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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

Israel Daramola

Ray Ratto

Death To The NCAA

It’s The First Round Of The College Football Playoff, Charlie Brown

Luis Paez-Pumar

An image of Cyberpunk 2077, where a cool lookin person in a leather jacket has their back to hte camera and a shaved head but with the top still there. it's not a mullet though, it's the cool version of it. The background of the shot is yellow and it seems like a hazy yellow fog has come over the city. At the top right, it says "The Backlog," which is the title of this series.

The Backlog

‘Cyberpunk 2077’ Walked A Long Road To Redemption

David Roth

Products line the shelves at a Williams-Sonoma store on April 29, 2024 in Miami, Florida.

Podcasts

Espresso Doodad Roulette, With Matt Selman

Lauren Theisen

Neal Pionk #4 of the Winnipeg Jets falls to the ice during the game against the St. Louis Blues on December 17, 2025 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Jets Are Stuck On The Tarmac

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

A screenshot of the "defector browser", which is just a simple looking browser but with slanted top and bottom like the Defector logo, and it's on a pale blue background, and the webpage up is a pixel art of an office that's an Athletic Director's office

Media Meltdowns

Creator Of Athletic Director Simulator Supremely Chill About ESPN Copying His Idea

Billy Haisley

Arsenal players form a huddle prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on December 13, 2025 in London, England.

Soccer

Arsenal Is Heading For A Title That Only A Gooner Could Love

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.

Drew Magary

Jamboroo

Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal

A exterior view of the Palace Theatre at the opening night of "West Side Story" on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on March 19, 2009

Year In Review

The Best And The Most Of My 2025 In Theater

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

Corporate office, maybe mid-2010s style. Two women are walking in the background, and in front of them is a digital display about Charlie Duncan, case number 1016897, and how she's rude, deceptive, and a general menace.

Arts And Culture

Defector Watches A Christmas Movie: ‘She’s Making A List’

Tom Ley

Puka Nacua doing an antisemtic dance with Adin Ross

Puka Nacua Did An Antisemitic Little Dance [Update]

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Jennifer Gardiner #12 of the Vancouver Goldeneyes is congratulated after scoring a goal during the second period of their PWHL game against the Ottawa Charge at Pacific Coliseum on December 16, 2025 in Vancouver, Canada.

PWHL

The Vancouver Goldeneyes Are Already Built To Win

Albert Burneko

Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford screaming "No wire hangers!" in 'Mommy Dearest' (1981).

Journalismism

Who Can Imagine Why Anyone Would Want To Cut This Lovely Mom Out Of Her Life?

Giri Nathan

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain poses with his trophy next to his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero

Tennis

Carlos Alcaraz Splits With His Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero

Dave McKenna

Terence Crawford reacts after defeating Canelo Alvarez for the Undisputed &amp; Ring Magazine Super Middleweight Championship at Allegiant Stadium on September 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Fights

With Nothing And Nobody Left To Conquer, Terence Crawford Retires

Macklin Celebrini #71 of the San Jose Sharks celebrates scoring a goal in the third period against the Calgary Flames

Macklin Celebrini Is Must-See TV

The States Of Pro Wrestling In 2025

Brandy Jensen

American Cant

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.

Jae Towle Vieira

Nothing Says Love Like A Family Heirloom Fight

Hater's Guide

The 2025 Hater’s Guide To The Williams-Sonoma Catalog

Patrick Redford

LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 13: A view of dense fog over Interstate Highway 580 (I-580) and wind turbines in Livermore, California, United States on December 13, 2025. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Climate

What Is The Tule Fog, And Will It Ever Go Away?

Defector Staff

American director, producer, and actor Rob Reiner gestures near a camera while crew members surround him outdoors on the set of his film, 'North.'

Defector’s Favorite Rob Reiner Credits

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 18: A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces celebrates with her team after defeating the New York Liberty during Game Four of the 2023 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center on October 18, 2023 in New York City. The Aces defeated the Liberty 70-69. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Why WNBA Owners Cheated To Help Their Players

DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 02: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets goes to the basket against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter at Ball Arena on April 02, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

A Unifying Theory Of European Hoopers, With Tom Krell

Dan Schindel

Interviews

Filmmaker Ian Bell On ‘WTO/99’ And The Legacy Of The Battle In Seattle

The Apple Mail application icon is seen on an iPhone home screen in Warsaw, Poland on March 3, 2021.