the bases against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning

Kody Clemens Achieves The Ultimate Ultimate Grand Slam

Sarah Borus

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 09: Harrison Bader #9 of the San Francisco Giants welcomes teammates back to the dugout between innings against the Washington Nationals at Oracle Park on June 09, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Reports: Harrison Bader A Dope

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

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (L) speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump as Commanders team owner Josh Harris looks on at the NFL football game between the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Washington Commanders

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Tom Dundon’s Shameless Minions Expand The Scope Of His War On Portland

Sohini Desai

Life's Rich Pageant

AI Listings Have Made Apartment Hunting Even More Debasing

LeBron James speaks onstage during The Shop Live panel at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center on July 17, 2026.

Podcasts

That’s Too Much Helicopter

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Cleveland Browns

Luis Paez-Pumar

Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, speaks during the 50th UEFA Ordinary Congress Meeting at Brussels Expo on February 12, 2026 in Brussels, Belgium.

Soccer

UEFA Is Ready To Go To War With FIFA Over The World Cup

Giri Nathan

20-year-old fish sauce spews out of a rupture in a vat at an abandoned plant

Let Me And A Food Scientist Sample The Abandoned Fish Sauce Terrorizing A Small Canadian Town

Marvin Miller, executive director of the baseball players association, chats with players here after announcing a settlement has been reached to end the 13-day old players strike and that the season would begin in April of 1972. The other people in the photo are lawyer Richard Moss and MLBPA player reps Joe Torre, Wes Parker, and Gary Peters.

Baseball’s Labor History Is Repeating Itself Once Again

Still image from Drake's music video for "Burning Bridges."

Music

The Best Music Of 2026 So Far

Annie Geng

Arts And Culture

‘I Want Your Sex’ Is A Raunchy Plea For Young People To Have More Fun

Tom Ley

WNBA Suspends Seattle Storm Minority Owner For Being Rude To Transphobic Shitheads

A view of the Larry O'Brien championship trophy

A Review Of The Larry O’Brien Trophy, Or Anyway A Larry O’Brien Trophy

Justin Ellis

A man carries his child sideways in his arms as he walks up a road

Minor Dilemmas

Is It Even Possible To Discipline A Two-Year-Old?

Ray Ratto

Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers stands on the sidelines during the national anthem prior to an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on January 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington.

Kyle Shanahan And The 49ers Are Not Entitled To Anyone’s Trust

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (L) and United States of America President Donald Trump (R) look on following the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, United States.

Gianni Infantino Is Putting The World Cup Up For Sale

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 26: Cam Skattebo #44 of the New York Giants warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on October 26, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)