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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

Barry Petchesky

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - FEBRUARY 17: Connor McDavid #97 of Team Canada carries the puck against Juuse Saros #74 of Team Finland during the second period in the 4 Nations Face-Off game at TD Garden on February 17, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

This Is What We Came For

Giri Nathan

Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates victory over Australia's Alex De Minaur after their men's singles quarter-final match on day eleven of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 22, 2025. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP) /

Tennis

WADA’s Doping Ban Settlement With Jannik Sinner Creates More Questions Than Answers

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Daryl Watts #9 of the Toronto Sceptres celebrates after scoring the equalizer against the Ottawa Charge during the PWHL Takeover Tour match at Rogers Place Arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on February 16, 2025.

PWHL

The Sceptres Have All The Help They Need

Luis Paez-Pumar

Joshua Zirkzee of Manchester United reacts after a missed chance during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Manchester United FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 16, 2025 in London, England.

Soccer

No One Can Save Manchester United From Itself

Ray Ratto

Dallas Mavericks fans lift a cutout of general manager Nico Harrison with a clown nose during a protest of the trade of Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Doncic outside the American Airlines Center.

Nico Harrison’s Reasons Are Not Getting Any Better


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

David Roth

Ricky Jay, with his hair balding halfway up his head but black and tall, and a large black beard, in a black suit with a black tie and a dark purple shirt, looking at the camera holding a cut-in-half watermelon with two playing cards into the inside.

Arts And Culture

Someone Has To Save The Film And TV That Studios Won’t

Tom Ley

Abysmal Kevin Hart Special Interrupted By Sporadic Basketball

<p>Grace Byron is a critic, reporter, and novelist based in Queens. Her writing has appeared in <em>The New Yorker</em>, <em>Granta</em>, <em>Bookforum</em>, and elsewhere. Her debut novel <em>Herculine</em> is out now.</p>


Grace Byron

Bill Gates speaks at the Global Solutions Summit

What’s The Point Of Bill Gates?

Cale Makar #8 of the Colorado Avalanche skates with the puck against the Minnesota Wild in the third period at Xcel Energy Center on January 09, 2025 in St Paul, Minnesota. The Avalanche defeated the Wild 6-1.

Crosswords

The Crossword, Feb. 17: In The Ballpark

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<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>
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Tom Scocca

NYPD officers prepare to make arrests during a rally and a march in Manhattan to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recent raids and crackdown on migrants in New York. New York City, U.S., February 13, 2025.

Margin Of Error

The Country That Was Here Is Gone

Justin Tucker #9 of the Baltimore Ravens sits on the bench in the second half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 25, 2024 in Houston, Texas.

Seven More Massage Therapists Have Accused Justin Tucker Of Sexual Misconduct

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


Sabrina Imbler

an image of a fly larva (maggot) that has the face of a termite

Creaturefector

Hell Yeah: This Maggot Has A Face On Its Butt

Lauren Theisen

Hell Yeah: Shohei Ohtani Throws Baseball 14 Times

a baby loggerhead turtle does a happy turtle dance inside a bucket of water

Are You Entranced By The Turtle Dance?

J.T. Miller #10 of Team USA and Colton Parayko #55 of Team Canada fight

Canada Still Alive In 4 Nations Despite Pugnacious Defeat In Montreal

JuJu Watkins #12 of the USC Trojans celebrates a 71-60 win against the UCLA Bruins in the second half at Galen Center on February 13, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

College Basketball

JuJu Watkins Is The Whole Story

Two manet paintings with a Pop Art painting crashing over them

Eagles Win Loan Of Manet Painting In Super Bowl Bet, Which Is What This Thing Was About All Along

US Vice President JD Vance, standing alongside President Donald Trump (R), speaks about the mid-air crash between American Airlines flight 5342 and a military helicopter in Washington, in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. Divers pulled bodies from the icy waters of Washington's Potomac river Thursday after a US military helicopter collided midair with a passenger plane carrying 64 people, with officials saying there were likely no survivors. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP) (Photo by OLIVER CONTRERAS/AFP via Getty Images)

Politics

JD Vance Would Throw His Own Kids Under A Bus If Donald Trump Were Driving It

Halley’s Comment

Drewbert Thompchesky

Little King Trashmouth

Bette Davis’ Cigarette

OminousCorn

Typists at work at Unilever House in Blackfriars, London, September 1955. Original Publication: Picture Post - 8002 - Leave Youth Alone - pub. 24th September 1955

Things We Actually Like

Let’s Remember Some Comments From 2024

<p>Vince Mancini is a culture writer and old school blogger whose work has appeared in GQ, The Ringer, Uproxx, and more. He writes <a href="https://vincemancini.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://vincemancini.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1739555630062000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0e3B6TjurbpZyGcyNkVTcQ">The #Content Report</a> on Substack and podcasts about prestige TV on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/c/frotcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.patreon.com/c/frotcast&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1739555630062000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0xjEhxjt84GGvFCgoW4S0E">Pod Yourself</a>.</p>


Vince Mancini

Capital

‘Pistachio Wars’ Tells The Story Of California’s Terraforming

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - FEBRUARY: Matthew Tkachuk #19 of Team United States points to a teammate after scoring his second goal of the third period against Juuse Saros #74 of Team Finland during the 4 Nations Face-Off game between the United States and Finland at Bell Centre on February 13, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)

Rowdy Tkachuk Boys Wreak General Havoc On Finland

Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs tries to avoid a sack by DE Brandon Graham #55 of the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday February 9, 2025.

Podcasts

How To Describe An Ass-Kicking

<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

Jamboroo

The Art Of Chilling

A Blue Whale swimming underwater is showing her tail fin

Cautious Whales Sing In A Whisper Orcas Cannot Hear

Everton supporters invade the pitch after James Tarkowski scores his sides second goal during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC at Goodison Park on February 12, 2025 in Liverpool, England.