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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

Kelsey McKinney

circa 1945: A young girl holds a chick beside a table with artificial grass, more chicks and a basket containing jelly beans and a bunny in an Easter portrait.

Underexplained Lists

Easter Candies, Ranked

Tom Ley

General view of fans watching batting practice prior to an Opening Day game between the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants at PETCO Park on March 28, 2024 in San Diego, California.

Defector Up All Night

Let’s Have A Spring Weekend Open Thread

Kathryn Xu

Garrett Crochet #45 of the Chicago White Sox throws in the first inning of the Opening Day game against the Detroit Tigers.

Chicago White Sox Make Opening Day History (Derogatory)

Ray Ratto

Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs looks kind of wistful during the Opening Day game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on March 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.

A Fan’s Guide To Opening Day Cope

Patrick Redford

WAREGEM, BELGIUM - MARCH 27: Matteo Jorgenson of The United States and Team Visma | Lease a Bike celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 78th Dwars Door Vlaanderen 2024 - Men's Elite a 188.6km one day race from Roeselare to Waregem / #UCIWT / on March 27, 2024 in Waregem, Belgium. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Cycling

Wout van Aert’s Pain Is Matteo Jorgenson’s Opportunity

Dave McKenna

James Wood #50 of the Washington Nationals bats during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Mets at Clover Park on March 15, 2024 in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

That Time A D.C. Prep School Cast Away Nats Phenom James Wood

a light pink blind cave salamander called an olm swimming in the water in front of rocks

Creaturefector

Coming Out Of My Cave, And I’ve Been Doing Just Fine, Slurping These Worms Down

Dejounte Murray #5 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after hitting the game-winning basket during overtime against the Boston Celtics at State Farm Arena on March 28, 2024 in Atlanta,

The Game Doesn’t Change Until Dejounte Murray Says So

Luis Paez-Pumar

Chase Hunter #1 of the Clemson Tigers lays up against Keshad Johnson #16 of the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Crypto.com Arena on March 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California

College Basketball

Clemson Had An Answer For All Of Arizona’s Questions

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 31: Tim Connelly, new Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations speaks while being introduced to the media by team ownership group Glen Taylor, Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez on May 31, 2022 at the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Alex Rodriguez And Marc Lore Are No Longer Buying The Timberwolves

David Roth

Austin Powers's XK8 Union Jack Jaguar convertible at the New York premiere of "Austin Powers in Goldmember" with The Distraction logo at upper right.

Podcasts

Junior Year Abroad: The Return

Defector Staff

These Are Some Baseball Players We Like, 2024 Edition

Lauren Theisen

TAMPA, FL - MARCH 27: Tanner Jeannot #84 of the Tampa Bay Lightning battles for the puck against goalie Linus Ullmark #35 of the Boston Bruins during the third period at Amalie Arena on March 27, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Lightning Are Almost Ready For Their Real Season To Begin

Giri Nathan

Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors argues with a referee before being ejected during a game against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center on March 27, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Draymond Green Ejected In The First Quarter, To The Tearful Exasperation Of His Team

Israel Daramola

FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 7: Sauce Gardner #1 of the New York Jets on the field against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 7, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.(Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Sauce Gardner Is In The Muck With Everyone Else

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Baseball!

Ted Leonsis talks into a Wizards-branded microphone.

Ted Leonsis Finally Abandons Glenn Youngkin’s Doomed Virginia Gambit

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Head coach Lynne Roberts of the Utah Utes speaks to the media following a loss against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the second round of the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at McCarthey Athletic Center on March 25, 2024 in Spokane, Washington.

Utah Women’s Basketball Team Reports Being Racially Abused While Staying In Idaho

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 24: Overall view of the FanDuel logo at the Legends Classic, played between the LSU Tigers and the North Carolina State Wolfpack at the Barclays Center on November 24, 2015 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. FanDuel was the primary sponsor of the tournament. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images)

Gambling

The NCAA Is Concerned About Sports Betting; Good Luck With That

Joe Mazzulla Must Disobey The NBA And Continue To Block Meaningless Shot Attempts

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 26: Gustav Nyquist #14 celebrates his power play goal with Filip Forsberg #9 of the Nashville Predators against the Vegas Golden Knights during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on March 26, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)

It’s A Beautiful Day To Be The Predators

Libby Watson is a writer, <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/libtron">streamer</a> and <a href="https://www.patreon.com/whatsallthisthen">podcaster</a>.

Libby Watson

Picture shows an adult Halloween dinner party.

Perfectly Fine Dinner Party Club

Let’s Make Dinner For Friends, Like For A Dinner Party, But Normal

Alex Sujong Laughlin

AMMAN, JORDAN - 1990: Following Iraq's occupation of Kuwait in August 1990, journalists from CNN waiting for an attack on Iraq by United Nations authorized military coalition force, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Amman, Jordan, on December 15, 1990. Although there were 34 member states of the coalition, the overwhelming majority of the military forces participating were from the United States and the United Kingdom. On January 17, 1991 the coalition launched a massive air campaign which began the general offensive codenamed Operation Desert Storm with more than 1,000 sorties launching per day. The Persian Gulf War ended on February 28, 1991. (Photo by Dario Mitidieri/Getty Images)

Journalismism

You Never Get The Full Story

Aaron Rodgers #8 of the New York Jets looks at a Microsoft Surface tablet during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on December 28, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Aaron Rodgers Forced To Remain In Current Role As Part-Time Attention-Getting Loser

Shohei Ohtani #17 and Will Ireton of the Los Angeles Dodgers are seen in the dugout during the 2024 Seoul Series game between San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.