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Defector

Lauren Theisen

The Mets Have Turned It Around 360 Degrees

Giri Nathan

Coco Gauff of the Untied States returns a shot in the Ladies Singles Quarter Finals match against Jessica Pegula of the United States on day nine of The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 07, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Shi Tang/Getty Images)

Tennis

You Don’t Have To Love Grass To Win On It

Patrick Redford

Cycling

The Tour de France’s Infernal Present Portends Its Impossible Future

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<p>Robert Rubsam writes fiction and nonfiction. His work has appeared in the NYT Magazine, the Atlantic, the Washington Post, the Baffler, and Liberties. He is a contributing writer for Commonweal Magazine.</p>
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Robert Rubsam

Arts And Culture

‘The Furious’ Kicks Ass

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Allisha Gray #15 of the Atlanta Dream shoots against the Golden State Valkyries in the fourth quarter at Gateway Center Arena on July 4, 2026 in College Park, Georgia.

WNBA

The Atlanta Dream Are Getting Drowsy

Luis Paez-Pumar

Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates after the 3-2 victory during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium on July 07, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Soccer

Lionel Messi Refuses To Let Time Win

<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

Funbag

The Hot Take Industrial Complex Cannot Be Killed By Conventional Means

Sohini Desai

Meet The Broadway Actor Teaching Public Defenders How To Win In Court

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates past Paraguay's goalkeeper #12 Orlando Gill after winning the 2026 World Cup round of 16 football match between Paraguay and France at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on July 4, 2026.

Paraguayan Senator Gets Shockingly Racist Toward Kylian Mbappé

Albert Burneko

Politics

Is It Mitch McConnell Or Your Own Sense Of Possibility That Has Been Dead For Weeks?


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

a photo of a swimming crab trapped inside a plastic bottle

Creaturefector

Plato’s Allegory Of The Crab

Ray Ratto

It’s The Hype That Kills

Sarah Borus

Life's Rich Pageant

America’s Birthday, Brought To You By Gas Station Hoagies

Tom Ley

The USMNT’s World Cup Exit Was Too Sad And Too Familiar

white text on blue background: "THE LEAGUE IS LISTENING"

MLB Is Now Promoting A Salary Cap Between Innings

Gifts, Gritos, And A Breakthrough Win: An Afternoon With The Tour de France’s New And Jubilant Mexican Fanbase

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


Chris Thompson

Matt Miller does an ESPN pre-draft segment

Media Meltdowns

ESPN’s Matt Miller Investigated For Alleged Consumer Fraud While Recovering From Emergency Arm Amputation

Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States fouls Tarik Muharemovic #4 of Bosnia and Herzegovina which is later reviewed by VAR and awarded as a red card foul a during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on July 01, 2026 in Santa Clara, California.

The Folarin Balogun Red Card Brouhaha Is A Vintage FIFA Disaster

Eury Perez #39 of the Miami Marlins reacts after an out in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on July 05, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Poor A’s Fans Can’t Even Get Properly Perfecto’d

France's Marie Wattel, France's Leon Marchand and France's Yohann Ndoye-Brouard react after the final of the mixed 4x100m medley relay final swimming event during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, on August 3, 2024.

Crosswords

The Crossword, July 6: We’re Halfway There

Barry Petchesky

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 06: Leo Carlsson #91 of the Anaheim Ducks skates during the third period against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on May 06, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Ducks Screwed Themselves

Cesar Montes #3 of Mexico shoots and misses a chance against Jude Bellingham #10 of England

That’s Why This Shit Rules

Kathryn Xu

Race winner Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Scuderia Ferrari celebrates on arrival in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit.

Racing

Banger British Grand Prix Ends With A Whimper

Billy Haisley

U.S. President Donald Trump poses for photographs with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the Oval Office at the White House.

FIFA Makes Good And Right And Not At All Corrupt Decision To Rescind Folarin Balogun’s Red Card Suspension

A LA Metro shuttle bus transports fans after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Paraguay.