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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

Luis Paez-Pumar

Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Bournemouth at Selhurst Park on October 18, 2025 in London, United Kingdom.

Soccer

It Doesn’t Get Much Better Than Bournemouth-Crystal Palace

Kelsey McKinney

Chefector

The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off Rises For Soufflés

Ray Ratto

Head coach Jonathan Gannon fist bumps Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals prior to a game against the Carolina Panthers at State Farm Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona.

Which Trash Team Rules The NFL’s Dumpster?

Kathryn Xu

Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates victory with his team.

Racing

Is Max Verstappen Actually Going To Win This Championship?

<p>Hamilton Nolan is a journalist based in New York City. Subscribe to his work at <a href="https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687350200913000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0naFbUVOe-5ZgtPDtIM3gz">HamiltonNolan.com</a>.</p>


Hamilton Nolan

Joey Dawejko is knocked down by Damian Knyba

The Fights

Getting Beat Up In A Mostly Empty Arena Is Just A Job

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Podcasts

Rax King Plays The Banjo

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Azzi Fudd #35 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts during the first half of an NCAA women's basketball game against the St. John's Red Storm at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on February 12, 2025 in Storrs, Connecticut.

Crosswords

The Crossword, Oct. 20: Pitch Perfect

Barry Petchesky

DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 19: Jaxson Dart #6 of the New York Giants walks off the field after his team's 33-32 loss against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on October 19, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

The Giants Will Kill Me And I Will Deserve It

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays hits a home run against the Seattle Mariners.

Everything Is No Longer Coming Up Mariners


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Culture Writer</p>


Israel Daramola

College Football

You Can Have Money Or Sympathy, But Not Both

Tom Ley

Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv stage a pro-Israel demonstration at the Dam Square, lighting up flares and chanting slogans ahead of the UEFA Europa League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam, Netherlands on November 07, 2024. Maccabi fans clashed with pro-Palestinian citizens and ripped off Palestinian flags hung on the streets. In the lead-up to the Ajax vs Maccabi Tel Aviv match, several areas of Amsterdam have been designated as security risk zones.

Keir Starmer Won’t Tolerate Racist Hooligans Being Barred From Aston Villa’s Stadium

This Is Just What Georgia Does

Ange Postecoglou Head Coach of Nottingham Forest looks dejected with empty seats behind during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea at City Ground on October 18, 2025 in Nottingham, England.

Big Ange Has Never Been More Out

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning during Game Four of the National League Championship Series

Shohei Ohtani Plays The Greatest Baseball Game Of All Time

painting of a girl reading a book on a sofa

Under The Influence

Learning Is More Than Just Collecting Facts

Chris "Mad Dog" Russo and Michael Lombardi attend the SiriusXM's Chris "Mad Dog" Russo Broadcast From Bar A at The Jersey Shore Bar Anticipation on July 26, 2024 in Lake Como, New Jersey.

Please Spend Some Time Imagining Mike Lombardi Begging For Money In Saudi Arabia

Every Program Wants To Rule The World

Max Scherzer of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after striking out Randy Arozarena #56 of the Seattle Mariners in the fifth inning during Game Four of the American League Championship Series. He is making "the Tim Robinson face."

Night Of The Old Guy

Lauren Theisen

A movie theater, closed for a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, advertises its reopening on March 12, 2021, in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York

Defector At The Movies

Movie Theater Popcorn In New York City, Ranked

Video Games

Three Totally Normal Bloggers Are Being Totally Normal About ‘Hades II’

David Roth

Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears looks on prior to an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on October 13, 2025 in Landover, Maryland.

The Most Difficult Job In The World, With Seth Wickersham

Patrick Redford

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 6: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket around Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter at Paycom Center on April 6, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 William Purnell/Getty Images)

The 2024–25 NBA Season, Reviewed

Jamboroo

I Have Developed An Unexpected And Revelatory Bond With My Car

Defector Staff

Singer D'Angelo (born Michael Eugene Archer) performs on stage at the Aire Crown Theater, Chicago, Illinois, April 4, 2000.

Arts And Culture

The Defector D’Angelo Mixtape

Albert Burneko

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays hits a home run during the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners in game three of the American League Championship Series on October 15, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.