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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

Philadelphia Eagles run the tush push for a first down during the game between the Miami Dolphins and the Philadelphia Eagles on October 22, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field.

Funbag

Banning The Tush Push Is A Chickenshit Idea

Soraya Roberts

Arts And Culture

‘Ludwig’ Gets Cozy With David Mitchell’s Limits

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

Dan McQuade

On a homer to right center by the Rockies’ Hunter Goodman, the Phillies and visiting team bullpens are visible on a TV broadcast. Both teams’ bullpens have doors in front of the benches for relievers to sit on, but most of them are open. There are also ads for Hatfield meats, Temple Health, the Pennsylvania Lottery ("Play to win!"), Independence Blue Cross, and Budweiser visible in the shot.

Philly Fan Hecklers Thwarted By Doors

Patrick Redford

Striking Touchstone route setters demonstrate in front of a California climbing gym.

Climbing

There’s No Climbing Without Route Setters, And They’re On Strike

Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and has written for The Guardian, The Second Serve, The Athletic, n+1, Texas Monthly, Air Mail, and other publications.

Owen Lewis

Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot against Jessica Pegula

Tennis

Aryna Sabalenka Is Thrillingly Imperfect

Dadfector

Why Your Children’s Toy Sucks: Playhut

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda #32 of the Texas Longhorns reacts in front of Hailey Van Lith #10 of the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Legacy Arena at the BJCC on March 31, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama.

College Basketball

Texas Cut TCU To Pieces

Bree Hall #23 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Legacy Arena at the BJCC on March 30, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks Are Escape Artists

David Roth

Willson Contreras On Eating Grip Tape: “It Was Disgusting. It Was A Bad Taste.”

Lauren Theisen

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux (9) disagrees with umpire Andy Fletcher who called him out on strikes in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium.

Life Isn’t Fair. Why Should The Strike Zone Be?

Kathryn Xu

Austin Wells of the New York Yankees hits a home run with a torpedo bat.

What Is The Deal With The Yankees’ Weird Bats?

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Spare A Thought For Baseball’s Poor Flailing Bozos

8 Nov 2001: Alex Wesby #23 of Temple and #50 of Florida jump for the ball during the game in the Coaches vs. Cancer IKON Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Florida won 72-64. The photo is cropped so you only see the heads and arms of both players. Wesby is facing the camera; Haslem is looking away from it.

Eliminate The Possession Arrow

Luis Paez-Pumar

Kyle Stowers #28 of the Miami Marlins receives a gatorade bath after hitting a walk off single to defeat Pittsburgh Pirates on their Opening Day game at loanDepot park on March 27, 2025 in Miami, Florida.

The Marlins Walk It Off, Again And Again And Again

Vivian Blaxell grew up in rural Australia and co-founded Tiresias House, Australia’s first shelter and resource centre for and by trans people. Her essay &#8220;Nuclear Cats&#8221; was shortlisted for the 2021 Melbourne Prize for Literature. She lives in Naarm/Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Vivian Blaxell

Coke Sign at corner of William Street and Kings Cross, Sydney

Book Excerpts That Don't Suck

“Get The Fuck Off This Corner. It’s Mine.”

Jordan Mailata #68 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with fans during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Championship Parade on February 14, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Crosswords

The Crossword, March 31: Rules Lawyer (Themeless)

Veronica de Souza

Drawing of an Interior: Atelier, 1857. Artist Anon. (Photo by Heritage Images via Getty Images)

Make It Nice

Introducing: Make It Nice

NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 29: Jon Scheyer head coach of the Duke Blue Devils has a laugh with Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils after winning the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament game against the Alabama Crimson Tide on March 29, 2025 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Cooper Flagg, wearing a hat and a blue Duke East Regional championship shirt has his hands over his face while Duke coach Scheyer has him in a half-hug with. a huge grin on his face. Scheyer is wearing the same shirt as Flagg, and the same hat too—only his is backwards.

Oh, No! They Made A Likable Duke Basketball Team

Ray Ratto

Ronald Holland II #00 of the Detroit Pistons and Donte DiVincenzo #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves fight in the second quarter. Holland II and DiVincenzo were ejected from the game at Target Center on March 30, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Season Is Too Long, And Everybody Is Cranky

UCLA Bruins gathers against the LSU Lady Tigers during the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Spokane Arena on March 30, 2025 in Spokane, Washington.

UCLA Finally Finds Its Place

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

Alysa Liu of United States competes in the Women´s Free Skating during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at the TD Garden on March 28, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. She is dressed in gold and pointing toward the sky with a smile on her face.

Figure Skating

Alysa Liu’s World Title Is More Than Just A Comeback

Tennessee Titans cheerleaders perform in "Luv ya Blue" jackets during a game between the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans, December 17, 2023 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

You Can’t Say Baby Blue Without “Baby”

Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees reacts after hitting a an RBI double in the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on March 27, 2025 in New York City.

Aaron Judge Destroys Pitchers, So Don’t Be A Pitcher And You’ll Be Fine

Elon Musk chats with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick as they walk with White House Communications Director Steven Cheung and White House deputy chief of staff for policy and US homeland security advisor Stephen Miller on the south lawn of the White House. Everyone absolutely looks like shit.