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

Soraya Roberts

Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

Defector At The Movies

‘Dead Reckoning’ Knows Exactly Who We Need Behind The Wheel

<div id="message-list_1773066846.655809">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<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>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>


Abigail Segel

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - JULY 09: Sofia Huerta #3 of the United States controls the ball during the second half of an international friendly against Wales at PayPal Park on July 09, 2023 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Soccer

What Is This USWNT Player’s Deal: Sofia Huerta

Albert Burneko

The Italy women's national team poses for a team photograph at the Euro 2022 tournament.

Italy’s Getting There, Slowly, Maybe

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


Chris Thompson

An ad for Color Star's NASDAQ listing on the investor page of Color Star's website.

Capital

Color Star Makes Its Next Big Move, Teams Up With Max Payne, Johnny Blaze, And Elizabeth

Patrick Redford

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 3: Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder is interviewed after the game against the Utah Jazz during the 2023 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League on July 3, 2023 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)

Chet Holmgren Has Been A Joy In An Otherwise Disappointing Summer League

Dunedin Stadium is pictured ahead of the FIFA World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 on July 11, 2023 in Dunedin, New Zealand.

FIFA Struggling To Fill Stadiums In Remote Soccer-Indifferent Country With Nobody In It

Defector Staff

LMS streamlined Princess Coronation Class 4-6-2 No 6220 Coronation at Euston with the Coronation Scot. 1937, United Kingdom. (Photo by Rail Photo/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images)

Underexplained Lists

Transport, Ranked

David Roth

A group trying to rescue animals from the massive forest fire around Fort McMurray in Alberta wait at a roadblock on May 6, 2016. The Distraction logo is at top left.

Podcasts

To Live And Die In Petroleum Products, With John Vaillant

Giri Nathan

Fans take in some Wimbledon matches at Murray Mound.

Tennis

The Wimbledon Experience Is Diligence, Dampness, And Cream

Luis Paez-Pumar

Yamila Tamara Rodriguez (#11) of Argentina celebrates after scoring the second goal of her team during a match between Argentina and Uruguay as part of Women's CONMEBOL Copa America 2022 at Centenario Stadium on July 15, 2022 in Armenia, Colombia

Argentina Is Just One Win Away From A New Era

Ray Ratto

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 02: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits "The Faulkner Focus"at Fox News Channel Studios on June 02, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Politics

Things Got Ugly At RFK Jr.’s Fart Dinner

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 08: Joey Votto #19 of the Cincinnati Reds is congratulated by Elly De La Cruz #44 and Jake Fraley #27 after a three-run home run in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 08, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

The Reds Are Dirty Boys

Billy Haisley

South African senior national women's football team players train at Highlands Park in Johannesburg, on October 4, 2022.

South Africa Brings Continental Dreams To The World Stage

Boxing up the bottles beer at Anchor Steam Beer Brewery, March 28, 1978

Anchor Brewing Was San Francisco

Samer Kalaf

Media Meltdowns

Flyers Staffers Forget To Mute Themselves Talking Shit About Reporter’s Question

<div class="r43lxo-0 gqfcxx js_post-content">
<p class="sc-77igqf-0 bOfvBY">Vince Guerrieri is an award-winning journalist and author in the Cleveland area. He likes Lake Erie perch sandwiches, Jim Traficant and long walks on the field at League Park. His website is <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://vinceguerrieri.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://vinceguerrieri.com/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">vinceguerrieri.com</a>, and you can follow him on Twitter <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">@vinceguerrieri</a>.</p>
</div>
<div class="sc-18b1b2r-5 eTUqHn">
<div></div>
</div>


Vince Guerrieri

An American soldier stands in the Zeppelin stadium and looks towards a Nazi swastika, Nuremberg, Germany, 1945. The stadium, along with two others, was used by Adolf Hitler to hold many Nazi rallies. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

They Almost Played An All-Star Game At Nuremberg

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 10: Former NFL head coach John Gruden is seen in attendance during the UFC 282 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 10, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Jon Gruden Was The Mark

Barry Petchesky

ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 2: Washington Commanders owners Dan Snyder, right, talks to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, left, before the Dallas Cowboys defeat of the Washington Commanders 25-10 at AT&amp;T Stadium on October 2, 2022 in Arlington, TX. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The NFL Is Full Of Unpleasant Men Trying To Screw Each Other

LEIGH, ENGLAND - JULY 22: Stina Blackstenius of Sweden celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal which was later disallowed by VAR for an offside during the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 Quarter Final match between Sweden and Belgium at Leigh Sports Village on July 22, 2022 in Leigh, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images)

This Could Finally Be Sweden’s Year

Lauren Theisen

Julio Rodriguez Gave The All-Star Game Some Stakes

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Gabrielle Williams of ASVEL Basket Landes Feminine in action during the Women's French Cup Final basketball match.

WNBA

The Prioritization Rule Will Haunt WNBA Players For A Long Time


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

A general view of an Alabama Crimson Tide baseball cap during the 2023 SEC Baseball Tournament game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Alabama Crimson Tide on May 23, 2023 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.

College Baseball

Sports Gambling Can Give Us So Many Dumb Guys Doing Schemes

Kathryn Xu

Daniel Ricciardo smiles in his Red Bull uniform.

Racing

Daniel Ricciardo Is Back—Kind Of

Liv Golf Commissioner Greg Norman rects after the 2023 Liv Golf tournament in Adelaide on April 23, 2023. (Photo by Brenton Edwards /

Golf

The PGA Tour-LIV Golf Merger Floated Up From A Sea Of Desperate Ideas

<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>


Drew Magary

LIVERMORE, CA - JULY 18: A Safeway customer browses in the fruit and vegetable section at Safeway's new "Lifestyle" store July 18, 2007 in Livermore, California. Safeway unveiled its newest Lifestyle store that features numerous organic and natural foods as well as expanded produce, meat, seafood and floral departments. The store also offers freshly made desserts and baked goods, a coffee roaster, a fresh nut bar and wine section with over 2,000 wines, some of which are stored in a climate controlled wine cellar. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)