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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

Kelsey McKinney

black and white photo of a building under construction

This Is So Stupid

Hmmm … Something Is Not Right Here.

Tom Ley

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks exchanges words with Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers following a game at Fiserv Forum on December 13, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Fellas Got In A Big Fight Over A Ball

Luis Paez-Pumar

AC Milan's Samuel Chukwueze celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Newcastle United FC and AC Milan at St. James Park on December 13, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Soccer

Group F’s Final Matchday Was A Chaotic Grindhouse

YES announcer Michael Kay before the New York Yankees MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 12, 2012 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Defector Up All Night

Michael Kay Finally Consumed Eggs

David Roth

Tommy DeVito looking right, his mouth pretty wide open, after leading the Giants to a Monday Night Football win in New Jersey.

Never Count Out Touchdown Tommy

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


Chris Thompson

1638, English poet John Milton (1608 - 1674) pays a visit to Italian astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642) at the Villa D'Arcetri near Florence. Original Artwork: A painting after Lessi.

Overexplained Lists

State Capitals Should Be Small And Weird

<p>Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in <i data-stringify-type="italic">The Normal School</i>, <i data-stringify-type="italic">New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review</i>, and elsewhere.</p>


Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

Podcasts

Romancing The Bellhop

Patrick Redford

Whale stranded at Winterton, 1857. 'This fine specimen of the whale tribe was driven ashore at Winterton by the gales which visited the coast of Norfolk...When the whale found himself upon land he roared loudly, and he struggled most lustily to regain the deep...The colour of the outer coat is dark brown on the back, vanishing off towards the body of a bluish grey. The body is white; also about two feet of the nose and baleen is white; the rest of the outer part is black. We understand that the skin, head, and tail were removed from the carcase for exhibition. The whale is stated to weigh about 25 tons'. From &quot;Illustrated London News&quot;, 1857.

Defector Reads A Book

Defector Reads A Book Is Gonna Kiss That White Whale

Dante Exum #0 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 12, 2023 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas,

The Dream Of Dante Exum Is Alive Once Again

Giri Nathan

Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after being ejected for a flagrant foul during the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on December 12, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Draymond Green Delivers Spinning Backfist, Innovates In The Ejection Space

Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United looks dejected at full-time following the team's defeat in the UEFA Champions League match between Manchester United and FC Bayern München at Old Trafford on December 12, 2023 in Manchester, England.

Manchester United Couldn’t Even Manage A Whimper

Ted Leonsis sits at a lectern emblazoned with Wizards logos.

Ted Leonsis Is Chasing A Wad Of Public Dough Out To The ‘Burbs

Kathryn Xu

Filip Forsberg #9 of the Nashville Predators retrieves a loose puck from Samuel Ersson #33 of the Philadelphia Flyers to score the overtime game winning goal.

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Variance

Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels in the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium on July 07, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Embracing The Dark Heart Of Shohei Ohtani’s Contract

HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 11: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs grabs a rebound against the Houston Rockets during the second half at Toyota Center on December 11, 2023 in Houston, Texas. 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 Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Victor Wembanyama, Still Doing Unbelievable Stuff, Is Now Doing Normal Stuff Too

Zion Williamson Shows Signs Of Life After Nationwide Concern For His Conditioning

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Ja Morant demonstrates check ball situation for his attorney.

“Is A Basketball A Lethal Weapon?” And “Is Pulling Up Your Shorts A Fighting Stance?” Among Stupid Questions At Issue In Ja Morant Hearing

<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

Bear at the Wuppertal Zoo on April 8, 2009 in Wuppertal, Germany.

Funbag

Hear Me Out: Safe Bears

Lauren Theisen

John Tavares On Long Island Is No Longer Outrageous

Faruk Koca, President of MKE Ankaragucu throws a punch to the referee Halil Umut Meler after the Turkish Super Lig week 15 soccer match between MKE Ankaragucu and Rizespor at Eryaman Stadium in Ankara, Turkiye on December 11, 2023. The match ended 1-1.

Turkish Soccer Suspended After Team President Sucker-Punches Referee

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


Sabrina Imbler

This photo illustration created on December 11, 2023 shows emojis on a smartphone screen in Washington, DC. Too many cats, not enough crustaceans: The current emoji catalog doesn't accurately represent the breadth of biodiversity seen in nature -- and that hurts conservation efforts, according to scientists. An analysis published on December 11, 2023 in the journal iScience found that while animals are well represented by the current emoji catalog, plants, fungi, and microorganisms get short shrift. (Photo by)

Creaturefector

⚖️🌏➖🐻‍❄️🐻🐼🔀🪲🪲🪲🪲🪲🪲🪲🪲🪲⁉️

Samer Kalaf

Palestinians carry a list of Gaza victims during a rally amid a general strike in the occupied West Bank.

Politics

Palestinian Suffering Is Never As Urgent As The Counterfactual

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 10: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans looks to catch the ball as LeBron James (R looks on ) from the stands during the first half against the Long Beach State 49ers at Galen Center on December 10, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

College Basketball

Bronny James Finally Gets To Be A Basketball Player

Ray Ratto

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels watches a game against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 16, 2023 in Anaheim, California.

Shohei Ohtani’s Free Agency Drove The Ball Writers Batty

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<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>
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Vince Guerrieri

Balloons, 1.5 million of them, curl around the Terminal Tower Building during Balloonfest '86 sponsored by the United Ways Services of Cleveland. The lift off will be entered into the Guinness World Book of Records.(Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)