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Defector

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Barry Petchesky

Giri Nathan

Defector Reads A Book

You’d Better Believe We Read ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - JULY 29: head coach Urban Meyer of the Jacksonville Jaguars reacts during Training Camp at TIAA Bank Field on July 29, 2021 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Of Course Being Vaccinated Makes NFL Players More Valuable

TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 01: Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers prepares to start in the nets against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game One of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 1, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Getty Images)

We Didn’t Deserve Henrik Lundqvist

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 15: Fernando Tatis Jr #23 of the San Diego Padres waits to bat against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on August 15, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

Fernando Tatis Jr. Can Do It All, And Might Have To

DYERSVILLE, IOWA - AUGUST 12: Members of the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees take the field prior to a game at the Field of Dreams on August 12, 2021 in Dyersville, Iowa. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

MLB Likes What It Sees When It Looks Backward

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA - JUNE 04: A limited number of fans cheer as the Winnipeg Jets face off against the Montreal Canadiens to start Game Two of the Second Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs on June 4, 2021 at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jason Halstead/Getty Images)

COVID Is The Stick And Sports Are A Carrot

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 03: Anthony Rizzo #48 of the New York Yankees celebrates in the dugout with his teammates after scoring a run during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on August 03, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Anthony Rizzo Is The Latest Yankee With COVID

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 07: Josh Harrison #1 of the Oakland Athletics celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at RingCentral Coliseum on August 07, 2021 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

In Praise Of The Slowball

CHOFU, JAPAN - AUGUST 06: Ieda Guimaraes of Team Brazil riding Caleansiena YH falls at a jump in the Riding Show Jumping of the Women's Modern Pentathlon on day fourteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Stadium on August 06, 2021 in Chofu, Japan. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Olympics

The Horses Are Not Having It

Open The Door! We’re Here To Talk About ‘The Big Sleep’

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 22: Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Vegas Golden Knights is introduced before Game Five of the Stanley Cup Semifinals during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens at T-Mobile Arena on June 22, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Canadiens defeated the Golden Knights 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

This Marc-André Fleury “Trade” Stinks

TOPSHOT - France's Evan Fournier (L) goes to the basket as USA's Draymond Jamal Green tries to block in the men's preliminary round group A basketball match between France and USA during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on July 25, 2021. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP) (Photo by THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images)

Uh-Oh

Recyclable cardboard beds and mattresses for athletes during a media tour at the Olympic and Paralympic Village for the Tokyo 2020 Games, is seen in the Harumi waterfront district of Tokyo on June 20, 2021. (Photo by Akio KON / POOL / AFP) (Photo by AKIO KON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Go Ahead And Hump, The Beds Can Take It

BOSTON, MA - JULY 22: Hunter Renfroe #10 of the Boston Red Sox is congratulated by Matt Barnes #32 after his game-winning sacrifice fly in the 10th inning against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on July 22, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

If George Were Alive, This Would’ve Killed Him Again

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 21: The Seattle Kracken draft picks (L-R) Jordan Eberle, Chris Driedger, Chris Tanev, Jamie Oleksiak, Haydn Fleury and Mark Giordano following the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft at Gas Works Park on July 21, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Kraken is the National Hockey League's newest franchise and will begin play in October 2021. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

The Kraken Passed The Marshmallow Test

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, NEVADA - JULY 10: NFL athlete Aaron Rodgers looks on from the first hole during round two of the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe South golf course on July 10, 2020 in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

This Isn’t Helpful, Schefty

VAN HORN, TEXAS - JULY 20: The New Shepard Blue Origin rocket lifts-off from the launch pad carrying Jeff Bezos along with his brother Mark Bezos, 18-year-old Oliver Daemen, and 82-year-old Wally Funk prepare to launch on July 20, 2021 in Van Horn, Texas. Mr. Bezos and the crew are riding in the first human spaceflight for the company. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Science

The Billionaires Did It. They Made Spaceflight Uncool.

Laura Wagner

1934: Profile view of French actor Maurice Chevalier drinking a glass of water while seated in a folding chair on the set of director Ernst Lubitsch's film, 'The Merry Widow'. Chevalier wears a military uniform.

Life Lessons

Barry And Laura Recommend: Glass Of Water

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 23: A general view of the Space Needle as the Seattle Kraken team flag is hung from above on July 23, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. The NHL revealed the franchise's new team name today. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

The Seattle Kraken Can Win Right Away, But At What Price?

MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 30: Richard Sherman #25 of the San Francisco 49ers speaks to the media during the San Francisco 49ers media availability prior to Super Bowl LIV at the James L. Knight Center on January 30, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

What We Know About Richard Sherman’s Arrest

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JULY 07: The Tampa Bay Lightning celebrate after defeating the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in Game Five to win the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on July 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

This Shit Is Hard

Falstaff sits with a woman, holding a tankard, in an illustrated scene from the Shakespeare play, 'King Henry IV,' Act II, Scene IV. (Kean Collection/Getty Images)

Underexplained Lists

Shakespeare’s Plays, Ranked

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 05: Josh Anderson #17 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates with Jeff Petry #26 after scoring the game-winning goal to give his team the 3-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first overtime period in Game Four of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Bell Centre on July 05, 2021 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

The Canadiens Deserved That

BERLIN - MAY 23: Three days old nameless elephant baby plays with his fellow "Tana" in his enclosure at the Zoological Garden (Tierpark) Berlin on May 23, 2007 in Berlin, Germany. The Zoological Garden presented today the new born elephant for the public. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Defector Up All Night

The Sports Highlight Of The Day Is This Newborn Elephant Trying To Walk

Trevor Bauer of the Los Angeles Dodgers winds up to pitch during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on May 26, 2021 in Houston, Texas.