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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.

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Defector

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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

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) walks back towards the senate side of the building at the U.S. Capitol on March 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. Tensions have flared over the shutdown within the Democratic caucus after Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced Thursday that he will vote to advance a House-passed six-month government funding bill, despite opposition from many Democrats who argue it would create a "slush fund" for former President Trump and Elon Musk.

schumer

Margin Of Error

Chuck Schumer Is Responsible

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Ray Ratto

Hayden Gray #3, Justin Rochelin #5, and Yaqub Mir #22 of the UC San Diego Tritons celebrate after their team's 75-61 victory against the UC Irvine Anteaters to win the Big West Men's Basketball Tournament on March 15, 2025.

UC Irvine v UC San Diego

College Basketball

And Now It Is March

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Alexander Isak of Newcastle United F.C. celebrate with fans after scoring the second goal during the Carabao Cup Final between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on March 16, 2025 in London, England.

Liverpool v Newcastle United – Carabao Cup Final

Soccer

Newcastle Exposed The Cracks In Liverpool’s Armor

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Lauren Theisen

Head coach Travis DeCuire of the Montana Grizzlies talks with the team during a time out against the Northern Colorado Bears the Big Sky Conference Championshi

Montana vs Northern Colorado – Big Sky Conference Championship

You Should Only Get One Timeout In Basketball

Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski and Vivien Leigh as Blanche Du Bois in a scene from the 1951 film A Streetcar Named Desire

Scene from A Streetcar Named Desire

Arts And Culture

Four Blanches

Drivers take the start during the Australian Formula One Grand Prix

TOPSHOT-AUTO-PRIX-F1-AUS

Racing

The F1 Season Got Off To A Very Wet And Very Wild Start

Matt Hardigree

ROAR_Nationals_Photos – 15

The RC Car Racing Nationals Is Where Racing Gets Small

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Albert Burneko

chop

Animals

For Chop

Dan MacKinnon of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates by hoisting the Stanley Cup after his teams 3-1 victory to win the Stanley Cup in 2016. This is not a photo of him after trading his son to the Columbus Blue Jackets for future considerations.

2016 NHL Stanley Cup Final – Game Six

Heartwarming: Hockey Executive Trades Son For Future Considerations

bh def prof pic

Billy Haisley

Real Madrid players celebrate at the end of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid at Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain on March 12, 2025. Real Madrid won in a penalty shootout.

Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid – UEFA Champions League

Real Madrid Is A Monster, And Every Derby Is Halloween

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<div><span id="m_-2092141782617832424gmail-docs-internal-guid-bb27737d-7fff-3697-05d8-6ce69444e1e4">Mike Sielski is the author of four books, including Magic in the Air: The Myth, the Mystery, and the Soul of the Slam Dunk and The Rise: Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality. He has been a sports columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer and Inquirer.com since 2013 and was formerly a reporter at The Wall Street Journal.</span></div>
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Mike Sielski

David Lattin (42) and a Texas Western teammate compete for control of a rebound as Kentucky's Tommy Kron, left, and Pat Riley , right, look on during the 1966 NCAA Photos via Getty Images Championship. Texas Western defeated Kentucky 72-65 for the championship title and was the first team to have an.. all-.black starting five compete in the NCAA final

NCAA Photos Archive

Book Excerpts That Don't Suck

How The Dunk Was Banned

Dave McKenna

Screenshot 2025-03-14 at 9.05.45 AM

John Feinstein Never Stopped Doing Everything

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Kathryn Xu

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari waves to the crowd from the stage during F1 75 Live at The O2 Arena on February 18, 2025 in London, England.

F1 75 Live – Show

A Timely And Frankly Too Thorough 2025 Formula 1 Season Preview

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


Typing

Sabrina Imbler

1990s Single Male Anna Hummingbird Calypte Anna Western USA And Canada (Photo by T. Ulrich/Classicstock/Getty Images)

Hummingbird

Creaturefector

The Hummingbirds Brought Me Around

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David Roth

New York Jets running back Zonovan Knight (27) catches a pass from New York Jets quarterback Mike White (5) during the NFL game between the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings on December 4th, 2022.

NFL: DEC 04 Jets at Vikings

Podcasts

Yearning For The Mike White Era, With Jasper Wang

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Tom Ley

North Carolina Tar Heels football head coach Bill Belichick and his girlfriend Jordon Hudson look on during the first half of the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils at Dean E. Smith Center on March 08, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Duke v North Carolina

Life's Rich Pageant

Bill Belichick: Please Email My Girlfriend

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Barry Petchesky

WASHINGTON - APRIL 20: A worker looks for defective bills in the sheets of newly printed twenty dollar bills as they are prepared for distribution to financial institutions April 20, 2005 at the Department of the Treasury Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, DC. Regardless of its denomination, a bill, or banknote, costs 6 cents to produce. A dollar bill lasts about 22 months. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

U.S. Treasury Re-Designs Dollar Notes

Overexplained Lists

United States Dollar Bills, Ranked

<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>


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Drew Magary

Aaron Rodgers #8 of the New York Jets reacts after throwing an interception against the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium on January 05, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Miami Dolphins v New York Jets

Report: Aaron Rodgers “Open” To Possessing God-Like Dominion Over Earth, Sea

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Diana Taurasi #3 of the Phoenix Mercury reacts during the first quarter against the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena on June 04, 2024 in Seattle, Washington

Phoenix Mercury v Seattle Storm

WNBA

Who Had Diana?

Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 Second Leg match between FC Barcelona and SL Benfica at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on March 11, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.

FC Barcelona v SL Benfica – UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 Second Leg

Lamine Yamal Wows On Accident And On Purpose

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Patrick Redford

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 08: Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils looks over the court during the first half of the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Dean E. Smith Center on March 08, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Where Should Cooper Flagg End Up?

Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers stands on the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in January of 2025.

San Francisco 49ers v Arizona Cardinals

The San Francisco 49ers Are Closing The Window

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Kelsey McKinney

President Trump Speaks Alongside Tesla Vehicles At The White House

Politics

There Should Be Consequences For Filming A Tesla Ad At The White House

(L-R) Bari Weiss, The Free Press Founder, Peter Thiel, and Matt Danzeisen attend Inauguration Eve hosted by Uber, X and The Free Press at Cafe Riggs on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC.

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