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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

Corey Atad is a freelancer writer based in Toronto with an unhealthy Air Bud obsession.

Corey Atad

Mods Asleep

The Decemberists Take Me Back And Forth

Tom Ley

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits at the defendant's table inside the courthouse as the jury is scheduled to continue deliberations for his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City. Judge Juan Merchan gave the jury instructions, and deliberations are entering their second day. The former president faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial.

Defector Up All Night

Justice Delivered To Notable Yankees Fan

Ray Ratto

FC Barcelona women's football team present their Champions League trophy to supporters from the balcony of the Catalan Regional Government headquarters one day after getting their third Champions League triumph, in Barcelona on May 26, 2024. The Catalans finally avenged final defeats by Lyon in 2019 and 2022 yesterday in Bilbao, beating the French giants 2-0 to lift the Champions League for the third time.

Buy The T-Shirt, Not The Jersey

David Roth

Closeup view of butter roll. It's a stock photo.

Podcasts

The State Of The Website And The Two Types Of Butter

Patrick Redford

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Donte DiVincenzo #0, Jalen Brunson #11, and Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks react against the Indiana Pacers during Game One of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 06, 2024 in New York City. 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. ()

Vinson Cunningham On The Knicks, Art, And How Basketball Can Help You Live Nobly

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 28: Jeff McNeil #1 of the New York Mets reacts after popping out with the bases loaded during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game one of a doubleheader at Citi Field on May 28, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)

Meet The Mess

B.D. McClay is an essayist and critic.

B.D. McClay

11 February 2020, Berlin: Bottles of the brand "Coca Cola" are lined up in the cinema Zoo Palast.

I Will Never Abandon My Special Little Drink

Mitch Therieau is a writer living in Virginia.

Mitch Therieau

American singer Rob Thomas, of the American rock band Matchbox Twenty, sings on stage during a concert in Los Angeles, California, circa 1996. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images)

In Defense Of That Whole Weird ’90s Rock Marble-Mouthed Thing

Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in The Normal School, New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review, and elsewhere.

Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

Chilling Tales Of A Haunted And Constipated Global Traveler

Madeleine Baker is a historian and an associate editor at The Drift.

Madeleine Baker

Professor Richard Dawkins next to a bus displaying an atheist message in Kensington Gardens, London.

The Ghosts Of New Atheism Still Haunt Us

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

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 17: Shaquille O'Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley from TNT talk as a part of State Farm All-Star Saturday Night on Saturday, February 17, 2024 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Brandon Todd/NBAE via Getty Images)

Funbag

A Requiem For ‘Inside The NBA’ From A Guy Who Barely Watched It

Lauren Theisen

Wyatt Johnston scores a goal on Stuart Skinner

Sometimes The Puck Goes In, And Sometimes It Doesn’t

Fran Hoepfner is a writer and teacher.

Fran Hoepfner

US actor Kevin Costner attends a press conference for the film "Horizon: An American Saga" during the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 20, 2024.

Why Do I Keep Rooting For Kevin Costner?

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Charles P. Pierce is a writer at Esquire and the author of four books, most recently Idiot America, and has been a working journalist since 1976. He lives near Boston with his wife but no longer his three children.
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</div>
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Charles P. Pierce

Portland Trail Blazers' Bill Walton, who received many accolades for his performance on the court, is depicted here. Walton would later go on to pursue a career off the court as a sports broadcaster and an actor in feature films.

Bill Walton Let His Joy Flourish

Barry Petchesky

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 19: Umpire Angel Hernandez looks on during the MLB game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 19, 2024 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

End Of An Error As Ángel Hernández Calls It Quits

Dan Brooks writes essays and fiction from Missoula, Montana.

Dan Brooks

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Taylor Swift reputation Stadium Tour at MetLife Stadium on July 21, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Culture Needs More Jerks

Brandy Jensen

Woman Reclining at Desk Next to Typewriter (Photo by William H. Rau/Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

I’m In Charge Now

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills passes against Alex Highsmith

Crosswords

The Crossword, May 27: The Young And The Restless (Themeless)

Megan Keller #5 of Boston reacts to a collision with Grace Zumwinkle #13 of Minnesota

PWHL

Boston Is The Cruelest Team

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 12: Sam Altman speaks onstage during A Year In TIME at The Plaza Hotel on December 12, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for TIME)

Capital

Sam Altman’s Scarlett Johansson Whoopsie Is The True Future Of AI

Luka Doncic exults/leers in the direction of Minnesota center Rudy Gobert after hitting the game three-pointer over him in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Luka's really wet-looking.

Deal With It

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 25: Jayson Tatum #0 and Jrue Holiday #4 of the Boston Celtics high five during the game against the Indiana Pacers during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 25, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Celtics Were Finally Forced To Do Cool Stuff

PADOVA, ITALY - MAY 23: Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates celebrates at podium as Blue Mountain Jersey winner during the 107th Giro d'Italia 2024, Stage 18 a 178km stage from Fiera di primiero to Padova / #UCIWT / on May 23, 2024 in Padova, Italy. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

Cycling

Tadej Pogačar’s Domination Is A Terrifying Marvel To Behold

Billy Haisley

Ademola Lookman of Atalanta BC is celebrating with the UEFA Europa League championship trophy after winning the final match between Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta BC at Dublin Arena Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.