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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

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

We’ve Arrived At The “Nitpicking The Officiating” Portion Of The Finals

Billy Haisley

People celebrate after the announcement of Brazilian footballer Neymar Jr. during an event to announce Brazil's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Museum of Tomorrow, in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Soccer

Brazil Couldn’t Kill Its Idol, So It Brought Him Along To The World Cup

Patrick Redford

US President Donald Trump sits next to Knicks owner James Dolan as they attend Game Three of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 8, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

Podcasts

Conducting A Mid-Finals Vibe Assay, With Devon Walker And Will Menaker

Lauren Theisen

The Chicago White Sox celebrate a walk-off, two-run home run by Braden Montgomery

Call Them The Chicago Delight Sox

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

a still from an AI video showing four killer whales moving under the ice

Creaturefector

AI Animal Videos Are Ruining One Of The Internet’s Last Good Things

Sohini Desai

drawing: a person with a clothespin on their nose holds a bottle of wine to their face

Life Lessons

Why Is NA Wine So Far Behind NA Beer?

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 5: FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump on stage during the FIFA World Cup 2026 official draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 5, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

The State Of Sportswashing

Barry Petchesky

Jordan Staal Has Frozen Blood

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

Diana Moskovitz

An image of Broncos player Jonthon Cooper on the left and Rams player Alaric Jackson on the right.

Broncos’ Jonathon Cooper, Rams’ Alaric Jackson Arrested For Domestic Violence

Somali World Cup Referee Denied Entry Into U.S.

Sarah Borus

Members of the U.S. Secret Service patrol outside at Madison Square Garden ahead of Game 3

Policing

Security Theater Looks The Same Every Time

Tom Ley

England’s Happy To Keep Its Head Down For Now

Ray Ratto

Jonah Heim of the Athletics celebrates a home run in the 10th inning during the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Athletics at Las Vegas Ballpark on Monday, June 8, 2026.

The A’s And Brewers Got Stupid In Las Vegas

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

Funbag

’60 Minutes’ Was A Good Show

Luis Paez-Pumar

Lionel Messi of Argentina shows off the FIFA World Cup Trophy to fans while he is carried around the pitch on the shoulders of former teammate Sergio Aguero after the team's victory during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar.

Argentina Is Cool, Calm, Collected, And Ready To Repeat As World Champs

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock returns to the locker room before playing the Los Angeles Kings at the Scotiabank Arena on November 5, 2019 in Toronto.

Mike Babcock Is Proof That No One Is Too Weird To Get Hired In The NHL

Heather Chen is a former Defector intern and the managing editor at the Columbia Daily Spectator. She loves hockey, photography, and the good ol’ state of Michigan.

Heather Wei-Xi Chen

Arts And Culture

‘Off Campus’ Can’t Sell The Hockey Player Fantasy

Politics

Washed-Up Clown Spencer Pratt Will Not Be The Mayor of Los Angeles

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks lands on the scorers table as Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images)

The Knicks Stopped Moving And Died

Dave McKenna

Future Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby shouts during the first half of the game between the Houston Cougars and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena on January 24, 2026 in Lubbock, Texas. He looks very happy.

College Football

Judge Reinstates Brendan Sorsby To Texas Tech, Says QB Will Miss Just Two Games

Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches

Jacob Misiorowski Is Throwing So Damn Hard

Giri Nathan

Mirra Andreeva celebrates with the winner's trophy after winning her match against Maja Chwalinska of Poland during the Women's Final on Day Fourteen of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on June 6, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Antonio Borga/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Tennis

Mirra Andreeva Did The Inevitable

Kathryn Xu

Race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team and Toto Wolff, Executive Director of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team celebrate on the podium.

Racing

Monaco Will Always Be Like This

Portugal Belongs To Cristiano Ronaldo For A Little Bit Longer

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump on the red carpet prior the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw