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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

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

CINCINNATI - OCTOBER 25: A general view of Paul Brown Stadium at sunrise prior to the game between the Denver Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals defeated the Broncos 23-10.

Jamboroo

Morning Football Is The Way To Enlightenment

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Dalen Terry of the Chicago Bulls goes to floor following a play during the first half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets.

The Next Time The Bulls And Hornets Play Each Other, The Venue Must Be Hell Itself

Rachelle Hampton

Leslie Chelsey, 10, of Victory Boulevard School, plays violin. (Photo by USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images)

Funbag

Why Didn’t Orchestra Musicians Choose To Learn Cooler Instruments?

Israel Daramola

College Football

Arizona State Showed Us How Good The 12-Team Playoff Can Be

Patrick Redford

An Iranian rock climber scaling a climbing wall in Tehran.

Life Lessons

How Do You Win When You Compete With Yourself?

Alex Sujong Laughlin

A man and woman sit on a beach under a striped umbrella drinking Coke out of glass bottles.

I Was Wrong About Diet Coke

Barry Petchesky

Year In Review

What Horrible Things Did We Do To Our Penises Last Year?

Dave McKenna

LAGRANGE, GA - JUNE 10: Former US President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalyn Carter attach siding to the front of a Habitat for Humanity home being built June 10, 2003 in LaGrange, Georgia. More than 90 homes are being built in LaGrange; Valdosta, Georgia; and Anniston, Alabama by volunteers as part of Habitat for Humanity International's Jimmy Carter Work Project 2003.

Politics

Jimmy Carter Was The Iron Man Of Hospice

Ray Ratto

A collection of straw hats and fedoras for sale at a market

Beware The Vacation Fedora

Defector Staff

Sancho at the Feast, Starved by his Physician' by William Hogarth (1697 - 1764). English painter, printmaker, pictorial satirist. Sancho Panza is a key character in the Spanish novel 'Don Quixote' by Cervantes.

The Best Things We Ate In 2024

A person sits at a desk filled with books and writes in a notebook.

Defector Reads A Book

Your Defector Pals Attempt ‘The Artist’s Way’

Lauren Theisen

Pro Wrestling

Some Wrestling Matches I Liked In 2024

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Puka Nacua #17 of the Los Angeles Rams carries the ball against Chuck Clark #36 of the New York Jets during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Crosswords

The Crossword, Dec. 30: Out Of Office (Themeless)

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

Matchbook image of men in suits having drinks at a bar.

My Fancy Little Mocktail Was Missing More Than Booze

Samer Kalaf

Aaron Rodgers is sacked in the end zone by a Bills defensive player

Aaron Rodgers Incapable Of Throwing Even One Touchdown Pass

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

During an interview with sportscaster Greg Gumbel (right), American disc jockey (from WLUP radio, 'The Loop') Steve Dahl breaks a disco record over his head prior to hosting an anti-disco promotion at Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois, July 12, 1979. The event, held between games of a doubleheader between the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers, allowed fans to attend the games for 98 cents along with an unwanted record and, following the detonation of those records, eventually resulted in the White Sox forfeiture of the second game due to unsafe playing conditions when fans stormed the field causing serious damage to the venue and playing surface.

Greg Gumbel Kept It All In Perspective

NFL Christmas Gameday signage advertising the NFL's two Christmas Day marquee games.

NFL Schedule Creep Is Getting Out Of Control

Magnus Carlsen at Day 2 of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship on December 27, 2024 in New York City.

Chess

Magnus Carlsen Quits Chess Tournament Over Jeans Violation

Cam Ward #1 of the Miami Hurricanes celebrates with Jacolby George #3 after connecting for a touchdown in the first quarter during the 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl

Cam Ward Tarnishes The Sanctity Of Bowl Game Sponsored By Toaster Pastry

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 16: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Sacramento Kings reacts after they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the second half at Golden 1 Center on December 16, 2024 in Sacramento, 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. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

It Feels So Over In Sacramento

Albert Burneko

Pau Víctor, Robert Lewandowski, and Dani Olmo celebrate a win against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.

Soccer

Deadbeat Club Scrambling To Keep Players It Never Should Have Acquired [Update]

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

Nicholas Russell

Arts And Culture

‘Nosferatu’ Keeps You Waiting And Waiting

May Company Basement Sale, 1 March 1954. Crowd at May Company Basement Sale.;Caption slip reads: 'Photographer: McCarty. Date: 154-03-01. Reporter: Scott. Assignment: May Co. Basement Sale. 1/2/46/76/35/72/71/69/70/75: Crowd at May Co. Basement Sale'..

The Worst Things We Bought In 2024

A clothing rack at a flea market showing a row of vintage sweaters of various colors.

How To Buy A Sweater That Doesn’t Suck

David Roth

A master swordsman named Bernard Ganter uses a saber to open an enormous bottle of Moet & Chandon at a celebration in Denver, Co.