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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

Barry Petchesky

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 23: Travelers stand in long lines at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on March 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.The travel disruptions continue as hundreds of TSA agents quit or work without pay during a partial government shutdown. U.S. President Donald Trump said ICE agents will be deployed to U.S. airports on Monday, with border czar Tom Homan in charge of the effort.(Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Politics

ICE Agents Deployed To Nation’s Swamped Airports To Stand Around And Do Nothing

Luis Paez-Pumar

A dejected Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on March 22, 2026 in London, United Kingdom.

Soccer

Tottenham Keeps Finding New Lows

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<p>Charles P. Pierce is a writer at <em>Esquire</em> and the author of four books, most recently <em>Idiot America</em>, and has been a working journalist since 1976. He lives near Boston with his wife but no longer his three children.</p>
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Charles P. Pierce

A tightly cropped image of a player releasing a jump shot

Elder Wisdom

I Miss My Jump Shot

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Commissioner Roger Goodell of the NFL announces the New York Jets pick during round one of the 2022 NFL Draft on April 28, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada

Crosswords

The Crossword, March 23: March Madness

Tom Ley

A side by side photo of Jorginho and Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan And Jorginho Are Beefing

College Basketball

St. John’s Won Funny

Patrick Redford

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center on March 21, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Luka Doncic And Goga Bitadze Debate Whether They Threatened To Fuck Each Other’s Family Members In A Second Language

Cam Skattebo Sorry For Saying CTE And Asthma Are Fake

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<div>Abigail Segel is a contributing writer at Defector. She is also an editor for The IX Soccer and the Equalizer. Her work has been published in the Guardian and the Montreal Gazette.</div>
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Abigail Segel

Laura Harvey looks perplexed while receiving a yellow card

The Cascadia Rivalry Was Totally Bonkers

UAE Team Emirate's Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 117th Milan - Sanremo one-day classic cycling race, in Sanremo on March 21, 2026.

Cycling

Tadej Pogacar Takes One Beautiful Step Closer To Completing Cycling

Rob Martin Will Always Be A Short King Of March

Kelsey McKinney

taylor frankie paul in a baby blue dress looks over her shoulder at the camera

Arts And Culture

The Not-At-All-Secret Life Of Taylor Frankie Paul

Kathryn Xu

Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal of Audi F1 Team looks on during the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of China.

Racing

Not Satisfied By Fernando Alonso’s Limbs, Aston Martin’s Accursed Car Also Consumes Team Principal

Giri Nathan

Moise Koumane falls to his back in celebration

Tennis

It’s Child Week

Eleanor Russell

The New Evangelists

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 19: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after scoring a three-pointer against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at Kaseya Center on March 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida. 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 Rich Storry/Getty Images)

I’m So Sorry To Tell You This But The Lakers Must Be Taken Seriously


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Sabrina Imbler

A still from the trailer for Hoppers showing a beaver standing on a pile of machine rubble and proselytizing to a crowd of animals

Dam It All To Hell

Mikayla Blakes #1 and head coach Shea Ralph of the Vanderbilt Commodores react on the sideline against the Furman Paladins in the first half at Vanderbilt University Memorial Gymnasium on November 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Tournament’s Best Subplot Is Shea Ralph Vs. Her Old Coach

High Point Is A Deeply Weird School

David Roth

Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers looks for a shot against Morez Johnson Jr. #21 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game on March 15, 2026.

Podcasts

Let’s Get Upset, With Ken Pomeroy

Lauren Theisen

Commissioner of Major League Baseball Rob Manfred

It’s Gambling

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 is interviewed with teammates Chet Holmgren #7 and Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the Oklahoma City Thunder after beating the Denver Nuggets 125-93 in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 18, 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 Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

Why The Thunder Have Been Cast As The NBA’s Villains, With Tyler Parker

Defector Staff

Announcements

We Have A New Culture Newsletter

Goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) of the Dallas Stars saves a shot bu right wing Valeri Nichushkin

The Central Is So Nasty

Ray Ratto

Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle interviews an A's player, who is sadly Addison Russell, during Spring Training in 2014.