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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

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Coach Gary Lough watches as Mo Farah tries his race shoes the day before the Chicago Marathon on October 07, 2018 in Chicago, United States. This image is part of a series following Mo Farah behind the scenes in his journey towards the Tokyo Olympics. Farah is a multiple Olympic, World and European champion and Britain's most successful track athlete in modern Olympic Games history.

Feature: Mo Farah – The Road to Tokyo

Crosswords

The Crossword, Nov. 3: Bottom Feeders

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Barry Petchesky

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 01: Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers tags out Isiah Kiner-Falefa #7 of the Toronto Blue Jays at home in the ninth inning during Game Seven of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday, November 1, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

World Series – Los Angeles Dodgers v Toronto Blue Jays – Game 7

Toronto Will Never Get Over This


<p>Visual Editor. Runs <a href="http://defectorstore.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defectorstore.com</a>. Philadelphia-based, if you couldn’t tell.</p>


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Dan McQuade

CINCINNATI, OHIO - NOVEMBER 02: Chase Brown #30 of the Cincinnati Bengals leaps over Kevin Byard III #31 of the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter in the game at Paycor Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Brown is completely upside down, back to the camera, legs in the air, looking like his flip will continue to land him on his back. Both Bears players are looking at him. One is on the ground, behind him, looking up. The other is reaching toward Brown. In the background is a full stadium of people, and from the orange it's clear it's the Bengals stadium.

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Move Over World Series, The Bears And Bengals Are Playing

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Ray Ratto

Auburn University head football coach Hugh Freeze walks off the field surrounded by a police escort following the Tigers home loss to Kentucky on November 1, 2025

Kentucky v Auburn

College Football

Auburn Gives Hugh Freeze The Hook

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto is mobbed by teammates as they celebrate winning the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4

World Series – Los Angeles Dodgers v Toronto Blue Jays – Game Seven

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Will Not Be Denied

Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 31, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) leaps to Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Enrique Hernandez (8) after the final out while Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Addison Barger (47) is out at second in the ninth inning and Los Angeles Dodgers Miguel Rojas celebrates during game six of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Roger Centre on Friday, October 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Dodgers vs Bllue Jays in Toronto, Canada

Six Isn’t Enough

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<div class="gmail_default">Ryan Goldberg is an award-winning journalist and author who has written for <i>Texas Monthly</i>, The Intercept, <i>The</i> <i>New York Times</i>, <i>Popular Science</i>, and ProPublica, among many other publications. Some of his best stories ran in the old Deadspin. He lives in Brooklyn, and leads regular walks for the Brooklyn Bird Club. You can find more of his work at <a href="http://ryangoldberg.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://ryangoldberg.net&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1758917926877000&amp;usg=AOvVaw04lh06uBoaa598nfG5ro-G">ryangoldberg.net</a>.</div>
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Ryan Goldberg

UNITED STATES - 2023/05/31: Close-up of a barred owl (Strix varia), also known as the northern barred owl, or striped owl, in a park in Kirkland, Washington State, United States. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Close-up of a barred owl (Strix varia), also known as the

Birdfector

The Owl Code Tearing Apart New York’s Birders

EDMONTON, CANADA - OCTOBER 23: Evan Bouchard #2 of the Edmonton Oilers in action during the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Rogers Place on October 23, 2025, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Montreal Canadiens v Edmonton Oilers

Evan Bouchard’s Making It Messy Out There

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Israel Daramola

An LSU football player pointing in the distance.

Texas A&M v LSU

Come On Down And Pick LSU’s Next Football Coach!

<p><a href="https://tomwhyman.com/">Tom Whyman</a> is a British philosopher.</p>


Tom Whyman

“Ghost Elephants” And Gold Lion For Lifetime Achievement 2025 To Werner Herzog Photocall – The 82nd Venice International Film Festival

Arts And Culture

Werner Herzog’s New Book Tackles The Problem Of Truth

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David Roth

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the first inning during Game Five of the 2025 World Series. The Distraction logo is at upper left and the light above the stadium is lovely.

World Series – Toronto Blue Jays v Los Angeles Dodgers – Game 5

Podcasts

I Like To Get A Solid 12 Hours

<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>


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Drew Magary

Head Coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels poses during a press conference on December 12, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

North Carolina Tar Heels Present New Football Coach Bill Belichick

Jamboroo

Our Rich People Suck At Spending Money

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Defector Staff

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Announcements

Help Secure Our Financial Independence By Infiltrating The Great Blogger Bake Shop

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Roma's Spanish defender #22 Mario Hermoso celebrates with Roma's Argentine forward #21 Paulo Dybala after scoring his team's first goal during the Italian Serie A football match between AS Roma and Parma at the Olympic Stadium in Rome on October 29, 2025.

FBL-ITA-SERIE A-ROMA-PARMA

Soccer

The Best Title Race Is, Once Again, In Serie A

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Jason England

Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another.

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‘One Battle After Another’ Isn’t Up For The Fight


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Sabrina Imbler

a photo of the microscopic flatworm Stenostomum simplex, which looks like a worm with green balls inside its body.

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Creaturefector

Exclusive! A Revealing And Not Made-Up Interview With A Two-Headed Worm

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on during Game Five of the 2025 World Series. The background of the fans in the seats is indistinct, but Ohtani is in focus.

Game 3 Is The Legend, But The Blue Jays Are For Real

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Kelsey McKinney

Perfect Celebrates Lily Allen’s “West End Girl” Album Launch

Lily Allen Takes The “Fuck It” Approach To A Breakup Album

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Patrick Redford

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 26: Daniel Naroditsky during Day 1 of the FIDE World Rapid Championship 2024 on December 26, 2024 in New York, NY. (Photo by Lennart Ootes/Getty Images)

Daniel Naroditsky American Chess Grandmaster

Chess

Beloved Grandmaster Dies Suddenly Amid Harassment Campaign By His Former Idol

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


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Chris Thompson

Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-1 to win Game 5 of the 2025 World Series.

The Blue Jays Make The Dodgers Look Fake And Silly

a spider with yellow stripes perched on a web decorated with stabilimenta

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Why Do Some Spiders Make Web Art?


<p>Investigations Editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99</p>


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Diana Moskovitz

Jordon Hudson attends the game between the Richmond Spiders and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium on September 13, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Jordon Hudson

The Rise Of Jordon Hudson, Small Business Owner

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Lauren Theisen

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after the final out of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 28, 2025 in Los Angeles, California

World Series – Toronto Blue Jays v Los Angeles Dodgers – Game Four

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Is A Canadian Hero

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Tom Ley

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Media Meltdowns

Good Thing Nobody In Charge Of A Newspaper Wanted To Make Olivia Reingold A Video Star

Screenshot 2025-10-28 at 2.46.04 PM

Food

The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off Rages Against Dessert Week

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