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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.

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Defector

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

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Merch v3

Rafi Kohan is an Atlanta-based writer and editor. His first book, The Arena, 
was a finalist for the 2018 PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing. 
Previously, he has served as deputy editor at the New York Observer and as 
executive editorial director for the Atlantic’s creative studio, Re:think. His 
writing has appeared in numerous publications, including GQ, Men’s 
Journal, Rolling Stone, The Ringer, and the Wall Street Journal.

Rafi Kohan headshot

Rafi Kohan

Gary Payton of the Seattle SuperSonics sneering disdainfully at Jerry Stackhouse, who is trying to guard him in 2002. The cover of Rafi Kohan's book "Trash Talk" is at upper left.

Gary Payton posts up Stackhouse

Book Excerpts That Don't Suck

Gary Payton And The Art And Strategy Of “Talking Crazy”

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Patrick Redford

13 August 2021, Brandenburg, Grünheide: Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, stands at a press event on the grounds of the Tesla Gigafactory. The first vehicles are to roll off the production line in Grünheide near Berlin from the end of 2021. The US company plans to build around 500,000 units of the compact Model 3 and Model Y series here each year. Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa-Zentralbild/ZB (Photo by Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Tesla Gigafactory – Elon Musk

Capital

Elon Musk Is Grimly Determined To Let You Know He Is Funny

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Kathryn Xu

Hand taking food with chopsticks. Eating Hot Pot at restaurant

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Chefector

Let’s Explore The Infinite Realm Of Hot Pot

Dave McKenna

A close up of Conor McGregor yelling during the filming of the TV show The Ultimate Fighter in March 2023

The Ultimate Fighter Season 31: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler

The Fights

Conor McGregor And The Politics Of Mean

<a href="https://twitter.com/cdgoldstein">Craig Goldstein</a> is the editor-in-chief of Baseball Prospectus and the co-host of <a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/show/five-and-dive/">the Five &amp; Dive podcast</a>.

Craig Goldstein

Juan Soto, then of the San Diego Padres, high-fives a teammate during a road game against the Giants.

San Diego Padres v San Francisco Giants

How Does Juan Soto Keep Getting Traded?

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Chris Thompson

Sean McDermott looks confused or perhaps awed.

Sean McDermott Apologizes For Motivating His Team With The Inspiring Story Of The 9/11 Hijackers

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David Roth

A man wears a bootleg Bart Simpson t-shirt—black, with the words Ay Carumba (sic) in heavy metal font over an image of Bart displaying GUD and BAD finger tattoos—on the streets of Bangkok, in 2018.

Views And People Of Bangkok

Podcasts

Professor Frink Is Real, And Strong, And My Friend, With Matt Selman

Jacksonville Jaguars mascot Jaxson de ville, wearing sunglasses and a jersey and carrying the team flag and American flag, leads the team onto the field against the Cleveland Browns in October 2008

Cleveland Browns v Jacksonville Jaguars

Former Jags Employee Accused Of Stealing $22 Million, Used It On Cars, Gambling, And Crypto

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 Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

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Drew Magary

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Jamboroo

My Life As A GPS Dot

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Santos experiences agony over first-ever relegation from Brazilian first division

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Soccer

Santos Suffers Historic, Agonizing Relegation For First Time In 111 Years

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Billy Haisley

Damaris Egurrola of the Netherlands celebrates with teammates after scoring her teams third goal Romee Leuchter of the Netherlands during the UEFA Womens Nations League - League A Group 1 match between Netherlands Women and Belgium Women at Koning Willem II Stadion on December 5, 2023 in Tilburg, Netherlands

Netherlands v Belgium – UEFA Womens Nations League

The Wildest Soccer Match Of The Week Was Between Two Teams That Didn’t Even Play Each Other

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Ray Ratto

Bilal Coulibaly #0 of the Washington Wizards battles for control of the ball against Isaiah Stewart #28 of the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Little Caesars Arena on November 27, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. Washington won the game 126-107.

Washington Wizards v Detroit Pistons

The In-Season Tournament For Even The Least Of Us

Ron DeSantis poses with a supporter, or anyway with a guy in a baseball hat, in Newton, Iowa in December of 2023. He is smiling in a very unsettling way.

Ron DeSantis Holds His 99th Campaign Rally In Iowa

Politics

What Puts A Smile On Ron DeSantis’s Face?

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Tom Ley

Luton Town's English midfielder #06 Ross Barkley celebrates after scoring his team third goal during the English Premier League football match between Luton Town and Arsenal at Kenilworth Road in Luton, north of London on December 5, 2023.

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Sometimes You Need An Old Dog To Fight The Big Ones

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Kelsey McKinney

Arts And Culture

There’s So Little To Say About Taylor Swift Being Person Of The Year

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Giri Nathan

Pat McAfee conducts an interview with Adam Silver

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Media Meltdowns

Adam Silver Can’t Resist Praising Henry Kissinger On ‘The Pat McAfee Show’

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 04: &lt;&gt;during the NBA In-Season Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 04, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Boston Celtics v Indiana Pacers: Quarterfinals – 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament

The Minor Stakes Of The NBA In-Season Tournament Have Led To Good, Silly Fun

Investigations Editor. You can reach her at diana@defector.com or, if you prefer protonmail, dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. If security is a concern, download the Signal app and send her a text at 929-251-8187.

DFM New Headshot

Diana Moskovitz

Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks smiles before the game against the Atlanta Hawks on November 2, 2022 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.

Mitchell Robinson

Things We Actually Like

This Cheesy Mitchell Robinson Blog Is For My Mom

Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in The Normal School, New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review, and elsewhere.

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Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

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Dog Day Afternoon At The Salon

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Typing

Sabrina Imbler

at the Extinction: Not the End of the World exhibition at The Natural History Museum on February 5, 2013 in London, England. More than 99 percent of species that once roamed the planet are now extinct. Organisers of the exhibition hope to show that a diverse range of plants and animals survived. 80 Museum specimens are on display from February 8-8, September 2013.

Exhibits In The Natural History Museum’s Extinction: Not The End Of The World? Exhibition

Science

What Kind Of Future Does De-Extinction Promise?

Never Say Aloud The Name Of Shohei Ohtani Or Surely You Will Perish!

Nine perfect slices of lardy cake, from the show.

The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off Soars To Victory In A Triumphant Finale

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Barry Petchesky

PROVIDENCE, RI - JANUARY 03: Referee Jeffrey Anderson calls a blocking foul during a college basketball game between Marquette Golden Eagles and Providence Friars on January 3, 2018, at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, RI. Marquette won in overtime 95-90 . (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: JAN 03 Marquette at Providence

Underexplained Lists

Referee And Umpire Signals It’s Fun To Do From Your Couch, Ranked

Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers is defended by Kevin Durant #35 and Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns in the second half during the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinals at Crypto.com Arena on December 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Phoenix Suns v Los Angeles Lakers: Quarterfinals – 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament

In-Season Tournament Gets Everyone’s Attention With A Glaring Officiating Fuck-Up

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Lauren Theisen

Detroit Red Wings v Buffalo Sabres

Despite All Their Tage, Sabres Still Cannot Turn A New Page

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