CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

two computer-animated sheep peering through a window

Defector At The Movies

‘The Sheep Detectives’ Made Me Baaaawl My Eyes Out

<p>Grace Byron is a critic, reporter, and novelist based in Queens. Her writing has appeared in <em>The New Yorker</em>, <em>Granta</em>, <em>Bookforum</em>, and elsewhere. Her debut novel <em>Herculine</em> is out now.</p>


Grace Byron

Arts And Culture

Patrick Radden Keefe’s ‘London Falling’ Tries To Separate Fact From Fiction

Tom Ley

Media Meltdowns

The Saddest Place In America Is Wherever The Washington Post Films This Podcast

Barry Petchesky

DENVER, CO - MAY 13: The Colorado Avalanche celebrate defenseman Brett Kulak (27) of the Colorado Avalanche's overtime goal on goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) of the Minnesota Wild during overtime of Game 5 of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Who’s Stopping These Avs?

<div id="message-list_1773066846.655809">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<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>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>


Abigail Segel

PWHL

Five Nights With The Montreal Victoire, Who Dragged Me To Hockey Heaven

Samer Kalaf

Jason Collins warms up for the Brooklyn Nets

Jason Collins Got To Tell His Own Story

Luis Paez-Pumar

A bookie at the Brighton races studies the field.

Soccer

Southampton In Hot Water Over World’s Most Conspicuous Spygate

<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>


Drew Magary

A woman sits at the dinner table eating with her young son, who is making a funny face while his plate of food sits untouched. The black and white minor dilemmas logo is in the middle of the image.

Minor Dilemmas

How Do I Get My Picky Eater Off A Chicken Nugget-Based Diet?


<p>Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99</p>


Diana Moskovitz

Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links Golf Club looks on before the match against the Los Angeles Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 24, 2026 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Golf

Tiger Woods’s Prescription Records Will Be Shielded From The Public

The Pittsburgh Steelers stand in a darkened tunnel

Steelers, Longing For A Quiet Death, Willing To Wait For Aaron Rodgers

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: Hector Borg #80 and Drew Gilbert #0 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park on May 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images)

The Giants Will No Longer Be Pummeling Each Other With Their Crotches

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


Chris Thompson

Brandon Clarke concentrates before a game.

Brandon Clarke Found Dead In California

Patrick Redford

SAN ANTONIO, TX -MAY 12: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots a foul shot after a technical was called against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half of Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 12, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

Victor Wembanyama Must Be Seen To Be Believed

A man tests the new touchscreen inside the new all-electric Volkswagen ID.4 that is on display inside a dealership

Funbag

Fuck Touchscreens

Israel Daramola

College Football

Lane Kiffin’s Decision To Abandon Ole Miss Was Actually Smart And Good, According To Lane Kiffin

Los Angeles, CA - May 11: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) drives past Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) in game four of the second round of the NBA playoffs in Los Angeles, CA on Monday, May 11, 2026. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Heaven Help Us, The Thunder Have Yet Another Dude

a photo of a remora fish with its head buried inside the cloaca of a manta ray

Creaturefector

What Are You Doing In There, Fish?

<p><a href="https://katedries.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://katedries.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778682596117000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0nTLmZnCJ7W_WrwEZAFeZH">Kate Dries</a> is the Executive Editor of Dwell. She previously worked at VICE, Jezebel, BuzzFeed and WBEZ, and has written for many other publications.</p>


Kate Dries

Anna Wintour and Meryl Streep attends the world premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2

The Devil Wears Prada, Too


<p>Leander Schaerlaeckens is a long-time soccer writer, currently contributing to <i>The Guardian </i>and elsewhere. He is the author of <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/722130/the-long-game-by-leander-schaerlaeckens/"><i>The Long Game: U.S. Men&#8217;s Soccer and its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts</i></a>. He teaches journalism and sports communication at Marist University. He will cover his fourth World Cup in 2026.</p>


A photo of the author Leander Schaerlaeckens taken by Asha Fuller.

Leander Schaerlaeckens

USA COACH VELIBOR MILUTINOVIC SALUTES THE CROWD AFTER THEIR 2-1 VICTORY OVER COLOMBIA.

Book Excerpts That Don't Suck

When Team USA Needed To Get World Cup Ready, It Needed Boraball

Maitreyi Anantharaman

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces drives to the basket against Cameron Brink #22 of the Los Angeles Sparks during the first half of their game at Crypto.com Arena on May 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.

WNBA

Cameron Brink Is All Tangled Up

DENVER , CO - APRIL 27: Christian Braun (0) of the Denver Nuggets celebrates making a three pointer against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 125-113 win in game five of their NBA Playoffs series on Monday, April 27, 2026. The Timberwolves lead 3-2 as they head back to Minneapolis for game six. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

Podcasts

The Father Who Stepped Back, With Tom Krell

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