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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

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Former President Barack Obama greets head coach Tyronn Lue of the Los Angeles Clippers ahead of the game against the Detroit Pistons at Intuit Dome on March 05, 2025 in Inglewood, California.

Crosswords

The Crossword, March 10: Double Speak

Barry Petchesky

TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees throws a warm up pitch in the second inning during a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 28, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

Spring Training Is An Attack On Me Personally

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

Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks meets with head coach Pete Carroll in the third quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lumen Field on November 27, 2022 in Seattle, Washington.

Tom Brady’s Vision For The 2025 Raiders Looks An Awful Lot Like The 2023 Seahawks

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Evan Mobley drives past Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Cavaliers Are Now Playing With Their Food

Samer Kalaf

Browns Convince Myles Garrett To Stay For Yet Another Rebuild

Patrick Redford

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 03: Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 03, 2025 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

College Basketball

Cooper Flagg Has Had A Season For The Ages

Celtics Bring Lakers Back Down To Earth

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Stephen Curry (4) of Team USA in action during Men's Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day fifteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aytac Unal/Anadolu via Getty Images)

‘Court Of Gold’ Is Brilliant When It Gets Specific

Giri Nathan

Draymond Green smiles at a press conference after being told that Karl-Anthony Towns did not miss a game because he was scared of Jimmy Butler, per Green's speculation, but because of the death of a family friend

Draymond Green Pivots From Slander To Depraved Podcast Promo

Luis Paez-Pumar

The Backlog

‘Like A Dragon’ Breathed New Life Into The ‘Yakuza’ Series

Mark Asch

Interviews

‘Eephus’ Director Carson Lund On Baseball As A Way Of Being

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

a photo of Sabrina Valenti, formerly a budget analyst for NOAA. Sabrina has brown curly hair and is standing against a floral background.

An Interview With A Fired NOAA Budget Analyst

Israel Daramola

Music

To Live And Age In Rap Music

Alex Prewitt is a writer in Brooklyn. He shoots free throws the normal way.

Alex Prewitt

How “Ball Don’t Lie” Became More Than A Basketball Mantra

David Roth

Vice President JD Vance speaks during a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border on March 5, 2025 in Eagle Pass, Texas. His eyes are closed and he looks like he's singing. Beard looks like shit.

Podcasts

Live From The Bad Times, With Denny Carter

DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 5: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets reacts for the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Ball Arena on March 5, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Tyler McFarland/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images)

JJ Redick Invented A New Way To Defend Nikola Jokic, And It’s Working

Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington being held at gun point in the control room in a scene from the film 'Crimson Tide', 1995.

Arts And Culture

A Small Gene Hackman Memory for You

Kelsey McKinney

Ah, Jeez: Goodbye Ball! Goodbye Again! Goodbye A Third Time!

Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper #01 Alisson (C) dives to punch the ball during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) and Liverpool (ENG) at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on March 5, 2025.

Soccer

Liverpool Pulled Off The Heist Of The Season

Ray Ratto

Darius Garland reacts during the first half against the Miami Heat

The Cavaliers Are Going To Take Some Getting Used To

Lauren Theisen

Tom Wilson #43 of the Washington Capitals scores in overtime

Alex Ovechkin Is Getting All The Help He Needs

Robert Pastore

New York correctional officers and sergeants continue their strike for a second week outside of the Coxsackie Correctional Facility on February 28, 2025 in Coxsackie, Greene, New York.

Policing

What The Corrections Officer Strike Means To Incarcerated People Like Me

Albert Burneko

A mugger approaches two victims, holding out his hat, ostensibly to beg, but carrying a large club in his other hand, circa 1790. The image is captioned: 'Honest friend, I'll borrow a little silver of you. He who hath gold hath fear. He who hath none hath sorrow'.

This Is So Stupid

Not Enough People Are Taking The Wallet Inspector Seriously

Creaturefector

Do Not Be Bamboozled By The New Fluffy Mouse

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

Diana Moskovitz

A photo of three women's basketball players. They all stand with their backs to the camera. On the back of their shirts are the 37 words that make up Title IX, the law that gave women equal access to school sports