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Defector

Luis Paez-Pumar

Cameroonian Football Federation President Samuel Eto'o during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group G match between Cameroon and Serbia at Al Janoub Stadium on November 28, 2022 in Al Wakrah, Qatar.

Soccer

Samuel Eto’o Kicked A Guy In The Face At The World Cup

Lauren Theisen

Jacob Trouba throws a hit against Andreas Athanasiou

When The Going Gets Tough, Jacob Trouba Gets Nasty

Tom Ley

Brazil Finally Started Dancing

Patrick Redford

Norways Magnus Carlsen (R) gestures during his round 9 game against the Indonesias team at the 44th Chess Olympiad 2022, in Mahabalipuram on August 7, 2022. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP) (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)

Chess

Magnus Carlsen’s Lawyers Call Hans Niemann’s Lawsuit A Big Dumb Publicity Stunt

Billy Haisley

Japan Finally Plays A Good Game And Loses Anyway

Kirill Kaprizov makes a shot over Scott Wedgewood in the shootout

Kirill Kaprizov Is The Scourge Of The Shootout

Giri Nathan

Anthony Davis Is The Center Of Everything

Ray Ratto

The 49ers Are Quarterback-Optional

Deion Sanders introduced as CU Buffs head coach

College Football

Deion Sanders Meets New Players, Tells Them To Get Lost

Barry Petchesky

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 14: Ken Griffey Jr #24 of the Seattle Mariners, Barry Bonds #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Fred McGriff #19 of the San Diego Padres poses together for this portrait during batting practice prior to the 1992 Major League Baseball All-Star game July 14, 1992 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. The American League beat the National League 13-6. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

There’s A Place For Cheaters In The Hall Of Fame

Samer Kalaf

Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns looks onward from the sideline during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Houston, Texas.

Deshaun Watson Returns And The Browns Win Without Him

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles catches a touchdown reception over Tre Avery #30 of the Tennessee Titans during the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on December 04, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A.J. Brown Wrecked His Old Team

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Kylian Mbappé holds up two fingers to signify two goals scored.

Kylian Mbappé Scores Two Lovely Goals As France Puts Away Poland

Volleyball player dives into table. Blue court, table is press row but empty. South Dakota 1 point vs Houston 5 points Houston leads 1-2 (Best of 5)

Volleyball

Out Of The Way, Table!

Deion Sanders tells the Jackson State football team that he is leaving for Colorado.

Deion Sanders Is Like Any Other College Football Coach

Rudy Gobert and Kenrich Williams fall to the floor.

Rudy Gobert Gets Frustrated, Sweeps The Leg

Jerry Jones Is Still In That Photo

Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States reacts at the final whistle after a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Netherlands and USMNT at Khalifa International Stadium on December 3, 2022 in Al Rayyan, Qatar. He's dejected with his head in shirt and the USMNT just got a thorough drubbing.

To Nobody’s Surprise, The Americans Deliver No Surprises

Kelsey McKinney

Zillowing Out

A $700,000 Home We Can Spend The Rest Of Our Lives Updating

Albert Burneko

Japanese players celebrate their Group E win over Spain

Japan Is The Best Kind Of World Cup Killer

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group D football match between France and Denmark at Stadium 974 in Doha on November 26, 2022.

Underexplained Lists

The 16 Teams Left In The World Cup, Ranked By Coolness

AL RAYYAN, QATAR - DECEMBER 02: Players of Korea celebrate during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group H match between Korea Republic and Portugal at Education City Stadium on December 02, 2022 in Al Rayyan, Qatar. (Photo by Amin Mohammad Jamali/Getty Images)

South Korea’s Stunning World Cup Moment Is As Good As It Gets

Defector Reads A Book

Defector Reads A Book Has Made Its Winter Pick

Michael is a writer who has worked with The Atlantic, The New Yorker, WIRED, Vox, The New York Times, and other publications. His first book, The Other Olympians, which uncovers the stories of several European athletes who transitioned gender in the 1930s, is now available for purchase.

Michael Waters

TOLEDO, OH - JULY 01: Columbus Clippers player's ball caps are seen on the dugout bench during a regular season game between the Columbus Clippers and the Toledo Mud Hens on July 1, 2019 at Fifth Third Field in Toledo, Ohio.

Capital

The Columbus Clippers Made Public Sports Ownership Work. Can Anyone Else?

Dave McKenna

Quarterback Caleb Williams #13 of the USC Trojans celebrates USC Trojans defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 38-27 during a NCAA football game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 26, 2022.