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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

Culture Writer

Israel Daramola

Ray Ratto

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - SEPTEMBER 19: Alabama Crimson Tide players pose with fans after beating the Florida State Seminoles 50-36 at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 19, 2026 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

College Football

We Now Know For Sure That We Know Nothing For Certain

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 8: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&amp;T Stadium on October 8, 2026 in Arlington, Texas.

Even Anonymous Stadium Workers Are Scoring On The Cowboys

Kelsey McKinney

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Iced gems on the show, with poofy multicolored pastel rosettes and perfect circles of shortbread.

Food

The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off Has A Gem Of A Time During Biscuit Week

Patrick Redford

Brazilian right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro holds a picture of his father, convicted former President Jair Bolsonaro, during a motorcade with supporters in Goiania, Brazil, on September 27, 2026. Brazil will hold presidential election on October 4, 2026. (Photo by Sergio Lima / AFP)

Politics

Brazil’s Presidential Election Is One Piece Of A Larger, More Depressing Story

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Angel Reese #5 of the Atlanta Dream reacts during the second half of game two of the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs against the New York Liberty at State Farm Arena on October 07, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.

WNBA

Motor Matters

Samer Kalaf

The Machines

Is This Guy Who Uses AI To Run His Fantasy Football Team The Biggest Loser In The World?

Meghan Racklin

Books

A Novel About California’s Pluckiest Virgin Is Getting A Second Chance

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

A view of the entrance to the grounds of the anti-plague institute in the city of Irkutsk on October 7, 2026. (Photo by TATYANA MAKEYEVA / AFP)

Science

Everything We Know And Don’t Know About The Possible Plague Death At The Anti-Plague Institute

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

Jamboroo

A Blue Wave Won’t Mean Shit If The Chumps Get Their Way

David Roth

The Oriole Bird, mascot of the Baltimore Orioles, runs onto the field before a baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 1, 2026.

What Process Are The Orioles Trusting?

Kathryn Xu

Victor Mesa Jr. #25 of the Tampa Bay Rays is unable to make a catch as fans interfere on a ball hit by Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees.

What Is Wrong With Yankees Fans?

Jay-Z and Rick Rubin, pretending to say something important

Listening Habits

Jay-Z Doesn’t Have Much To Give You

Tom Ley

Ted Cruz speaks at a press conference about the PCSA

Interviews

An Antitrust Expert Makes The Comprehensive Case Against The Protect College Sports Act

Somebody Fucked Up

A boy pushes a toy sailboat out into a pond.

Minor Dilemmas

Did I Ruin My Child’s Imagination By Being Such An Involved Parent?

Felix Kent

Close up of a flock of Canadian Geese taking off at Crosby near Liverpool with rooftops of seafront houses in the background.

A Uniquely Clunky Sentence Is A Joy Forever

Lauren Theisen

Dylan Larkin #71 of the Detroit Red Wings is voted the games number one star after beating the Ottawa Senators 5-3

Dylan Larkin And The Red Wings Are Having Agonizing Breakup Sex On Live TV

Podcasts

The TV People Are Talking About Deshaun Watson All Wrong

Madeline Lane-McKinley

Arts And Culture

‘Content Machines’ Asks The Right Questions About Publishing In The Platform Era

Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after scoring in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers during game three of the National League Division Series in San Diego on October 6, 2026.

Padres-Brewers Has Been The Best Of October Baseball

Luis Paez-Pumar

Portugal's forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo sits on the bench ahead the UEFA Nations League Group A4 football match between Norway and Portugal in Oslo on September 27, 2026.

Soccer

Cristiano Ronaldo Has Lost His Damn Mind

Barry Petchesky

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 29: during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on September 29, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)

Must Every Leafy Thing Be So Freighted With Meaning? Yes, Yes It Must

Giri Nathan

Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces drives to the basket against Aliyah Boston #7 of the Indiana Fever in the second quarter of Game Three of the 2026 WNBA Playoffs

Christine Brennan Has Fully Lost It Over Caitlin Clark

A wooden bucket with the funbag logo on it

Funbag

Fuck Bucket Lists

Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99

Diana Moskovitz

Tyreek Hill #10 of the Miami Dolphins looks on during the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York.