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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

Cathy Engelbert and the draftees pose for a photo during the 2024 WNBA Draft on April 14, 2024 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York.

WNBA

Caitlin Clark And The Two-Way Street

Ray Ratto

Jontay Porter Is The NBA’s Collateral Damage

Luis Paez-Pumar

Dortmund's players celebrate scoring their forth goal 4:2 during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid in Dortmund, western Germany on April 16, 2024.

Soccer

Borussia Dortmund Broke Atlético Madrid’s Spirit

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<div>Casey Taylor is a writer living and working in Pittsburgh. He is currently writing a book for St. Martin&#8217;s Press about cannabis religions, Haile Selassie I, and the Cold War in the Caribbean. He also writes a free newsletter called <a href="https://weedchurch.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://weedchurch.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1709306863919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1mVH2xiID6S0zvlyj6yHco">Weed Church</a> covering foolish spiritual things that occur to him. His work has appeared in The New Republic, WIRED, New York Magazine, and a sports blog he can’t currently recall the name of. You can <a href="mailto:caseyt7@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">email</a> him if you’d like.</div>
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Casey Taylor

Having escaped a raging war at home, Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia face more conflict and insecurity as the border region of Amhara is plagued by unrest and clashes that sees the Ethiopian National Defense Force battling an ethnic Amhara militia known as 'Fano'. According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) over 100,000 people have crossed into Ethiopia from Sudan since April 2023. Sudanese and other refugees in the border camps in Amhara lament a lack of security, difficult communication with the outside world - the Ethiopian government has disrupted access to mobile internet in the region since August 2023 - and a general sense of abandonment, raising the question if they fled a dire situation to end up in similar one. (Photo by )

Journalismism

How Do You Get Americans To Care About A War?

Lauren Theisen

Alex Ovechkin leaves the ice after warmups

There’s Not Always Next Year

Justin Ellis

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

Podcasts

The Passion Of The Familiar Stranger

The scoreboard at Martin Stadium prior to the start between the Oregon State Beavers and the Washington State Cougars

College Football

The College Football “Super League” Salesmen Bring You The Past Disguised As The Future

Billy Haisley

Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's third goal, his hat-trick, during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Everton FC at Stamford Bridge on April 15, 2024 in London, England.

Cole Palmer Is Right Where He Needs To Be

Klay Thompson reacts after missing a shot

Kings, Inevitable Passing Of Time End The Warriors

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


Sabrina Imbler

several of Toshiko Takaezu's moon-shaped ceramics on black sand

Arts And Culture

The Forbidden Worlds Of Toshiko Takaezu

Patrick Redford

A photographer of author James Baldwin smoking a cigarette.

Defector Reads A Book

Defector Reads A Book Returns With ‘The Fire Next Time’

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 12: A general view of Guaranteed Rate Field during the MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox on April 12, 2024, at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire)

The White Sox Have A Historical Stink

<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

View of cooks as they prepare a barbecue meal at President Lyndon Johnson's ranch, Johnson City, Texas, December 1963. Visible at right are members of the press corps who wait to be served during the event, a reception for West German Chancellor Ludwig Erhard. (Photo by Yoichi Okamoto/White House Photo Collection/PhotoQuest/Getty Images)

Funbag

Until We Meat Again: A Smokeboy Hangs Up His Apron

Tom Ley

Caitlin Clark poses with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall pick by the Indiana Fever during the 2024 WNBA Draft at Brooklyn Academy of Music on April 15, 2024 in New York City.

Wokeness Run Amok: WNBA’s Pro-Trans Agenda Prevents Dolt From Understanding Calendar

Samer Kalaf

Caitlin Clark daps up Jake From State Farm, for some reason, at the WNBA Draft

This Is So Stupid

Send Jake To A Farm Upstate

Lucas Raymond scores the game-winning goal

The Red Wings Are Still Alive! (For Now)

Noni Madueke of Chelsea argues with Cole Palmer of Chelsea of Chelsea about taking the penalty during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Everton FC at Stamford Bridge on April 15, 2024 in London, England.

Chelsea Players Briefly Stop Embarrassing Everton In Order To Embarrass Themselves

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 9: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors &amp; LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers embrace before the game on April 9, 2024 at Cryto.com Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images)

Eventually, Expectations Become The Fiercest Opponent

Barry Petchesky

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 06: New York Yankees broadcasters Michael Kay (L) and John Sterling speak during the New York Yankees World Series Victory Celebration at City Hall on November 6, 2009 in New York, New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

John Sterling Was The Soundtrack To My Life

Arsenal's English midfielder #41 Declan Rice reacts to going two goals behind during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Aston VIlla at the Emirates Stadium in London on April 14, 2024.

My Kingdom For A Premier League Title Race

A man looks at a Tesla Cybertruck parked near the SpaceX Starship as it stands on the launch pad ahead of its third flight test from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas on March 12, 2024. Elon Musk's SpaceX announced it was eyeing March 14 as the earliest date for the next test launch of its giant Starship rocket, with which it hopes to one day colonize Mars. Two previous attempts have ended in spectacular explosions, though the company has adopted a rapid trial-and-error approach in order to accelerate development. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)

Capital

Cybertruck Deliveries Halted Due To Car Being A Big Piece Of Shit That Doesn’t Work

Kathryn Xu

Racegoers fight each other as they scuffle on the second day of the Grand National Festival horse race meeting at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, north-west England, on April 12, 2024. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Life's Rich Pageant

Please Enjoy These Photos Of Drunk People At An English Horse Race

Jeremie Frimpong of Leverkusen celebrating with the fans after the Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and SV Werder Bremen at BayArena on April 14, 2024 in Leverkusen, Germany.

Bayer Leverkusen Brings Bayern’s 11-Year Reign To An End

<p>Alex Prewitt is a writer in Brooklyn. He shoots free throws the normal way.</p>


Alex Prewitt

The inside of Jamsil Arena, home of the Korean Basketball League's Seoul Thunders.

A Journey To Korea In Search Of The Bank-Shot Free Throw

David Roth

New York City Mayor Eric Adams smiles and gives a thumbs-up at an MTA event in January of 2023.