CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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

Billy Haisley

US' forward #05 Trinity Rodman (3L) celebrates scoring the opening goal in the women's group A football match between the USA and Zambia during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Nice Stadium in Nice, on July 25, 2024.

Olympics

The USWNT Still Has Questions To Answer

Ray Ratto

Kyler Murray #1 and Hjalte Froholdt #72 of the Arizona Cardinals walk onto the field before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 24, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2024: Arizona Cardinals

<div id="1695913206.579009" class="c-virtual_list__item c-virtual_list__item--initial-activeitem" role="listitem" data-qa="virtual-list-item" data-item-key="1695913206.579009">
<div class="c-message_kit__background c-message_kit__background--hovered p-message_pane_message__message c-message_kit__message" role="presentation" data-qa="message_container" data-qa-unprocessed="false" data-qa-placeholder="false">
<div class="c-message_kit__hover c-message_kit__hover--hovered" role="document" data-qa-hover="true">
<div class="c-message_kit__actions c-message_kit__actions--above">
<div class="c-message_kit__gutter c-message_kit__gutter--compact">
<div class="c-message_kit__gutter__right" role="presentation" data-qa="message_content">
<div class="c-message_kit__indent">
<div class="c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text c-message_kit__blocks--inline">
<div class="c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text c-message__message_blocks--inline" data-qa="message-text">
<div class="p-block_kit_renderer p-block_kit_renderer--inline" data-qa="block-kit-renderer">
<div class="p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first">
<div class="p-rich_text_block p-rich_text_block--inline" dir="auto">
<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>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="1695913224.677889" class="c-virtual_list__item" role="listitem" data-qa="virtual-list-item" data-item-key="1695913224.677889">
<div class="c-message_kit__background p-message_pane_message__message c-message_kit__message" role="presentation" data-qa="message_container" data-qa-unprocessed="false" data-qa-placeholder="false">
<div class="c-message_kit__hover" role="document" data-qa-hover="true">
<div class="c-message_kit__actions c-message_kit__actions--above">
<div class="c-message_kit__gutter c-message_kit__gutter--compact">
<div class="c-message_kit__gutter__left" role="presentation"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>


Tom Scocca

A flyer with information about Project 2025's plan to expand oil drilling inside the United States, stapled to a pole on a city street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Margin Of Error

Who Wants To Talk About The Issues

Dave McKenna

French boxer Laurent Dauthuille trains on October 27, 1946 at the Palais sed Sports in Paris before his match against Robert Charron.

The Fights

Everlast Love: The Tale Of Me And The Heavy Bag

A specially trained police officer demonstrates a controlled landing of a drone using a drone jammer during the presentation of the Munich security concept for the 2024 European Football Championship at the Munich soccer stadium.

Canada, Untrustworthy Nation To The North, Accused Of Massive Soccer Cheating Plot

Patrick Redford

Video Games

‘Elden Ring’ Makes Everyone A Poet And A Reader

<p>Annie Howard is a journalist and historian based in Chicago. She is currently at work on her debut manuscript, <em>The City Made Me Trans</em><i>.</i></p>


Annie Howard

Los Campesinos concert stage - two fists surrounded by a ring of shards pointing at them

Music

A Small Catalog Of Reflections On Aging Made Possible By Los Campesinos!

Albert Burneko

The New York Times building is seen on September 6, 2018 in New York. - A furious Donald Trump called September 5, 2018 for the unmasking of an anonymous senior official who wrote in the New York Times that top members of his administration were undermining the president to curb his "misguided impulses." Trump asked if the unsigned op-ed could be considered treasonous, assailed the newspaper for the "gutless" piece and questioned whether the senior official it was attributed to actually existed. "TREASON?" Trump posted in response to the article entitled "I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration," which claimed the president's own staff see him as a danger to the nation."Does the so-called 'Senior Administration Official' really exist, or is (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

Journalismism

Why Did The New York Times Delete A Notorious Fraudster’s Election Take?

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Kareem Maddox of the USA throws during the mens pool play match between Austria and the USA on Day 4 of the FIBA 3x3 World cup at Rathausplatz on June 2, 2023 in Vienna, Austria. (Photo by Andrea Kareth /SEPA.Media /Getty Images)

How Kareem Maddox Went From Public Radio To The Olympic Stage

Soraya Roberts

(from left) Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Tyler (Glen Powell) in Twisters, directed by Lee Isaac Chung.

Defector At The Movies

‘Twisters’ Can’t Singlehandedly Drag Us Back To The ’90s


<p>Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99</p>


Diana Moskovitz

Alexander Zverev of Germany looks on during his match against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the Men's Singles Final match on Day 15 of the 2024 French Open at Roland Garros on June 09, 2024 in Paris, France.

Tennis

When It Comes To Alexander Zverev, Tennis Is Going To Stick To Tennis

David Roth

A dancer performs during the Breakdance contest "Paris Battle Pro" at La Seine Musicale in Paris on February 23, 2019.

Podcasts

Popping And Locking With Pablo Torre

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Colorado Rockies pitcher Cal Quantrill (47) and Boston Red Sox catcher Reese McGuire (3) exchange words as Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (11) and Colorado Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings (25) try to separate them, during a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, CO on July 24, 2024.

Cal Quantrill Starts Benches-Clearing Brawl With Extremely Specific And Informed Trash Talk

Owner Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots reacts before Super Bowl LVIII between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefsat Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Why Your Team Sucks 2024: New England Patriots

Giri Nathan

Joel Embiid Continues His Summer Of Grousing

Kelsey McKinney

Republican Vice Presidential nominee U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) campaigns at the first public rally.

Politics

A List Of Words That Do NOT Appear In ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ So Stop Asking!!

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


Sabrina Imbler

Close up view of the face of a blue shark showing details of the eye, mouth and sensors in it's snout. This image was taken on a baited shark dive 50 kms offshore past Western Cape.

Creaturefector

Frankly It Would Be Surprising If No Sharks Were On Cocaine

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) exits Manhattan federal court on July 16, 2024 in New York City. Menendez and his wife Nadine are accused of taking bribes of gold bars, a luxury car, and cash in exchange for using Menendez's position to help the government of Egypt.

Robert Menendez Is Built Different

Kathryn Xu

A 3D model of Jake Cave among his teammates is contorted beyond human bounds.

MLB’s Gameday 3D Feature Turns A Walk-Off Win Into A Devil’s Dance

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 04: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is interviewed before Game Three of the 2020 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 04, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The NBA’s Landmark TV Deal Shows What Matters

Tom Ley

Luis Paez-Pumar

Aitana Bonmati of Spain scores her team's first goal whilst under pressure from Sakina Karchaoui and Amandine Henry of France as Pauline Peyraud-Magnin looks on during the UEFA Women's Nations League 2024 Final match between Spain and France at Estadio La Cartuja on February 28, 2024 in Seville, Spain.

Soccer

Everything You Need To Know About The Women’s Olympic Soccer Tournament, While It’s Still Worth Knowing About

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman is interviewed during the 2017 NHL Draft at the United Center on June 23, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois.

No Retread Is Too Disgraced For The NHL

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


Chris Thompson

This Is So Stupid

What Would You Do Right Now For A Free Beach Vacation?

<p>Alex Shultz is a journalist based in Brooklyn. He&#8217;s a writer for <a href="https://www.hardresetmedia.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hardresetmedia.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1763581679564000&amp;usg=AOvVaw07bi0TNndgTXDN2QH72s3J">Hard Reset,</a> a newsletter about tech, labor, and power.</p>


Alex Shultz

An illustration of a guy opening his coat to display items for sale