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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

NYC: Come To Our WNBA Comedy Show On July 15

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Live Event

Dave McKenna

LOS ANGELES - 1966: Singer and mastermind Brian Wilson of the rock and roll band "The Beach Boys" directs from the control room while recording the album "Pet Sounds" in 1966 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Recording “Pet Sounds”

Music

Brian Wilson Was A Sad Genius Who Brought Joy To The World

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Tom Ley

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball against Andrew Nembhard #2 of the Indiana Pacers during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 11, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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.

2025 NBA Finals – Game Three

Not So Funny When Someone’s Doing That Shit To You, Is It?

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


Typing

Sabrina Imbler

a headshot of Laura Mata López, a psychiatric nurse and doctoral student at Johns Hopkins University

Laura Mata Feb 2025-15

Interviews

An Interview With A Psychiatric Nurse Whose Research Funding Was Cut By The Trump Administration

headshot

Barry Petchesky

Pope Leo XIV (C) reacts wearing a Chicago White Sox baseball team cap as he meets newly wedded couples during the weekly general audience in St Peter's Square at the Vatican on June 11, 2025. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-AUDIENCE

Life's Rich Pageant

Chicago Man Wears White Sox Cap To Work

(L-R) U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) react during the second day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 16, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party's presidential nomination. The RNC takes place from July 15-18.

2024 Republican National Convention: Day 2

Politics

This Party Sucks

<p>Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in <i data-stringify-type="italic">The Normal School</i>, <i data-stringify-type="italic">New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review</i>, and elsewhere.</p>


Jae Towle Vieira headshot

Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

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Podcasts

Everyone Will Be Abuzz About The Season 8 Finale

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.09</p>


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Chris Thompson

Roman Anthony

BWOOP BWOOP BWOOP! Now The Red Sox Have Summoned A Mighty Lad

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Kathryn Xu

al Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates in the dugout with a trident after hitting a home run.

calRaleighBigDumperEtc

The Rime Of The Big Dumper, Or How And In What Manner Cal Raleigh Became A Bona Fide Slugger

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David Roth

Denzel Clarke of the Athletics makes an amazing catch and nearly vaults over the wall during the game between the Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Monday, June 9, 2025.

Athletics v. Los Angeles Angels

I Think This Is The Best Catch I’ve Ever Seen

A Toys R Us store that was shuttered in 2018 is seen on June 21, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. The company was bought and destroyed by private equity.

Toys R Us Store In Orlando

Megan Greenwell On Living Under And Outside Of Private Equity, The Invasive Species Eating American Life

<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

Mike Patton from Faith No More performs at 2015 Rock in Rio on September 25, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

2015 Rock in Rio – Day 05

Funbag

In This House We Believe Faith No More Is One Of The Most Important Bands In History

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Patrick Redford

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 21: Veronica Burton (center) #22 of the Golden State Valkyries celebrates with her team after the Valkyries beat the Washington Mystics at Chase Center on May 21, 2025 in San Francisco, California. 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Washington Mystics v Golden State Valkyries

WNBA

The Golden State Valkyries Are Beloved And Ahead Of Schedule

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Lauren Theisen

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 09: A plastic rat is seen on the ice after the Florida Panthers 6-1 victory in Game Three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 09, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

2025 Stanley Cup Final – Game Three

Brad Marchand Is Still A Royal Pain In The Ass

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Israel Daramola

GettyImages-2158145760

Is This An Era Of Cultural Stagnation?


<p>Investigations Editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99</p>


DFM New Headshot

Diana Moskovitz

Marc Maron performing stand up comedy. He is sitting on a stool and holding a microphone

Marc Maron: All In Tour

Arts And Culture

There Will Never Be Another ‘WTF With Marc Maron’

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 09: Jonah Gadjovich #12 of the Florida Panthers tangles with Darnell Nurse #25 of the Edmonton Oilers during the third period of Game Three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 09, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Panthers Are Having A Laugh

Darragh Fitzgibbon of Cork scores a point from a '65 in the last play of extra-time to send the match to a penalty shoot-out during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship final match between Limerick and Cork at LIT Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

Limerick v Cork – Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Final

Hurling

Cork Whoops Limerick, Proving Hurling Shootouts Aren’t Ass

HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 04: Aaron Wiggins #21 of the Oklahoma City Thunder brings the ball up court in the first half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on April 04, 2025 in Houston, Texas. 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 Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Oklahoma City Thunder v Houston Rockets

Aaron Wiggins Is The Key To Understanding OKC’s Revolutionary Depth

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Kelsey McKinney

Mia Scott, wearing the all white Texas uniforms, runs between second and third base.

NCAA Division I Softball Championships

College Softball

My Queen Mia Scott Is A National Champion

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Nuno Mendes of Portugal runs to the ball during the UEFA Nations League 2025 final match between Portugal and Spain at Munich Football Arena on June 08, 2025 in Munich, Germany.

Portugal v Spain – UEFA Nations League 2025 Final

Soccer

Nuno Mendes Made The Nations League Worth The Hassle

Joy Binion, formerly a social science analyst at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMSHA

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An Interview With A Terminated Analyst At The Substance Abuse And Mental Health Administration


<p>Rose Eveleth is the host of the podcast&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flashforwardpod.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flash Forward</a>, and author of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flashforwardpod.com/book/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the book by the same name</a>.&nbsp;<br></p>


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Rose Eveleth

The Orlando Valkyries celebrate winning the 2025 PVF championship

Orlando Trophy WIN-34

Volleyball

The Battle For Professional Volleyball Has Officially Begun

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Skylar Diggins #4 of the Seattle Storm reacts during the third quarter of a 2025 Commissioner's Cup game against the Las Vegas Aces at Climate Pledge Arena on June 01, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.

Las Vegas Aces v Seattle Storm

Crosswords

The Crossword, June 9: Yes, Chef!

EDMONTON, AB - JUNE 06: Edmonton Oilers Center Connor McDavid (97) races towards the puck in the third period in game two of Stanley Cup Final Edmonton Oilers game versus the Florida Panthers on June 06, 2025 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

NHL: JUN 06 Stanley Cup Final Panthers at Oilers

We Don’t Speak Connor McDavid

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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

Andrew Cuomo speaks in the New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary Debate at NBC Studios on June 4, 2025 in New York City.

andrew cuomo

Margin Of Error

Andrew Cuomo Is Garbage

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