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Defector

Barry Petchesky

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 04: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates after scoring his 894th career NHL goal in the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena on April 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. Ovechkin's goal ties him with Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goal scoring record. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Ovechkin Skates Down Gretzky

Patrick Redford

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 30: (L-R) Phoenix Suns player Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer and owner Mat Ishbia attend the game between the Phoenix Mercury and the Indiana Fever at Footprint Center on June 30, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Fever defeated the Mercury 88-82. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Here Lie The Phoenix Suns, Who Did It All Wrong

Kelsey McKinney

Media Meltdowns

Patrick McAfee You Are 37 Years Old

Tom Ley

Ja Morant (R #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts with teammate Scotty Pippen Jr. #1 during the third quarter against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on April 03, 2025 in Miami, Florida. 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.

Ja Morant Will Not Stop Doing His Little Gun Thing

<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">Marc Normandin currently writes on baseball’s labor issues and more at </span><a style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif" href="http://marcnormandin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://marcnormandin.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1758998321491000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ZpjG5RUFwdpapWqR1u4bd">marcnormandin.com</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">, which you can read for free but support </span><a style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif" href="https://www.patreon.com/marcnormandin">through his Patreon</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">. His baseball writing has appeared at FOX Sports, SB Nation, Defector, Global Sport Matters, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Sports on Earth, The Guardian, The Nation, FAIR, and TalkPoverty, and you can read his takes on video games at Retro XP and Endless Mode.</span></p>
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Marc Normandin

Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting speaks during the 2024 Pirates Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony before the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on August 24, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is kind of shrugging and looks like he is wearing a disguise somehow.

Are The Pittsburgh Pirates Really In Dire Straits?

Ray Ratto

Decorative bunting blows in the wind at Sutter Health Park which is decked out in opening day decorations for the A’s home opener in Sacramento, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2025.

West Sacramento Has The A’s, Whether They Want Them Or Not

A FanDuel gambling advertisement on the exterior of a building prior to Super Bowl LIX on February 08, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs will face each other on Sunday.

Gambling

Baltimore Sues DraftKings And FanDuel For Exploiting Gamblers

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


Sabrina Imbler

a photo of Tara Kerin, an infectious disease epidemiologist who lost her job as a result of the DOGE layoffs

Interviews

An Interview With An Epidemiologist Who Lost Her Job Because Of The DOGE Layoffs

Israel Daramola

Listening Habits

Gangsta Grillz Is Forever


<p>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</p>


Diana Moskovitz

TCU Horned Frogs forward Sedona Prince (#13) dribbles up court during the Big 12 college basketball game between the TCU Horned Frogs and Baylor Bears on January 26, 2025 at Ed &amp; Rae Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

College Basketball

The Silence Surrounding Sedona Prince Is A Look Into Sports’ Future

<div>Paola Rosa-Aquino is a freelance journalist covering science, space and the environment. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, she now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her canine co-worker Cece.</div>
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Paola Rosa-Aquino

Flames are seen after Starship's Super Heavy Booster splashed down for a water landing off the coast of, Texas, on its sixth flight test on November 19, 2024. SpaceX aborted an attempt to catch the first stage booster of its Starship megarocket in the "chopstick" arms of its launch tower, opting instead for an ocean splashdown, a live feed showed November 19. The hitch came as President-elect Donald Trump joined SpaceX chief Elon Musk at the company's Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas to watch the test flight, the latest sign of the budding bromance between the two billionaires. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Science

We’re Littering The Earth With Space Trash

David Roth

Paige Bueckers exults in a basket under the basket against the USC Trojans during the Elite Eight round of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at Spokane Arena on March 31, 2025.

Podcasts

Where’d She Go To College? With Maitreyi Anantharaman

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Michael Townsend descends the stairs from the space where the secret mall apartment used to be.

Arts And Culture

Watching ‘Secret Mall Apartment’ In The Secret Apartment Mall

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

With Two Hits, Rafael Devers Makes Dylan Crews Mayor Of Bozo Town

Team Visma-Lease a Bike's Belgian rider Wout van Aert (C) reacts at the end of the men's elite race 'Dwars Door Vlaanderen', 184,2 km from Roeselare to Waregem, on April 2, 2025. (Photo by DIRK WAEM / Belga / AFP) / Belgium OUT

Cycling

Wout van Aert Tried So Hard To Win, He Forgot Not To Lose

<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

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell on the show Hard Knocks

You Say You’re A Dawg, But Are You A Motherfucker?

Mark Asch

In Praise Of ‘The Pitt,’ The Most Normal Show On Television

Photo of Val Kilmer signing a movie poster.

Remembering Val Kilmer In Five Movies

Kathryn Xu

Defector Reads A Book

‘The Artist’s Way’ Week 12: Is Julia Cameron Wrong?

Jarred Kelenic #24 of the Atlanta Braves is forced out at second base by Tommy Edman #25 of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Braves May Never Win A Game

looks on during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies on April 1, 2025. His mouthpiece is hanging out of his mouth and he looks faintly sinister in how delighted he seems.

Steph Curry Went Off, Again

Albert Burneko

The Golden Gate Bridge and Downtown San Francisco are seen from the Marin Headlands during a brief rain break near Sausalito, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025.

This Is So Stupid

Tech CEO: Do Not Say To Me That I Was Not Just Assassinated By The Jackal

Lauren Theisen

Jordan Binnington #50 of the St. Louis Blues reacts after winning against the Detroit Red Wings

What The Heck Got Into The Blues?

Russell Westbrook #4 of the Denver Nuggets fouls Nickeil Alexander-Walker #9 of the Minnesota Timberwolves on a three point attempt as time expires in the double overtime period resulting in a game winning free throw by Alexander-Walker at Ball Arena on April 1, 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.

Noooo, Russell Westbrook, Don’t Do That! Nooooo, Don’t Do That Either!

<p>John Loeppky is a freelance writer and theatre artist currently based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. His work has appeared for outlets such as FiveThirtyEight, CBC, and <em>Maclean’s</em>.</p>


John Loeppky

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 07: Wheelchair basketball athletes Natalie Schneider of Team USA, Zoie Voris of the Arlington Lady Movin' Mavs, Hayley Nielsen #20 of Arizona and and Josie Aslakson #7 of Team USA compete at halftime during the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship between the Iowa Hawkeyes and South Carolina Gamecocks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 07, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)