CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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

Albert Burneko

Politics

Bring Forth The Arrest

Ray Ratto

Roger Goodell speaks to the assembled media with kind of a dippy grin on his face before the Super Bowl in February of 2023.

Roger Goodell Got A Big New Contract To Do The Same Old Thing

Tom Ley

MIAMI, FL - MARCH 20: Kensuke Kondoh #8 and Shohei Ohtani #16 of Team Japan celebrate after scoring on a three-run home run hit by Masataka Yoshida #34 in the seventh inning during the 2023 World Baseball Classic Semifinal game between Team Mexico and Team Japan at loanDepot Park on Monday, March 20, 2023 in Miami, Florida.

Internationals

Big-Time Games Call For Big-Time Players

Maitreyi Anantharaman

PALO ALTO, CA - MARCH 19: Madison Scott #24 of the Ole Miss Rebels shoots the ball against Haley Jones #30 of the Stanford Cardinal during the second round of the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at the Stanford Maples Pavilion on March 19, 2023 in Palo Alto, California.

College Basketball

Stanfraud!

Patrick Redford

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring Arsenal's 4th goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium on March 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Soccer

Bukayo Saka Is Arsenal’s Beating Heart

Barcelona players celebrate Franck Kessié's stoppage-time winner against Real Madrid, Mar. 19 2023

La Liga

Things Are Looking Up For Barcelona, So Long As You Don’t Look Up

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Trea Turner socks a huge freaking dinger.

Trea Turner Is Now Also A God Of Dingers

Kathryn Xu

Racing

Welcome Back To Formula 1.5

Lauren Theisen

Markquis Nowell Doesn’t Get Discouraged

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

Nicholas Russell

Hey It's That Guy

Djimon Hounsou’s Been Stuck In Big-Budget Purgatory For Too Long

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

Dan McQuade

COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 19: Johnell Davis #1 of the Florida Atlantic Owls dunks the ball against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights during the second half in the second round game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 19, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio.

FDU Was Trying To Make History. Johnell Davis Did It Instead

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - MARCH 18: Dillon Brooks #24 of the Memphis Grizzlies looks at Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half of the game at FedExForum on March 18, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Warriors Just Can’t Get Right On The Road

Laura Wagner

Elder Wisdom

Blow Off The Stink

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: Antonio Conte, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on March 11, 2023 in London, England.

Nobody Has Ever Wanted To Be Fired As Badly As Antonio Conte

Head coach Karl Smesko gets doused by his team as he enters the locker room following the first round of the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at Finneran Pavilion on March 18, 2023 in Villanova, Pennsylvania.

FGCU Is The Very Model Of A Modern Mid-Major

James Reimer #47 of the San Jose Sharks skates to the goal after a time out afl at SAP Center on November 03, 2022 in San Jose, California.

Pride Night Homophobe Tracker: San Jose Sharks Goalie James Reimer

DAYTON, OHIO - MARCH 15: Ansley Almonor #5 and Jo'el Emanuel #13 of the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights celebrate after defeating the Texas Southern Tigers in the First Four game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 15, 2023 in Dayton, Ohio.

The NCAA Men’s Tournament Just Keeps Getting Weirder

Chefector

How To Break Free Of Recipe Dependence

David Roth

A collage of uncanny images from the deeply uncanny promotional video released by LIV Golf before its March event in Tucson, Az.

Golf

Are You Ready To Party With LIV Golf?

Lonzo Ball Descends To An Even Lower Circle Of Knee Hell

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

A Sumatran orangutan swings on a rope at the safari park and zoo in Jantho, Aceh province on October 10, 2021. (Photo by CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN / AFP) (Photo by CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Creaturefector

Apes Spin On Vines To Get High Because They Haven’t Discovered Whippits

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 1: Michael Jordan attends the game between the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets on March 1, 2023 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)

Michael Jordan Is Getting Out Because The Getting’s Always Good

Golf’s Governing Bodies Propose A Dead-Ball Era

Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99

Diana Moskovitz

A view of the U.S. Supreme Court Building on May 16, 2022 in Washington, DC. The building looks darks and the background behind it is cloudy.

Death To The NCAA

Ohio State To Supreme Court: Please Stop People From Suing Us Over Athletics Doctor’s Sexual Abuse

CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 15: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings celebrates scoring a three point basket to win the game against the Chicago Bulls on March 15, 2023 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)