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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

Mike Vrabel Says A Whole Lot Of Nothing About Dianna Russini Photos

Lauren Theisen

Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes makes a save against Michael Amadio

Can’t Miss That

Drew McQuade

A collage of some of Dan's bootleg T-shirts

Stories

What I Found Sorting Through 1,200 T-Shirts My Son Left Behind

Barry Petchesky

This Is So Stupid

Did You Hear? Cribl, Axonius, And Netskope Were At The Game

Ray Ratto

EDMONTON, CANADA - APRIL 20: Kasperi Kapanen #42 of the Edmonton Oilers scores a first-period goal against Lukas Dostal #1 of the Anaheim Ducks during Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on April 20, 2026, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Connor McWhovid?

Giri Nathan

Tom Dundon, Portland Trail Blazers owner (C), speaks as alternate governors Sheel Tyle (L) and Andrew Cherng (R) listen during a press conference before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Moda Center on April 02, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images)

Tom Dundon Applies His Chintzy Tactics To The Trail Blazers

Becca Young

Arts And Culture

The Fatherless Fantasy Of ‘Bridgerton’

Tom Ley

CJ McCollum dribbles past Karl-Anthony Towns

Madison Square Garden Has A Reluctant New Villain

MJ Melendez #1 of the New York Mets reacts after striking out

Delete The Mets

Kathryn Xu

Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run.

Munetaka Murakami Watch: Big Homers, Wacky Numbers

Luis Paez-Pumar

Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Manchester, England.

Soccer

Manchester City Helpfully Extends Arsenal’s Freefall

Maitreyi Anantharaman

A general view of the Heisman Trophy during The Heisman Trophy finalists press conference at the Marriott Marquis in New York on December 11, 2021 in New York City, NY.

Crosswords

The Crossword, April 20: Haute Cuisine

Ben Dowsett is a freelance technology and sports nerd based in Utah. His other recent work can be found at Wired, ESPN and elsewhere.

Ben Dowsett

The Block, As Remembered By The Guy Who Called It And The Guy Who Let It Be

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

Media Meltdowns

The Decline Of Pro Football Focus Is Bad News For Football Fans

The Earth sets over the Moon, with Orion in the foreground.

Science

This Phone Video From Artemis Is So Damn Cool

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - APRIL 19: Mattias Samuelsson #23 of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates his third period goal against the Boston Bruins with Jack Quinn #22 and Jason Zucker #17 in Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on April 19, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

It Ain’t Over Till It’s Buffalover

Patrick Redford

Victor Wembanyama dribbles towards Deni Avdija

Victor Wembanyama’s Playoff Debut Was Worth The Wait

BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 19: Arthur Fils of France jumps into a swimming pool with members of the Ball Team following victory against Andrey Rublev (not pictured) in the Men's Singles final match on day seven of the Barcelona Open of the Barcelona Open at Real Club De Tenis Barcelona on April 19, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Tennis

Allow Arthur Fils To Reintroduce Himself

Justin Ellis

A paratrooper who crashed into the jumbotron at the Virginia Tech football stadium dangles from his parachute above the crowd before the spring football game on April April 18, 2026, at Lane Stadium

Life's Rich Pageant

Someone Appears To Be Stuck On The Jumbotron

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after making a three point shot during the second half of Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on April 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

LeBron James Still Has It

Charle-Edouard D'Astous #51 of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Alexandre Texier #85 of the Montréal Canadiens fight during the second period at the Bell Centre