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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

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Kelsey McKinney

very bright sun in the middle of cloudless blue sky

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The Great Outdoors

Get Ready For Inside Week In America

Joe Flynn is a writer based in the D.C. area.

Joe Flynn

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks. He looks like a photographic negative and is grimacing. Skin the color of a hot dog.

Agriculture Secretary Rollins Holds Make America Healthy Again Event With HHS Secretary Kennedy

Politics

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Will Not Let My Daughter Be

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Barry Petchesky

A small group of demonstrators protests outside the entrance of Dodger Stadium on the night of the team's June 19 game.

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The Dodgers Can’t Sit This Moment Out

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Ray Ratto

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JUNE 19: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers dunks against Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in Game Six of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 19, 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. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

2025 NBA Finals – Game Six

The Finals Have Given Us Everything But An Ending

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David Roth

Photo taken on Jan. 12, 2023 shows a closed store of Big Lots at King Square Center in Arvada, Northwest of Denver.

U.S.-ARVADA-BIG LOTS-CLOSED STORE

Podcasts

A Fine Balance Between Evil And Stupid, With Kelsey McKinney And Megan Greenwell

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Defector Staff

Denver's Juneteenth celebration is back as organizers name the event "Juneteenth 2008: The Rebirth. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States as slaves in Galveston, Texas learned that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier. Denver used to have one of the largest gatherings, and this year community leaders- including former Mayor Wellington Webb- worked to bring the festival back. There is a parade along with musical performers and entertainment for the kids. The Showstarz Cheer team perform acrobatics along the route. Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post (Photo By Kathryn Scott Osler/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Denver’s Juneteenth celebration

Announcements

Your Juneteenth Open Thread

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Sabrina Imbler

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 27: Former United States Agency for International Development (USAID) employees terminated after the Trump administration dismantled the agency collect their personal belongings at the USAID headquarters on February 27, 2025 in Washington, DC. Thousands of (USAID) workers who have been fired or placed on leave have been given a 15 minutes window to clear out their workspace after the Trump administration, under the guidance of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), shuttered the agency.

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Interviews

Meet The Civil Servants Under Attack By The Trump Administration

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase (left) talks with guard Carla Leite (right) during the second quarter of a WNBA game between the Golden State Valkyries and Dallas Wings on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at College Park Center in Arlington, TX.

WNBA: JUN 17 Golden State Valkyries at Dallas Wings

WNBA

The WNBA Had Too Much Going On Last Night

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Kathryn Xu

New York Yankees Left Fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) steals second base with Los Angeles Angels Shortstop Zach Neto (9) catching the throw.

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Will The Yankees Ever Score Another Run? No

In the shadows, c.1920. Private Collection. Creator: Cucuel, Edward (1875-1954).

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Arts And Culture

Books We Think You Should Read This Summer

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Patrick Redford

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 23: United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino, Christian Pulisic #10, and Tyler Adams #4 on the field after playing Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League third place match at SoFi Stadium on March 23, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

United States v Canada: Third Place Match – CONCACAF Nations League

Soccer

The USMNT Is Going Nowhere

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Albert Burneko

AI-Powered Robot interacts with People during the Italian Tech Week 2024 at OGR Officine Grandi Riparazioni on September 26, 2024 in Turin, Italy.

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Capital

Toward A Theory Of Kevin Roose

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.09

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Chris Thompson

William Langewiesche

Journalismism

Each William Langewiesche Disaster Story Was An Event In Itself

President Trump, sitting alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and First Lady Melania Trump, observe U.S. Army tanks traveling down Pennsylvania Avenue, during a celebration of the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary on Flag Day, June 14, 2025.

250 Military Parade Coverage

Against The Day

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 17: Kasperi Kapanen #42 of the Edmonton Oilers reacts after losing to the Florida Panthers 5-1 in Game Six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 17, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

2025 Stanley Cup Final – Game Six

It’s Getting Dark In Edmonton

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE17: Sam Reinhart #13 of the Florida Panthers lifts the cup in the locker room during their team celebration after beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game Six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at the Amerant Bank Arena on June 17, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

Edmonton Oilers v Florida Panthers – Game Six

The Panthers Grind All Before Them To Dust

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.

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Drew Magary

Kris Humphries Celebrates His Bachelor Party at LAVO

Funbag

Bachelor Parties Are Strictly Optional

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Luis Paez-Pumar

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald J. Trump sign a football during a World Cup 2026 ceremony after a state dinner at the Lusail Palace on May 14, 2025, in Doha, Qatar.

President Trump Makes First Middle East Trip Of His Second Term

FIFA Says Yes To Racism

San Francisco Giants’ President Buster Posey talks to the media before Giants play San Diego Padres during MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

San Francisco Giants play San Diego Padres During MLB Game At Oracle Park In San Francisco

Buster Posey Made The Big Deal Giants Fans Have Been Waiting For

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to a San Diego Padres batter during the first inning.

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Shohei Ohtani Is Getting Back To Abnormal

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Lauren Theisen

2025 Stanley Cup Final – Game Three

Nobody Knows Who The Oilers Should Start At Goalie In The Most Important Game Of The Season

The author can be reached at postpostdoc@protonmail.com.

Post-Postdoc

This photo taken on January 4, 2022 shows a vehicle with Luminar LiDAR based Proactive Safety pre-collision braking crash avoidance technology (R) stopping to avoid a child-sized test dummy as it is demonstrated on a test track, while a Tesla Model Y collides with the test dummy (L) at the Las Vegas Convention Center ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. - As it pursues the goal of fully autonomous driving, Tesla has bet entirely on cameras and artificial intelligence, shunning other commonly used tools such as laser detection.

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The Machines

When An AI Agent Tries To Kill You, Who Goes To Jail?

Jalen Williams

The Thunder Are Sharpening Their Knives

Rep. April McClain Delaney, D-Md., speaks during a rally outside National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration headquarters to oppose the recent worker firings, in Sliver Spring, Md., on Monday, March 3, 2025

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