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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

Patrick Redford

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Rob Dillingham arrives prior to the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in the Brooklyn borough of 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. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The New CBA Is Already Making NBA Teams Squirm

David Roth

Dave Lumley of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL Hockey game circa 1981 at the Montreal Forum.

Podcasts

Jurassic Hockey And Sticky Stuff, With Ray Ratto

Arts And Culture

The City Lives In The Earth Room

Kathryn Xu

For Maximum Efficacy You May Wish To Dilute Your Shohei Ohtani Highlight Consumption

Luis Paez-Pumar

Salomon Rondon of Venezuela celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's first goal during the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Group B match between Venezuela and Mexico at SoFi Stadium on June 26, 2024 in Inglewood, California.

Soccer

Venezuela Is Making Some Noise

Billy Haisley

Belgium's Romelu Lukaku (M) in action against goalkeeper Anatolij Trubin (r) of Ukraine.

It Sucks How Much Belgium Sucks

Barry Petchesky

Greenfinches and Goldfinches on and around a bird feeder.

Birdfector

You’re A Birder, James Hetfield

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Journalismism

The Podcast Industry Has Learned Nothing

Kelsey McKinney

Is The Phillie Phanatic A Muppet?

Giri Nathan

Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart on a FaceTime call after the Knicks traded for Mikal Bridges.

The Knicks Spend Five First-Round Picks On A College Reunion

Al Michaels looks at an iPhone prior to the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau on November 17, 2022.

Media Meltdowns

AI Is Now Advanced Enough To Blow Al Michaels’s Mind

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

A photo of a brown rat fluorescing white and blue under UV light

Creaturefector

Does A Rat Need A Reason To Glow Ethereally?

Tom Ley

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jim Schlossnagle during the post game press conference after the 2024 SEC Baseball Tournament game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Texas A&amp;M Aggies on May 23, 2024 at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.

College Baseball

Texas A&M Baseball Coach Leaves For Texas, One Day After Scolding Reporter Who Asked If He Might Leave For Texas

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

The Padres And Nationals Manufactured A Thrilling Summertime Rivalry Out Of Nothing At All

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

The Great Outdoors

I Hate Running. I Miss Running.

Albert Burneko

A Tesla Cybertruck parked on the street in New York.

This Is So Stupid

I Would Like To Put Lunchmeat On The Cybertruck

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

SUNRISE, FL - JUNE 24: Florida Panthers team photo with the Stanley Cup during the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Game 7 between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers on June 24th, 2024 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL.

Everyone Is Terrified That Fanatics Will Screw Up Hockey, Too

England captain harry Kane reacts after a near miss as Jude Bellingham of England looks on during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between England and Slovenia at Cologne Stadium on June 25, 2024 in Cologne, Germany.

Never Show Group C To Me Again

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

Photo of TALKING HEADS; Stop Making Sense

Funbag

It’s Never Too Late To Fall In Love With ‘Stop Making Sense’

Lasha Dvali of Georgia, Tomá Soucek of Czech Republic and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili of Georgia battle for the ball during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Georgia and Czechia at Volksparkstadion on June 22, 2024 in Hamburg, Germany.

At Euro 2024, The Good Comes From The Bad

Lauren Theisen

Sergei Bobrovsky makes a save on his back

Don’t Forget That The Panthers Almost Choked It All Away

Tennis

In ‘Twelve Final Days,’ Roger Federer Still Has The Magic

Mattia Zaccagni of Italy celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Croatia and Italy at Football Stadium Leipzig on June 24, 2024 in Leipzig, Germany.

Italy Climbed Out Of Its Grave And Shoved Croatia In

Lalas confusing and infuriating Daniel Sturridge

Love Him Or Hate Him, Alexi Lalas Stinks At His Job

Ray Ratto

SUNRISE, FL - JUNE 24: Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice raises the Stanley Cup during the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Game 7 between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers on June 24th, 2024 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL. (Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)