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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

Samer Kalaf

Ronald Acuna Jr. celebrates after hitting a home run.

Ronald Acuña Jr. Has Only Grown More Powerful Since Marriage

Albert Burneko

Soccer

Ansu Fati In Brighton Should Be Lots Of Fun

Deion Sanders meets with Sonny Dykes after Colorado beats TCU

College Football

Deion Sanders Will Make College Football Revolve Around Him

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


Chris Thompson

Jorge López looks defeated (and probably was defeated) during one of his final appearances for the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins Couldn’t Make A Good Win-Now Trade If Their Season Depended On It

Tom Ley

Fans of Darmstadt react during the Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and SV Darmstadt 98 at BayArena on September 02, 2023 in Leverkusen, Germany.

Defector Up All Night

Have A Ball In The Labor Day Weekend Open Thread

<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

Joe Burrow walks off the field during the AFC Championship NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2023: Cincinnati Bengals

<div>Rick Paulas is a writer in Brooklyn who made <i><a href="http://www.theladyingreenpoint.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.theladyingreenpoint.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1693673714100000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mdrn4_mwbI7boyzf49u2G">The Lady in Greenpoint</a></i>, a 3-mile walking audio ghost story starting at the Pulaski Bridge, and <i>The Palmer Hotel</i>, a collection of spooky short stories set over a century in a downtown hotel, which has sold out.</div>
<div></div>


Rick Paulas

An overhead shot of the Williamsburg-Greenpoint waterfront area in Brooklyn, New York. Taken from a plane or helicopter or maybe one of those new tall buildings on the waterfront.

Life Lessons

I’ll Always Have Rec League Softball, Until I Don’t

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


Sabrina Imbler

An alligator is seen near the 14th green during the first round of the Valspar Championship on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Florida

Creaturefector

Teen Gators Are Getting Into Golf

Fernando Tatis looks exhausted after grounding into a double play Thursday.

The Padres Are Ready For The Fork

Ray Ratto

Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves watches his second-inning grand slam against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which made him the first MLB player in history to hit 30 home runs and steal 60 bases in the same season.

The World Series Is All We Want And Can Never Have

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


Dan McQuade

Jonathan Gannon scratching his head, asking: "Who took the bus?"

Jonathan Gannon’s Gut Might Need A Little More Fire

Landen King #14, Jaylon Glover #1, Munir McClain #4, Nate Johnson #13 of the Utah Utes lead the team onto the field before the start o their game agianst the Florida Gators at Rice Eccles Stadium August 31, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Pac-12’s Demise Will Be Rich With Metaphors

Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf of the Chicago White Sox watches his team play against the Cleveland Indians at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 01, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois.

Jerry Reinsdorf Went McConnell Mode

Israel Daramola

Martin Scorsese and Michael Mann hanging out in 2004

Arts And Culture

The Boys Are Back In Movie Town

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Harper Murray #27 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers serves against the Omaha Mavericks at Memorial Stadium on August 30, 2023 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Volleyball

Nebraska Is A Volleyball School

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is sacked by Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (59) during a regular season NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day on November 24, 2022 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

Why Your Team Sucks 2023: Buffalo Bills

Giri Nathan

A crowd shot of Court 17 at the U.S. Open.

Tennis

An Interview With The Biggest Tennis Sicko I’ve Encountered At The U.S. Open

Media Meltdowns

Barstool Sports’s New Owner Reportedly Laying Off 100 Staffers After Purchasing Company For One Dollar

David Roth

A Minnesota Vikings fan with a painted face and a goofy horned helmet looks contemplative/despondent during the team's loss to the New York Giants in the 2023 NFC Wild Card game.

Podcasts

What Kind Of Vikings Fan Should A Person Be?

Wander Franco #5 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field on August 12, 2023 in St Petersburg, Florida.

Report: Prosecutors Now Investigating Two Official Complaints Against Wander Franco

Patrick Redford

SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA - MARCH 30: USA head coach Gregg Berhalter and Giovanni Reyna #11 arrive at the stadium before a FIFA World Cup qualifier game between Costa Rica and USMNT at Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica on March 30, 2022 in San Jose, Costa Rica. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Gregg Berhalter Knows He Needs Gio Reyna, Even If They Still Haven’t Spoken

Referee Eric Lewis #42 looks on during the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors during the Western Conference Semi Finals of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2023 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. 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 Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

NBA Referee Eric Lewis Abruptly Retires Before Twitter Burner Drama Can Be Resolved

Jerry Jones the owner of the Dallas Cowboys against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on December 29, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee.