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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

Albert Burneko

Marc-André ter Stegen in a German men's national team kit

Soccer

What The Hell Is Going On With Marc-André ter Stegen?

The actor David Soul holding a wooden cross and yelling "Bill!"

Bills Week

Bill!

Elon Musk account on X displayed on a phone screen with a Grok header

The Machines

Elon Musk’s Idiot Chatbot Turns Into An Explicit Nazi

T.J. McConnell #9 of the Indiana Pacers drives to the basket against Alex Caruso #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in Game Five of the 2025 NBA Finals.

Fine, To Hell With It: A T.J. McConnell Appreciation Blog

AI-Powered Robot interacts with People during the Italian Tech Week 2024 at OGR Officine Grandi Riparazioni on September 26, 2024 in Turin, Italy.

Capital

Toward A Theory Of Kevin Roose

Rep. April McClain Delaney, D-Md., speaks during a rally outside National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration headquarters to oppose the recent worker firings, in Sliver Spring, Md., on Monday, March 3, 2025

Politics

Weenie Centrist Legislator Faceplants Hard At Weekend Protest Event

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers during the fourth quarter in Game One of the 2025 NBA Finals

If I Were The Oklahoma City Thunder, I Would Simply Sustain A Lead All The Way To The End Of Game 2

Elon Musk speaks during a news conference with President Trump on May 30, 2025 inside the Oval Office at the White House in Washington.

Donald Trump And Elon Musk Throw Day-Long Tantrums At Each Other

Tom Ley

Luis Paez-Pumar

Ray Ratto

Patrick Redford

David Roth

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives around Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers during the fourth quarter on March 29, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Before You Is The Defector Mega-Preview Of The 2025 NBA Finals. Kneel!

This Is So Stupid

Dave McKenna Insists They Have Ham Trucks In France

Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers attempts a jump shot against Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Faster Is Better

Humanoid robot practices typing at the Data Collection Center of AgiBot on March 20, 2025 in Shanghai, China.

Chicago Sun-Times And Philadelphia Inquirer Publish Huge Summer Insert Of Pure, Uncut Chatbot Slop [UPDATE]

The obnoxious Grok logo, on a phone screen, in a hand silhouetted against a neon green background.

Elon Musk’s Idiot Chatbot Goes Full Boer

Donald Trump looking like a saggy orange bag of shit on his way onto Air Force 1 for a trip to the Middle East.

Journalismism

NYT Reporter: It’s Not Corruption Unless The Envelope Says “Bribe” On It

Animals

For Bea

A four-square of Brian Windhorst talking, with a little Windy in the middle as well

Allowing For Various Metaphors

Jayson Tatum holds up three fingers to celebrate making a three-pointer in a game in which the Celtics missed an NBA playoff–record 45 threes, and lost in overtime.

The Celtics Will Just Keep Doing This Until We Are All Driven Insane

Only Kevin Roose’s Editors Despise Him More Than I Do

Painting of Science Fiction Scene with Robot Woman by Anton Brzezinski

Media Meltdowns

Henry Blodget Invents, Hires, Sexually Harasses, Blogs About Nonexistent AI Subordinate

Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket carrying astronauts Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyễn, Kerianne Flynn, Gayle King, Katy Perry, and Lauren Sánchez, lifts off from Launch Site One north of Van Horn, Texas on April 14, 2025.

Science

At What Point Has One Actually “Been To” Space?

The Golden Gate Bridge and Downtown San Francisco are seen from the Marin Headlands during a brief rain break near Sausalito, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025.

Tech CEO: Do Not Say To Me That I Was Not Just Assassinated By The Jackal

Chefector

I Have Been Defeated And Humbled By A Shortage Of Ketchup

For Chop

A mugger approaches two victims, holding out his hat, ostensibly to beg, but carrying a large club in his other hand, circa 1790. The image is captioned: 'Honest friend, I'll borrow a little silver of you. He who hath gold hath fear. He who hath none hath sorrow'.

Not Enough People Are Taking The Wallet Inspector Seriously

Ex-president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Luis Rubiales arrives at the Audiencia Nacional San Fernando de Henares on February 13, 2025 in Madrid, Spain.