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

Tom Ley

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 01: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets in the second half at Intuit Dome on December 01, 2024 in Inglewood, 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.

Math Is Catching Up To The Nuggets

<div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div>Casey Taylor is a writer living and working in Pittsburgh. He is currently writing a book for St. Martin&#8217;s Press about cannabis religions, Haile Selassie I, and the Cold War in the Caribbean. He also writes a free newsletter called <a href="https://weedchurch.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://weedchurch.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1709306863919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1mVH2xiID6S0zvlyj6yHco">Weed Church</a> covering foolish spiritual things that occur to him. His work has appeared in The New Republic, WIRED, New York Magazine, and a sports blog he can’t currently recall the name of. You can <a href="mailto:caseyt7@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">email</a> him if you’d like.</div>
</div>
<div class="yj6qo ajU"></div>
</div>
<div></div>


Casey Taylor

The crowded work bench of New York tattooist Charlie Wagner in the 1940's. (Photo by FPG/Getty Images)

Arts And Culture

How Do You Preserve Tattoo History When Skin And Memory Fail?

Lauren Theisen

Goldie Hawn eating popcorn in movie theater in a scene from the film 'Foul Play', 1978.

Defector Up All Night

You Must Know The Popcorn Trick

David Roth

C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans adjusts his helmet in close-up before taking the field for Houston's game against Jacksonville on December 1, 2024.

Podcasts

That AFC South Feeling, With Rivers McCown

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Hailey Van Lith #10 of the TCU Horned Frogs goes to the basket against the Houston Christian Huskies in the second half at Schollmaier Arena on November 5, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas.

College Basketball

Hailey Van Lith Is Getting Her Groove Back At TCU


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Culture Writer</p>


Israel Daramola

Michigan Wolverines defensive back Rod Moore (9) walks on the field holding a Michigan flag with his teammates after the game against the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes on November 30, 2024, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, OH.

College Football

The Games Will Always Matter

Ray Ratto

A screengrab of the Toronto Tempo's new logo as seen on a Canadian news program.

WNBA

They’re Really Going With “Toronto Tempo”

Patrick Redford

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 02: Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter at Target Center on December 02, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Berding/Getty Images)

The Lakers Cannot Stop Embarrassing Themselves

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


Chris Thompson

“Do Not Wear Dad’s DIY Sneakers” Is A Lesson Lonzo Ball Learned The Most Painful Possible Way

<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

Climate activists of Extinction Rebellion wearing masks of company CEOs including LVMH's Bernard Arnault (2nd L) Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg (C), Microsoft founder Bill Gates (2ndR) and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson (R) take part in a demonstration in Berlin on April 13, 2023. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP)

Jamboroo

The Price Of The American Dream Is Now $1 Billion

Samer Kalaf

Joe Biden holds a copy of The Hundred Years' War On Palestine by Rashid Khalidi.

Politics

The Next History Book On Palestine Will Have Joe Biden In It

Barry Petchesky

OSHAWA, ON - DECEMBER 5: Stuffed animals get ready for the annual Teddy Bear toss between the Kingston Frontenacs and Oshawa Generals in an OHL game at the Tribute Communities Centre on December 5, 2019 in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)

Top NHL Prospect Suspended For Disrespecting Teddy Bears

Tafara Gapare #6 of the Maryland Terrapins dunks the ball

Ohio State Suffers Most Brutal Loss Since Saturday

Luis Paez-Pumar

Detail view of the captain's arm band worn by Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Newcastle United FC at Selhurst Park on November 30, 2024 in London, England.

Soccer

Marc Guéhi Avoids Punishment For Twice Undermining Premier League’s LGBT Campaign

Giri Nathan

Moritz Wagner #21 of the Orlando Magic reacts in the first half of a game against the Chicago Bulls at Kia Center on November 27, 2024 in Orlando, Florida.

It’s Moe Wagner, Not Mo Wagner

Animals

I Have Created A Turkey Fiend

Kelsey McKinney

Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith look at the three final contestants' tea displays.

Food

The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off Attempts Another Almost-Grand Finale

Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov (97) is mauled by teammates after scoring an overtime game-winning goal

The Wild Are Running … Uh, You Know

<p>Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in <i data-stringify-type="italic">The Normal School</i>, <i data-stringify-type="italic">New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review</i>, and elsewhere.</p>


Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

Secret Family Fortune Tellers And Other Deathbed Revelations

Karl-Anthony Towns drives to the cup against Wendell Carter Jr. of the Magic.

Karl-Anthony Towns Sees Your Gruel, And Raises

<div class="author-header-content">
<p>Charles P. Pierce is a writer at <em>Esquire</em> and the author of four books, most recently <em>Idiot America</em>, and has been a working journalist since 1976. He lives near Boston with his wife but no longer his three children.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</div>
<div class="author-header-shares"></div>


Charles P. Pierce

FOXBOROUGH, MA - OCTOBER 24: A pylon-camera is seen during an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears at Gillette Stadium on October 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Things We Actually Like

Blessed Be The Pylon Cam


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

Germanic warrior taking stimulants imagined by Stanislav(Stanisław) Kontny,

History

Veni, Vidi, Snorti: I Came, I Saw, I Did A Bump

Jameis Winston (5) of the Cleveland Browns reacts to missing David Njoku (85) for a first down during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos on December 2, 2024.

There Are No Small Servings Of The Jameis Winston Experience

Life reconstruction of Ninumbeehan dookoodukah in a palaeoenvironment reconstruction depicting its life and burrowing across seasons. (a) Ninumbeehan is resting on the edge of a river with a low water table as the wet season ends. (b) A small community of Ninumbeehan are in their estivation burrows at the apex of the arid season. (c) The onset of the humid season brings rain, triggering a mass emergence of Ninumbeehan from their estivation burrows.

Creaturefector

How A Sleepy Ancient Amphibian Became A Link To An Endangered Language


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>
