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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

Ray Ratto

Basketball Is Just Better Without The Noise

<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

Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots the ball over Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets during the game during Round 2 Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2024 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

Anthony Edwards Is Forcing Me To Say The Unsayable

Luis Paez-Pumar

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 leads the field off the line at the start during the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 04, 2024 in Miami, Florida.

Racing

F1’s Miami Theme Park Crushed Me With The Weight Of Wealth

Barry Petchesky

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - MAY 04: Brent Rooker #25 of the Oakland Athletics is congratulated by Abraham Toro #31 and Tyler Nevin #26 after Rooker hit a three-run home run against the Miami Marlins in the bottom of the third inning on May 4, 2024 at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The home run was Rooker's second home run of the inning. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Let’s All Say Nice Things About The Oakland A’s

Dave McKenna

Hundreds of hopefuls try out for the Albany Empires Arena Football League team at Sportsplex Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 in Halfmoon, NY. (Photo by John Carl D'Annibale /Albany Times Union via Getty Images)

Arena Football

Is The Newest Arena Football League Already Collapsing?

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 04: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his over time winning goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on May 04, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Leafs Are Not Enough

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<div class="p-rich_text_section">Tom Scocca is the editor of <a href="http://indignity.net">Indignity</a>, a subscription-supported newsletter of news, essays, and commentary.</div>
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Tom Scocca

An NYPD officer in riot gear looms over a student protestor on the ground and appears to be gripping her arm.

Margin Of Error

Going Off Script

Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley makes a thumbs up sign while waiting during free throws in an Eastern Conference Playoff game against the Indiana Pacers.

Patrick Beverley Commits To Tantrum-Based Marketing For His Podcast

Samer Kalaf

A line of police at City College during pro-Gaza demonstrations

Interviews

A City College Student Journalist Shares What He Saw During The NYPD Crackdown

<p>John Loeppky is a freelance writer and theatre artist currently based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. His work has appeared for outlets such as FiveThirtyEight, CBC, and <em>Maclean’s</em>.</p>


John Loeppky

PARIS, FRANCE - APRIL 04: "La Beaute et le Geste" exhibition by French Artist Laurent Perbos is displayed in front of the French National assembly ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on April 04, 2024 in Paris, France. On the occasion of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the National Assembly celebrates sport by welcoming the visual artist Laurent Perbos and his 6 metamorphosed Venus de Milo. A universally known work, the Venus here finds her arms and is endowed attributes of six sporting disciplines: tennis, surfing, para archery, basketball, boxing and javelin throwing. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images)

Parasports

Why Is It So Hard To Add New Paralympic Sports?

Soraya Roberts

Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor sitting on a bed in a scene from Challengers

Arts And Culture

You Can’t Not Surrender To The ‘Challengers’ Soundtrack

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 2: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks walks off the court after the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round 1 Game 6 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2024 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Fans

Michael Rubin Only Made Sure More Sixers Fans Could Watch Their Team Lose

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


Chris Thompson

The Scrappy Knicks Finally Sent The 76ers To The Grave

Israel Daramola

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02: Drake appears via video during the Recording Academy Honors presented by The Black Music Collective during the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 02, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (

Music

Everybody Hates Drake: A Guide To Millennial Rap’s Midlife Beef Crisis

Patrick Redford

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 1: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers &amp; James Harden #1 of the LA Clippers looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks during Round 1 Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2024 at Crypto.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 Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

It Is Happening Again To The Clippers

David Roth

Josh McRoberts of the Miami Heat attacks the hoop in a game agains the Blazers at the Moda Center in Portland in December of 2016.

Podcasts

Josh McRoberts Reconsidered, With Rohan Nadkarni

Lauren Theisen

Defector Music Club

Chet Baker Sings, And Defector Music Club Chats

<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>
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Nate Jackson

Drawing of cannabis industry people chasing after a football player.

I Wish I’d Never Become The NFL Weed Guy

Students at the University of Birmingham take part in their degree congregations as they graduate on July 14, 2009 in Birmingham, England. Over 5000 graduates will be donning their robes this week to collect their degrees from The University of Birmingham. A recent survey suggested that there are 48 graduates competing for every job.

Elder Wisdom

To My Daughter, The Graduate: This Is All Your Fault

Nikola Jovic #5 and Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat walk to the bench during the third quarter of game five of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at TD Garden on May 01, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Thank God That’s Over

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Jackson Holliday #7 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during batting practice prior to a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 12, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Here’s How The White Sox Can Still Lose 100 Games, But In An Interesting Way

Billy Haisley

Toni Kroos of Real Madrid gestures during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg match between FC Bayern München and Real Madrid at Allianz Arena on April 30, 2024 in Munich, Germany.

Soccer

Real Madrid Goes Where Toni Kroos Leads

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


Sabrina Imbler

A male albert's lyrebird, which is a brown bird, with its extravagant tail feathers flipped over his head

Creaturefector

Are You Wooed By This Bird’s Gronking Song?

Counter protesters attack pro-Palestinian protesters at a pro-Palestinian encampment set up on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) as clashes erupt, in Los Angeles on May 1, 2024. Clashes broke out on May 1, 2024 around pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the University of California, Los Angeles, as universities around the United States struggle to contain similar protests on dozens of campuses. (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT / AFP)

Politics

UCLA Chooses Violence Over Divestment

NYPD officers in riot gear enter Columbia University's encampment