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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

James Webster

Arts And Culture

Elisa Shua Dusapin Is The Real Deal

Albert Burneko

Gavin Newsom, looking like a gross sleazeball

Politics

Gavin Newsom Has Nothing To Offer

Ray Ratto

Fans of Manchester United protest against the club's owners outside the stadium, as a fan wears a sticker reading "Love United Hate Glazer" on his head.

Soccer

Manchester United Wants To Get Into The Docuseries Business

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

Owner Terry Pegula of the Buffalo Bills looks on prior to the NFL 2025 game between New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York.

Jamboroo

Terry Pegula Is A Big Disgrace And An Even Bigger Fucking Loser

Samer Kalaf

Azeez Al-Shaair wearing "Stop the Genocide" eye black before the Texans' game against the Patriots

NFL Sends Mixed Signals In Its Stance On Genocide

Patrick Redford

USA's Learner Tien serves to Kazakhstan's Alexander Shevchenko during their men's singles match on day four of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 21, 2026. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Tennis

Learner Tien Is The Brightest Pupil

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

Veronika the cow resting while using a stick.

Creaturefector

Veronika The Cow’s Record Scratch

Barry Petchesky

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 08: Garnet Hathaway #19 of the Philadelphia Flyers looks on during a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

I Award Garnet Hathaway 4 Patrik Stefans Out Of 10

Tom Ley

NCAA President Charlie Baker during a Roundtable on the Future of College Basketball sponsored by the Big East Conference at The Empire State Building on October 20, 2025 in New York City.

Death To The NCAA

NCAA Learns The Legal Consequences Of Making Shit Up As You Go Along

Giri Nathan

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 19: Daniil Medvedev plays a forehand against Jesper de Jong of the Netherlands in the Men's Singles First Round during day two of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 19, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

The Tennis Ball’s Biggest Critic Thinks “They’re Getting Better”

Buster Posey, President of Baseball Operations of the San Francisco Giants prepares for a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 15, 2025.

Major League Baseball Is Determined To Rain On Its Own Parade

Michael Jordan #23 of the Washington Wizards on the court during the final NBA game of his career, played against the Philadelphia 76ers at First Union Center on March 30, 2003 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Sixers won 107-87. 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Podcasts

The Good Team Always Wins, With Jeremy Gordon

Michele Tafoya Won’t Rest Until She Finds A Bigger And Better Way To Annoy Everyone

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

The Bride’s Last Bribery Fund

Danny Funt

Journalismism

How Bill Simmons Went All In

<a href="https://zachgozlan.info/">Zach Gozlan</a> is a data scientist, trivia ringer, and internet user based in Washington, D.C.

Zach Gozlan

Athletes stand at the Jeopardy podiums in full sports gear.

Are ‘Jeopardy!’ Contestants Really That Bad At Questions About Sports? 

Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green blocks a shot by New York Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns in 4th quarter of 126-113 win

The Knicks Are Exuding Toilet Aromas

TV crews set up microphones at the House Tringale before the start of the press conference with comedian Jon Stewart on Monday, March 5, 2018, to call on OMB Director Mick Mulvaney to withdraw his proposal to separate the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) from National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) direction.

Funbag

Who Wants To Be A Hero?

Luis Paez-Pumar

Carson Beck #11 of the Miami Hurricanes lays on the ground after being hit during the fourth quarter and drawing a roughing the passer call against the Indiana Hoosiers in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

College Football

No, Carson Beck, No! What Are You Doing?! NOOOOOOO!!!!

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Jimmy Butler’s Injury Thrusts Steve Kerr And Jonathan Kuminga Once More Into The Hell Of Working Together

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - JANUARY 17: NASA's Artemis II is rolled from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on January 17, 2026 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA’s integrated SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission are being rolled to Launch Pad 39B ahead of the 10-day mission in February 2026, which will take the crew around the Moon and back to Earth. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Science

I Am Not Immune To The Charms Of A Really Big Moon Rocket

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott looks on from the sideline during an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on January 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado.

There’s No Such Thing As A Secure NFL Coaching Job

Lauren Theisen

Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers dives into across the goal line to score a touchdown during the Indiana Hoosiers versus the Miami Hurricanes College Football Playoff National Championship Game Presented by AT&T on January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL

Fernando Mendoza Was Unstoppable

Head Coach Curt Cignetti of the Indiana Hoosiers looks on after the Indiana Hoosiers versus the Miami Hurricanes College Football Playoff National Championship Game Presented by AT&amp;T on January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL.

It Will Never Get Better Than This

Culture Writer