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Defector

Israel Daramola

Ray Ratto

HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 27: Head coach Lane Kiffin of the Louisiana State Tigers poses with the mascot before the game against the Houston Cougars during the Kinder's Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas.

College Football

The 2026 College Football Offseason Recap

Tom Ley

Matt Calkins being interviewed on News Nation

Journalismism

Seattle Times Dipshit Quits Because His Editors Were Smart Enough To Spike His Stupid Columns

Patrick Redford

PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 26: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Tonal effects have been applied to this image) Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates - XRG - Yellow Leader Jersey celebrates at finish line as final overall winner during the 113th Tour de France 2026, Stage 21 a 89km stage from Paris to Paris / #UCIWT / on July 26, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

Cycling

Tadej Pogacar Returns To The Scene Of His Arrival

Luis Paez-Pumar

Martin Odegaard of Arsenal (hidden by ticker tape) celebrates with the Premier League trophy after the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal at Selhurst Park on May 24, 2026 in London, England.

Soccer

And Now, A 2026-27 Premier League Preview In Five Storylines

Dave McKenna

AUSTIN, TEXAS - JULY 28: From left, Brandon Creighton, chancellor of the Texas Tech University System; Wynn Rosser, commissioner of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; Michael Williams, chancellor of the University of North Texas System; and Brandon Simmons, ombudsman for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, testify during a Texas Senate Committee on Higher Education hearing on Senate Bill 37 at the Capitol in Austin, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images)

Texas Tech’s  Administration Is Just As Embarrassing As Its Football Program

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

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 16: Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after being sacked during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Pittsburgh Steelers

Kathryn Xu

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Laurent Mekies, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing pose for a photo in a press conference.

Racing

After All That, Max Verstappen Re-Signs With Red Bull Racing

David Roth

A photo I took of the sun setting over the bay in Strathmere, NJ. There's a dock at left and The Distraction logo at upper left.

Podcasts

The Sun Is Setting On ‘The Distraction’

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Kiki Rice #1 of the Toronto Tempo celebrates a basket as the Toronto Tempo play the Indiana Fever at ScotiaBank Arena in Toronto. August 18, 2026.

WNBA

The Tempo Have To Take Things At Their Own Pace

CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 19: Matt Wilkinson #71 of the San Francisco Giants walks off the field at the end of the inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on August 19, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images)

Tugboat Wilkinson Has Steamed Into Port

Olivia Miles celebrates after making a shot

We’re Still Looking For Someone Who Can Guard Olivia Miles

Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers reacts after being hit during the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Green Bay Packers

Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in The Normal School, New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review, and elsewhere.

Jae Towle Vieira

people dance and celebrate pride with on another in the fountain at washington square park in new york during the Dyke March

Should You Ever Really Trust A Party Promoter?

Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners looks on in the seventh inning after being taken out of game down 11-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Mariners Surely Reach Pinnacle Of Regular-Season Suffering

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

LIV Golf flags blow in the wind in New York.

Golf

LIV Golf Pros Meet Their New Investor Overlord At Season’s Sudden Conclusion

Boris Karloff sits next to a child's bed, and the little girl in the bed seems to be shouting at him. He looks distressed.

Minor Dilemmas

“No Dada!” How Do You Deal With A Toddler Who Clearly Prefers The Other Parent?

Kelsey McKinney

Fernando Tatis Jr. in a brown padres jersey, holds a ball flat in his right hand

The King Of The Robbers Returns

Nina Mandell

Chamique Holdsclaw #23 of the Washington Mystics gets ready to shoot the ball while Mery Andrade #23 of the Cleveland Rockers guards her

Chamique Holdsclaw Made Headlines, Made Mistakes, And Made History

Jen Ramos Eisen is a Central California- and Las Vegas-based baseball labor and economics reporter.

Jen Ramos Eisen

Frankie de la Cretaz is an award-winning independent journalist whose work sits at the intersection of sports and gender. They are the co-author of Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League, and their writing has been featured in the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and many more publications.

Frankie de la Cretaz

An illustration of a woman baseball player sitting at a desk and waiting for a phone call. A baseball glove, ball, and bat sit on the desk. The phone glows but has no incoming call. The player has her head down and arms crossed in sadness.

Women's Baseball

The New Women’s Pro Baseball League Offers Hope—And Frustrations

Giri Nathan

Los Angeles Lakers' Governor Jeanie Buss during the Los Angeles Lakers unveiling former head coach Pat Riley statue at Crypto.com Arena on February 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images)

The Buss Children Are Squabbling Over Their Remaining Lakers Stake

PHOENIX, AZ - AUGUST 12: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks on at third base during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Zach Gardner/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

This Ketel Marte Thing Is Getting Strange

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

Creaturefector

Freaky Little Plant Propagated By Freaky Little Freaks

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Carolina Panthers

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - JULY 26: Tyga performs during Dream Fest 2025 at Sea Breeze on July 26, 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)