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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

<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

A gallery assistant looks at a vintage horn gramophone belonging to John Peel during a photo call for highlights from Bonhams Live In Session: Property From The John Peel Archive sale which takes place on Tuesday June 14 at Bonhams in London. Picture date: Friday June 10, 2022.

Bonhams John Peel sale

Funbag

I Listen To Music Wrong

John Saward

Outfielder Dave Parker #39 of the Pittsburgh Pirates swings and watches the flight of his ball against the Chicago Cubs during a circa 1970's Major League Baseball game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Parker played for the Pirates from 1973-83.

Pittsburgh Pirates v Chicago Cubs

Dave Parker’s Great Bounty

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Giri Nathan

Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria gets an injury in the Gentlemen's Singles Fourth Round match against Jannik Sinner of Italy on day eight of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 07, 2025 in London, England.

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Tennis

On The Brink Of A Defining Victory, Grigor Dimitrov’s Body Failed Him

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Ray Ratto

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Arts And Culture

Sure, We Gained Our Independence, But We Lost The Ability To Make Anything As Good As ‘Taskmaster’

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Kelsey McKinney

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Climate

The Floodwaters Are Rising


<p>Visual Editor. Runs <a href="http://defectorstore.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defectorstore.com</a>. Philadelphia-based, if you couldn’t tell.</p>


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Dan McQuade

A cat on a fake baseball card. He's grey and little and next to a keyboard. There is a wood border around the card, with the Toledo Mud Hens logo in the corner, and a Defector logo in the other corner, and WEBLEY: Toledo Mud Hens

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Creaturefector

The Newest Toledo Mud Hen Is A Purrfect Midseason Addition

<p>Alex Tey is a writer, photographer, and birdwatcher living in Queens, New York. Alex is short for Alexandra.</p>


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Alex Tey

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Life's Rich Pageant

The Anti-Fascist Power Of Trans Women Wrestling In Nacho Cheese

<p>Becky Ferreira is a science reporter based in Ithaca, N.Y. She writes <a href="https://www.404media.co/author/becky/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.404media.co/author/becky/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1740083778769000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3_mk31dNhas5lklZb38a6k">The Abstract</a>, a weekly science column for 404 Media. Her book <em>First Contact</em>, about the search for alien life, will be out in fall 2025.</p>


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Becky Ferreira

Sun over dying Earth. Illustration of the Sun, around 5 billion years in the future, heating a dying Earth. The oceans have evaporated, leaving salt-encrusted rocks. The Moon is seen passing in front of the massively swollen Sun. This stage of the Sun's life, known as its red giant stage, will begin when the Sun exhausts the hydrogen fuel in its core. It will then begin burning hydrogen in a shell surrounding the core, causing the Sun to expand. The expanding Sun will engulf the inner planets, and possibly the Earth. If the Earth survives this stage of the death of the Sun, it will freeze as the Sun collapses into a white dwarf star.

Red giant Sun, illustration

Science

Are You Team Fiery Sun Death Or Team Lifeless Husk?

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Samer Kalaf

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Journalismism

Jim Spanfeller Somehow Worse At Writing Than Running A Media Company

WEST PALM BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez (4), left, with GM Mike Rizzo during the second day of full squad workouts at the Nationals training facility on February 22, 2023 in West Palm Beach, FL. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Nationals spring training

Mark Lerner Stops Neglecting The Nationals Long Enough To Fire Everyone

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Summer McIntosh is interviewed by NBC Sports Nicole Auerbach after winning the Women's 400 Meter Individual Medley Final on Day 3 of the TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont at FMC Natatorium on March 07, 2025 in Westmont, Illinois

Crosswords

The Crossword, July 7: Tennis, Anyone?

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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

Donald Trump looks up at the new flag on the south lawn of the White House on July 06, 2025 in Washington, DC.

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Margin Of Error

Totally Petty

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Kathryn Xu

Third placed Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber sprays Champagne on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain.

F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain

Racing

239th Time’s The Charm For Nico Hülkenberg

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Barry Petchesky

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 26: Baseball: World Series, Chicago White Sox A,J, Pierzynski (12) and Bobby Jenks (45) victorious after winning Game 4 and series vs Houston Astros, Houston, TX 10/26/2005 (Photo by John Biever/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X74496 TK4)

Chicago White Sox A.J. Pierzynski and Bobby Jenks, 2005 World Series

Bobby Jenks Made The Most Of A Short Time

Luis L. Ortiz #45 of the Cleveland Guardians looks on from the dugout during the game against the Athletics.

Cleveland Guardians v Athletics

The Suspect Pitches In MLB’s Gambling Investigation Of Luis Ortiz Look Not Great

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 05: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees kneels in the outfield during the game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Saturday, July 5, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Evan Yu/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

New York Yankees v. New York Mets

It’s Been That Kind Of A Week For Aaron Judge And The Yankees

LHASA, CHINA - OCTOBER 23: Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) streaks across the sky on October 23, 2024 in Lhasa, Xizang Autonomous Region of China. (Photo by Jiang Feibo/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Streaks Across The Sky In China

A Comet From Another Solar System Is On Its Way

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Defector Staff

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 20: A hawker advertises a hot dog at the San Francisco Giants home opener at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, Calif. on April 20, 1965. The opener was attended by 37,784 fans. (Photo by Howard Erker/MediaNews Group/Oakland Tribune via Getty Images)

San Francisco Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Defector Up All Night

Your Fourth Of July Open Thread

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Patrick Redford

SAINT-PAUL-TROIS-CHATEAUX, FRANCE - JULY 17: (L-R) Jonas Vingegaard Hansen of Denmark and Team Visma | Lease a Bike - Polka dot Mountain Jersey, Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates - Yellow Leader Jersey, Biniam Girmay of Eritrea and Team Intermarche - Wanty - Green Sprint Jersey, Jasper Philipsen of Belgium and Team Alpecin - Deceuninck and Thomas Gachignard of France and Team TotalEnergies prior to the 111th Tour de France 2024, Stage 17 a 177.8km stage from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Superdevoluy 1500m / #UCIWT / on July 17, 2024 in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

111th Tour de France 2024 – Stage 17

Cycling

Your Guide To The 2025 Tour de France

LE GRAND BORNAND, FRANCE - AUGUST 17: (L-R) Audrey Cordon-Ragot of France and Team Human Powered Health and a general view of the peloton competing during the 3rd Tour de France Femmes 2024, Stage 7 a 166.4km stage from Champagnole to Le Grand Bornand 1265m / #UCIWWT / on August 17, 2024 in Le Grand Bornand, France. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

3rd Tour de France Femmes 2024 – Stage 7

How Team Tactics Shape The Tour de France, And Vice Versa

A long white mall hallway with empty storefronts and a sign for an AMC movie theater in the distance

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Capital

A Mall I Loved Is Going Pitch Black

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Soraya Roberts

Hanif Kureishi attends the press night after party for "The Buddha Of Suburbia" at the Barbican Centre on October 29, 2024 in London, England.

“The Buddha Of Suburbia” – Press Night – After Party

Defector Reads A Book

Hanif Kureishi Writes Himself Anew In ‘Shattered’

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David Roth

A worker stocks food items at a Whole Foods Market grocery store in Manhattan on December 17, 2024.

Some Food Items See Rise In Prices Again As Fed Set To Make Next Interest Rate Announcement

Podcasts

Like A Bat In The Supermarket

Brad Pitt, star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, and Damson Idris, co-star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, stand for thr national anthem on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain.

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Defector At The Movies

‘F1: The Movie’ Is Great If Your Favorite Part Of Racing Is All The Corporate Logos

<p>Raphael Orlove is a freelance writer and editor with a few events under his belt as a rally co-driver. You may have seen his work on Robb Report, Road &amp; Track, Jalopnik, or the briefly-aired Car vs America TV show if you have a very extensive cable subscription.</p>
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Raphael Orlove

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Meet The Crew Whose Job Is To Keep Rally Fans From Getting Themselves Killed

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