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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

Kathryn Xu

Red Bull's Dutch driver Max Verstappen (L) and Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli speak after their cars crashed.

Racing

Red Bull Stares Into The Abyss

Ray Ratto

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 28: Otto Lopez #6 of the Miami Marlins and Heriberto Hernandez #64 of the Miami Marlins celebrate after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 28, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images)

They Let The Fish Get Hot!!

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates as the the Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees 7-6 in game 5 to win the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City.

Crosswords

The Crossword, June 30: My Girls (Themeless)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 29: Luis Severino #40 of the Athletics pitches during the game between the Athletics and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, June 29, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Evan Yu/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Luis Severino And The A’s Can’t Wait For Luis Severino To Leave

ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 29: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals prepares to bat during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Sunday, June 29, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

James Wood If They’d Let Him

Tom Ley

Warren Schaeffer Hit A Crazy Stance

Richard Lovelady #57 of the New York Mets steps off the mound as Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning during the game at PNC Park on June 29, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Players-Only Meeting, Return Of Dicky Lovelady Not Enough To Turn Mets’ Fortunes Around

Dave McKenna

Meath players Seán Coffey, left, and Keith Curtis celebrate after the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final match between Meath and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin.

Gaelic Football

The All-Ireland Football Quarterfinals Were A Real Hoot

Malik Beasley #5 of the Detroit Pistons reacts in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Little Caesars Arena on April 27, 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.

Gambling

Malik Beasley’s Gambling Scandal Arrives At Worst Possible Time For Malik Beasley

Jake Paul (Red-Blue &amp; white short) and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (Red &amp; White short) exchange punches during their cruiserweight bout of the Premiere Boxing Championship on Saturday night at Honda Center in Anaheim of Los Angeles County, California United States on June 28, 2025.

The Fights

Nobody’s Better At Selling Shitty Fights Than Jake Paul

Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on during the CFP National Championship against the Washington Huskies on January 08, 2024 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

College Football

Jim Harbaugh Sued In Expanded Hacking Case

Samer Kalaf

Politics

Kirsten Gillibrand Has A Racist Meltdown Over Zohran Mamdani On Public Radio

Brandy Jensen

Alex Cooper, host of “Call Her Daddy” and founder of the Unwell Network, speaks during the New York Times annual DealBook

Arts And Culture

Call Her On Her Bullshit

Israel Daramola

Music

How Leaks Became The Last Vestige Of Communal Music Discovery

Barry Petchesky

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 22: Emergency backup goaltender Dave Ayres #90 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammates after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena on February 22, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)

The End Of EBUGs Means The End Of Dreams Coming True

Kelsey McKinney

black and white photo of a woman reading with glasses on

My New Glasses Have Ruined My Ability To Read! Help Me!

Albert Burneko

T.J. McConnell #9 of the Indiana Pacers drives to the basket against Alex Caruso #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in Game Five of the 2025 NBA Finals.

Fine, To Hell With It: A T.J. McConnell Appreciation Blog

Luis Paez-Pumar

A bloody hand in the foreground while someone walks in through a door in 'The Last Of Us Part II'

The Backlog

‘The Last Of Us Part II’ Insists There’s Artistry In All Of Its Violence

David Roth

Oklahoma City Thunder players celebrate with the Larry O'Brien trophy after winning Game Seven of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center on June 22, 2025.

Podcasts

The Agony Of Victory, With Ray Ratto

Jacob Wilson #5 of the Athletics during the game against the Houston Astro.

I Am Sick And Tired Of These Normie Gamer Athletes

Patrick Redford

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 25: Ace Bailey (R) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver (L) after being drafted fifth overall by the Utah Jazz during the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

After All That, Ace Bailey Ends Up In Utah

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Jacob Misiorowski throws a pitch against the Pirates.

Mighty Brewers Lad Out-Duels Paul Skenes

Yang Hansen speaks to the media after being drafted 16th oveall by the Memphis Grizzlies then traded to the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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.

The NBA Draft Provides Blessed Phrases Like “Chinese Jokic”

Annie Howard is a journalist and historian based in Chicago. She is currently at work on her debut manuscript, The City Made Me Trans.

Annie Howard

Chloe Dzubilo And The Perilous Path Forward For Trans Life

New York mayoral candidate, State Rep. Zohran Mamdani (D-NY) (L) is joined by fellow mayoral candidate Brad Lander during an election night gathering