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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

Ray Ratto

WINNIPEG, CANADA - MAY 4: Winnipeg Jets players salute the fans following a 4-3 double overtime victory over the St. Louis Blues in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Canada Life Centre on May 4, 2025 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

They’ll Talk About That One In Winnipeg Forever

Brandy Jensen

Arts And Culture

‘The Settlers’ Makes Louis Theroux Say What He Thinks

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

three bone collector caterpillars, which are caterpillars covered in the bodies of insects they've eaten

Creaturefector

The Very Grisly Caterpillar

a close-up shot of a large gray bird called a harpy eagle looking unrepentant in a tree

Yes, I Attacked That Woman, And I’d Do It Again

Tom Ley

Russell Westbrook (4) of the Denver Nuggets goes berzerk after dunking and taking a technical for hanging on the rim theatrically during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 120-101 series-clinching win over the LA Clippers at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The Denver Nuggets defeated the LA Clippers 4-3 in their best-of-seven NBA Playoffs series.

Nikola Jokic’s Friends Showed Up When He Needed Them Most

David Roth

Donald Trump and Terry Moran in conversation in the extremely cluttered Oval Office during an ABC News interview.

Politics

Talking To The President

ST PAUL, MINNESOTA - MAY 01: in the third period of Game Six of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xcel Energy Center on May 01, 2025 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)

Wild Fans, This Is Just Your Life Now

Dave McKenna

HBO Sports boxing commentator Jim Lampley provides commentary as he previews the upcoming WBC Heavyweight Championship fight for television viewers between James Toney and Hasim Rahman at Boardwalk Hall on March 18, 2006 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The Fights

Jim Lampley Knows Friday Night’s Alright For Fighting

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

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 10: J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up before the pre-season game against Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Vikings Belong To J.J. McCarthy Now, As Does My Cold Black Heart

Lauren Theisen

Pro Wrestling

I Went To Japan To See One Building

Luis Paez-Pumar

Cloud Strife in 'Final Fantasy VII Remake'

The Backlog

‘Final Fantasy VII Remake’ Tore Down The Past To Build A New Future

Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrates after making a three-point basket late during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 01, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. 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.

Jalen Brunson Got Away Clean

Claire Sneed, a recently fired US Forest Service hydrologic technician

Interviews

An Interview With A Fired U.S. Forest Service Hydrologic Technician

Owner Steve Ballmer of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts against the Denver Nuggets during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs.

Podcasts

I’m Feeling Like Steve, With Patrick Redford

Barry Petchesky

UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 30: Saturn, by Jamie Cooper. This image showing Saturn with six of it's moons was taken on 26th January 2006 at 22:11 hrs UT using a webcam attached to a 14 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. The moons are from left to right: Titan, Mimas,Tethys, Rhea, Enceladus and Dione. (Photo by Jamie Cooper/SSPL/Getty Images)

Why Is This So Good?

I Implore You To Look At Saturn Through A Telescope

Lamine Yamal right winger of Barcelona and Spain celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final First Leg match between FC Barcelona and FC Internazionale Milano at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on April 30, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.

Soccer

On A Spectacular Night, Lamine Yamal Shone Brightest

Samer Kalaf

Bill Belichick in a ragged sweatshirt on CBS Sunday Morning

College Football

Bill Belichick’s Shit Isn’t Flying Anymore

Kate Wagner

Capital

Mark Zuckerberg Still Can’t Buy Taste

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Big Lakers Ambitions Squished By, Of All People, Rudy Gobert

Journalism, who is a horse, is washed during the morning training for the 151th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 30, 2025.

Horse Racing

Are You Sure You Want To Bet On Journalism?

A fan sits alone in the purple row of seats that are exactly on mile above sea level during a game between the Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 23, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Houston Astros 8-6.

Which Towering Dinger In Denver Is Jerry Dipoto Actually Talking About?

Kathryn Xu

José Azocar #28, Tyrone Taylor #15, and Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets celebrate after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field.

It’s All Coming Up Mets

Patrick Redford

Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets sits on the bench after notching his 40th point during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 131-115 win over the LA Clippers

Jamal Murray Was Arrogant And Generous Enough To Craft Another Classic

Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in The Normal School, New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review, and elsewhere.

Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

A Run-In With The Mysterious Steve

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 29: John Tavares #91, Max Domi #11 and Scott Laughton #24 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warm-up before Game Five of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Ottawa Senators at the Scotiabank Arena on April 29, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)