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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

Israel Daramola

Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens wears a "Top 10" chain as he walks off of the field after an NFL Divisional Round playoff game against the Houston Texans at M&amp;T Bank Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Lamar Jackson And The Ravens Cleared A Few Things Up

Tom Ley

Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass during the first half against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs at Levi's Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California.

That’s Exactly Why Brock Purdy Drives People Insane

Patrick Redford

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 19: The NCAA logo on the basketball court during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament between the Butler Bulldogs and the Pittsburgh Panthers at the Verizon Center on March 19, 2011 in Washington, DC. The Bulldogs won 71-70. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Death To The NCAA

DOJ Joins Antitrust Lawsuit Against The NCAA

Ray Ratto

October 16, 1972 Sports Illustrated cover and signed limited edition Wilt Chamberlain sports porcelain figurine on display during the press preview at Sotheby's Auction House on August 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Journalismism

Here It Is: One More Obit For Sports Illustrated

Giri Nathan

Tennis

Beware The Fearsome Tennis Child Mirra Andreeva


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

a stuffed specimen of a swamp antechinus, which is a small brown marsupial, against a green background

Creaturefector

The Sex Fest Keeps Getting Worse and Worse

Kathryn Xu

A box of Sports Illustrated supplements. White bottles of various sizes. The most visible bottle is Sports Illustrated Nutrition: Collagen + Enzymes

Sports Illustrated As We Know It Appears To Be Dead

David Roth

Justin Ellis

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

A bad guy reacts to having a grill thrown through his windshield by Jack Reacher

Arts And Culture

It Is Now Time To Discuss Jack Reacher Throwing A Grill At A Guy

Barry Petchesky

VALLES MARINERIS, MARS - Mars' own Grand Canyon, Valles Marineris, is shown on the surface of the planet in this composite image made aboard NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The image was taken from a video featuring high-resolution images from Arizona State University's Thermal Emission Imaging System multi-band camera on board the spacecraft. The mosaic was then colored to approximate how Mars would look to the human eye. Valles Marineris is 10 times longer, five times deeper and 20 times wider than Earth's Grand Canyon. (Photo by NASA/Arizona State University via Getty Images)

Science

There’s So Much Ice On Mars, You Guys

Anthony Edwards and Mike Conley celebrate a bucket.

Dare To Speak The Forbidden Words: The Minnesota Timberwolves Are Good Now

Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy seeming to look side-eyed at The Distraction logo at upper left, in a photo taken before the team's Wild Card loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Podcasts

There Is Some Crying In Football, With Ray Ratto

Maitreyi Anantharaman

PWHL

Grace Zumwinkle And Minnesota Are Breaking Free

This Is So Stupid

Deandre Ayton Could Have Scooted On His Butt

<p>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 <em>Point B</em>. Handsomest man in the world.</p>


Drew Magary

That's what Paul Brown, new mentor of Ohio State University's buckeyes, probably is telling his charges as he outlines one of his pet plays. Brown was former grid coach at Massillon, Ohio, High School, Here his teams won national recognition. His Buckeyes play Missouri here on Sept. 27.

I Am The Coach Now


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

UConn’s Donovan Clingan high-fives a teammate after scoring as the UConn crowd behind him goes wild

College Basketball

UConn Might Be Unbeatable When Locked In On Defense

Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys looks on from the field prior to an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&amp;T Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.

Mike McCarthy Must Be Doing Something Right

The Pacers And Raptors Help Each Other To Escape The Play-In

Music Journalism Can’t Afford A Hollowed-Out Pitchfork

Iga Swiatek slides in her second-round Australian Open match

Iga Swiatek Survived Danielle Collins’s Haymakers

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 16: Paul George #13 of the Los Angeles Clippers celebrates after a three-point basket during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on January 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

Paul George Makes The Clippers Terrifying

<div>Nate Jackson is a former NFL tight end and author of <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/slow-getting-up-a-story-of-nfl-survival-from-the-bottom-of-the-pile-nate-jackson/6430451?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpc-oBhCGARIsAH6ote9JzWMngZDpSjF2eoL1_JlyPm2QhDfkNgOzqvaB4n9ic0qqUNQ4iCwaAsasEALw_wcB"><em>Slow Getting Up</em></a>. He lives in Denver.</div>
<div></div>


Nate Jackson

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, CO - OCTOBER 13: Former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan poses for a portrait at his home on Wednesday, October 13, 2021. Shanahan, who won back to back Super Bowls as Denver’s head coach in the 1990s, will be inducted into the team’s ring of fame during the Broncos’ matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

In Search Of The Shanahan Offense

Lauren Theisen

Yegor Sharangovich celebrates on the ice after the OT win

Well, Well, Well, Look Who’s Come Crawling Back (It’s The Calgary Flames)

We Must Stop The Phrase “Super Wild Card Weekend” Before It Spreads

Sumit Nagal celebrates a point at the Australian Open

Sumit Nagal Broke A Huge Serve, Is No Longer Broke

EDMONTON, CANADA - JANUARY 16: John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs collides with goaltender Stuart Skinner #74 of the Edmonton Oilers as they both lay in the net during the game at Rogers Place on January 16, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)