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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

Albert Burneko

Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs) extends his arms above his head

Catch The Victor Wembanyama Show

Tom Ley

Head coach Pat Fitzgerald of the Northwestern Wildcats runs off the field after losing to the Wisconsin Badgers at Ryan Field on October 08, 2022 in Evanston, Illinois.

College Football

Northwestern To Reconsider Pat Fitzgerald’s Suspension After Hazing Details Emerge


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

A deep-sea octopus spreads out its arms on the seafloor

Creaturefector

Maker Of Mysterious Octagons On The Seafloor Finally Revealed

Head coach Bob Huggins of the West Virginia Mountaineers reacts during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Legacy Arena at the BJCC on March 16, 2023 in Birmingham, Alabama.

College Basketball

Bob Huggins’s Attorney Claims Resignation Was A Wife-Based Email Misunderstanding

Megan Rapinoe #15 of the United States celebrates her goal in the first half against France during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Quarter Final match between France and USA at Parc des Princes on June 28, 2019 in Paris, France.

Soccer

Megan Rapinoe Couldn’t Have Done It Any Better

Billy Haisley

Portugal's players celebrate scoring during a group A play-off tournament match between Portugal and Cameroon for the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, New Zealand, Feb. 22, 2023.

Portugal Is Finally Where It Ought To Be

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<div>Abigail Segel is a contributing writer at Defector. She is also an editor for The IX Soccer and the Equalizer. Her work has been published in the Guardian and the Montreal Gazette.</div>
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Abigail Segel

A statue of Alex Morgan of the United States dressed as the Statue of Liberty.

What is this USWNT Player’s Deal: Alex Morgan

<p>Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.</p>


Nicholas Russell

Hey It's That Guy

Stephen Root Knows What Lurks Beneath The Everyman

Luis Paez-Pumar

Lieke Martens of the Netherlands celebrates after scoring her teams first goal, Danielle van de Donk of the Netherlands during the International Women's Friendly match between Netherlands and Belgium at the Parkstad Limburg Stadion on July 2, 2023 in Kerkrade, Netherlands

The Netherlands Will Find Life At The World Cup Much Harder This Time Around

Barry Petchesky

REGINA, CANADA - JULY 6: Kendall Watson #88 and Logan Bandy #69 of the Saskatchewan Roughriders celebrate after a two point conversion that tied the game between the Edmonton Elks and Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium on July 6, 2023 in Regina, Canada. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images)

Edmonton Elks Lose When American Player Forgets How Rouges Work, Which Is Very Relatable

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

Victor Wembanyama answers for his overeager security guard.

Please Do Not Hit Britney Spears For Touching The Shoulder Of Victor Wembanyama

Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers looks on during the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Moda Center on April 09, 2023 in Portland, Oregon

Defector Up All Night

Be Glad You Aren’t Damian Lillard’s Agent

Present-day katydids of the genus Arethaea, pictured here, have the same internal structures as those seen in the fossil.

They Found An Old Bug Ball

David Roth

A photo of people watching fireworks over the Brooklyn Bridge and lower Manhattan.

Podcasts

Perspiring Freely, To Honor America

Patrick Redford

CAUTERETS-CAMBASQUE, FRANCE - JULY 06: Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates - White Best Young Rider Jersey celebrates at finish line as stage winner during the stage six of the 110th Tour de France 2023 a 144.9km stage from Tarbes to Cauterets-Cambasque 1355m / #UCIWT / on July 06, 2023 in Cauterets-Cambasque, France. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Cycling

Tadej Pogacar Strikes Back

Samer Kalaf

A screenshot of Gizmodo Bot's author page, with one bad Star Wars blog

Journalismism

G/O Media’s Bot-Written Blogs May Be Unreadable, But At Least They’re Incorrect

<p>Lucas Hubbard is a North Carolina-based writer whose work has appeared in Microfiction Monday Magazine, INDY Week, Paste, and other outlets.</p>


Lucas Hubbard

A card with a bunch of love items about Rafael Nadal. There's one of him picking his wedge, one of him screaming after a point and him, in a heart, smiling. Also there are drawings of tennis balls and tennis rackets.

Tennis

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Nadal

Vietnam's Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy (L) celebrates with Vietnam's captain Huynh Nhu (R) after a goal during the women's football match between Vietnam and Philippines at RSN Stadium during the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Phnom Penh on May 9, 2023. (Photo by NHAC NGUYEN / AFP) (Photo by NHAC NGUYEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Vietnam’s World Cup Debut Could Be Short And Sweet

Crystal Dunn #19 of the United States warms up

The USWNT Is Under Pressure, And That’s Bad News For The Rest Of The World

Israel Daramola

Arts And Culture

Season 2 Of ‘The Bear’ Is About Rooting For Your Guys

Ronald Acuña Jr. Is A Baseball God

Ray Ratto

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 05: Umpire Quinn Wolcott #81 hands the bat of Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds back to him as manager David Bell #25 looks on in the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 05, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Elly De La Cruz Is The Guy

BORA - hansgrohe's Australian rider Jai Hindley celebrates on the podium after winning the 5th stage of the 110th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 163 km between Pau and Laruns, in the Pyrenees mountains in southwestern France, on July 5, 2023. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Jai Hindley Rips Open The Tour de France

Lauren Theisen

Broadway showgirls (from left) Geraldine Shay, Pat Gale, Bonnie Blair, Genne Courtney and Toni Tucci eat spaghetti with their arms held behind their backs, as part of some sort of competition. 1948.

Chefector

Which Food Would Win You An Eating Contest?

David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, attends the Los Angeles premiere of Warner Bros. "The Flash" at Ovation Hollywood on June 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California.