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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

Kathryn Xu

David Hamilton #70 of the Boston Red Sox dives home safely as catcher Jose Trevino #39 of the New York Yankees moves to make a late tag.

The Red Sox Have A Formidable Competitor In The Race To .500

Dave McKenna

Maryland State Police troopers bowing their heads on stage during a graduation ceremony in 2019.

Policing

How Qualified Immunity Protects Cops Who Kill

Luis Paez-Pumar

Nicolae Stanciu of Romania scores his team's first goal past Andriy Lunin of Ukraine during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Romania and Ukraine at Munich Football Arena on June 17, 2024 in Munich, Germany.

Soccer

These Are The Bangers Fox Is Hiding From You

Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and has written for The Guardian, The Second Serve, The Athletic, n+1, Texas Monthly, Air Mail, and other publications.

Owen Lewis

Tyson Fury (third left) and Oleksandr Usyk (third right) pose alongside promoter Frank Warren (fourth left), actor Sylvester Stallone (centre) and The Saudi Chairman of General Authority for Entertainment Turki Alalshikh during a press conference at Outernet London.

The Fights

Don’t Expect Much Resistance To A Saudi Boxing Takeover

Wout Weghorst of the Netherlands celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammates during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Poland and Netherlands at Volksparkstadion on June 16, 2024 in Hamburg, Germany.

Just Give It To The Big Lad

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Rihanna performs during the halftime show of Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on February 12, 2023.

Crosswords

The Crossword, June 17: You’re Out

Ray Ratto

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 16: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after getting hit by a pitch during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Dodger Stadium on June 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

There Is No Replacing Mookie Betts

Jude Bellingham of England celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Serbia and England at Arena AufSchalke on June 16, 2024 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Nobody Does Dispiriting Wins Better Than England

JJ Redick is seen prior to Game Two of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden on June 09, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts.

JJ Redick And Shams Are Back, Maybe

David Benavidez waits for the start of a fight for an interim WBC light heavyweight title against Oleksandr Gvozdyk at MGM Grand Garden Arena on June 15, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Boxing

David Benavidez Underwhelmed In Victory

Ronaldinho Gaúcho of União sends a kiss to his fans during Futebol Solidário match at Maracana Stadium on May 26, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ronaldinho Blames It All On The Deodorant

The NBA Finals Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy and the NHL Stanley Cup are pictured in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 02, 2024 in Miami, Florida.

The Playoffs Go Tinfoil

Billy Haisley

Patrick Redford

Bukayo Saka of England reacts during the international friendly match between England and Iceland at Wembley Stadium on June 7, 2024 in London, England.

A Guide To The 2024 Euros With A Depth Of Analysis Surpassed Only By Its Timeliness

Rachel is a writer, performer and improv instructor from Boston, Massachusetts. She has written for McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Reductress, and Frankie Boyle’s New World Order. She thinks the sports horror novel she is working on could be her <a href="https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/1325514-max-landis" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/1325514-max-landis&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1718077591839000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0XT84xOkGfzjDGoFo6dhG7">Bright</a>.

Rachel Andelman

Luka Doncic does kind of a weird follow-through as he watches a shot against the Golden State Warriors in the first half at American Airlines Center on March 13, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.

A Field Guide To Luka Doncic’s Many Busted Sports-Watching Setups

Journalismism

The ‘Longform’ Podcast Told The Story Of An Industry

Tom Ley

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda (22) in action during a NWSL match between the Seattle Reign FC and the Orlando Pride on May 19, 2024 at Lumen Field in Seattle, WA.

The NWSL Is There For Barbra Banda’s Taking

Lauren Theisen

Connor McDavid is stopped by Sergei Bobrovsky

The Charge Of The Oil Brigade

Barry Petchesky

EDMONTON, CANADA - JUNE 13: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins #93 of the Edmonton Oilers skates past Carter Verhaeghe #23 of the Florida Panthers during the first period of Game Three of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place on June 13, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)

Panther Sticks Are Everywhere

Kelsey McKinney

Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A's 'Pink Rose in a Glass Vase with Fruit' is hung on a wall for auction.

Arts And Culture

Everyone Loses When We Start Talking About Art Like It’s Real Estate

David Roth

Gourmet specialty donuts are being displayed at a shop in Unionville, Ontario, Canada, on June 03, 2023.

Podcasts

100 Foods To Throw In The Garbage, With Megan Greenwell

Justice Samuel Alito and his wife Martha-Ann stand during a private ceremony for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on September 23, 2020

Politics

Two Bad Neighbors

Heather Chen is a former Defector intern and the managing editor at the Columbia Daily Spectator. She loves hockey, photography, and the good ol’ state of Michigan.

Heather Wei-Xi Chen

Elon Musk, with blue bar stating "Your likes are private. Only you can see them." over his eyes

The Machines

Please Let Me See Your Twitter Likes

DALLAS, TEXAS - JUNE 12: Luka Dončić #77 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game Three of the 2024 NBA Finals at American Airlines Center on June 12, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. 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 Tim Heitman/Getty Images)

Luka Doncic Embarrassed Himself

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

a large red deep-sea squid holds a mass of brownish eggs in her tentacles while her big eye stares out at the camera

Creaturefector

Did Your Mother Cradle You Lovingly In Her Suckers?

The United States Women's National team celebrate their victory during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.