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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

David Roth

Shohei Ohtani strikes out in an uncharacteristically undistinguished and unflattering way against the San Francisco Giants. The Distraction logo is at upper right.

Podcasts

Subtraction By Subtraction, With Ray Ratto

Austin Powers's XK8 Union Jack Jaguar convertible at the New York premiere of "Austin Powers in Goldmember" with The Distraction logo at upper right.

Junior Year Abroad: The Return

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 16: Actor Paul Rudd speaks about his latest movie "Ant Man" at the Apple Store Soho on July 16, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Debra L Rothenberg/FilmMagic)

Funbag

Who’s On The List Of Universally Liked People?

N'Faly Dante of the Oregon Ducks celebrates with fans after defeating the Arizona Wildcats at Matthew Knight Arena on January 14, 2023 in Eugene, Oregon.

In Search Of The Vibes Team, With Ken Pomeroy

Vice co-founders and executives Shane Smith and Suroosh Alvi looking kind of wet at the 20th Webby Awards in 2016.

Capital

The Coffee Machine That Explained Vice Media

Art, Commerce, And Frankly Irresponsible Apple Consumption, With Kathryn Xu

o-founder of Subway, Fred DeLuca poses for a portrait in February 1991 in Toronto Canada.

Truth In Sandwich Advertising, With Rohan Nadkarni

Albert Burneko

Sen. Kyrtsen Sinema (D-AZ) speaks at a news conference after the Senate passed the Respect for Marriage Act at the Capitol Building on November 29, 2022.

Politics

Point/Counterpoint: Senator Kyrsten Sinema Retires

Israel Daramola

Giri Nathan

Patrick Redford

Lauren Theisen

Radiohead performing onstage in support of their 2007 album "In Rainbows," with the Defector Music Club logo right in the middle.

Defector Music Club

Defector Music Club Reviews The People’s Radiohead Album

A guest wears new Apple Vision Pro outside Bora Aksu during London Fashion Week February 2024 on February 16, 2024 in London, England.

The Future Doesn’t Work, With Ed Zitron

A man skiing fresh powder in Alta, Utah. You might assume from context that the man skiing is Drew Magary, but it is not.

A Bloody Footprint By The Toilet

Chris "Mad Dog" Russo looking smug or sleepy, depending on your perspective, on radio row in Las Vegas before the Super Bowl.

Looter Capitalism, Loser Capitalists, And Mad Dog Russo Mindset

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

Kelsey McKinney

Barry Petchesky

Whale stranded at Winterton, 1857. 'This fine specimen of the whale tribe was driven ashore at Winterton by the gales which visited the coast of Norfolk...When the whale found himself upon land he roared loudly, and he struggled most lustily to regain the deep...The colour of the outer coat is dark brown on the back, vanishing off towards the body of a bluish grey. The body is white; also about two feet of the nose and baleen is white; the rest of the outer part is black. We understand that the skin, head, and tail were removed from the carcase for exhibition. The whale is stated to weigh about 25 tons'. From &quot;Illustrated London News&quot;, 1857.

Defector Reads A Book

From Hell’s Heart We Blog At Thee: Let’s Chat About ‘Moby-Dick’

Handsome-ass Justin Hartley at the 81st Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 7, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

It’s Tracker

Travis Kelce faces the media during Super Bowl Media Days in the lead up to Super Bowl LVIII. It's pretty dramatically lit for something happening at a Westin in Henderson, Nevada.

Big Ideas And Big Novelty Slot Machines At The Super Bowl, With Matthew Coller

Kathryn Xu

Metlife Stadium across the Hackensack River in Secaucus, New Jersey, on June 15, 2023. Activist Bill Sheehan has turned mountains to clean up the river, polluted by industry, ten kilometers (6.2 miles) from Manhattan, even if much remains to be done. "It didn't take me long to realize that the river needed a full-time advocate," he says of the hemmed in by an ultra-dense urban grid. (Photo by KENA BETANCUR / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Soccer

Let Us Discuss What The World Cup Final Means For “New York New Jersey”

Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions warms up prior to the NFC Championship NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California.

Lessons Of Collapse And The Christian Version Of Limp Bizkit, With Jason Kirk

Boeing CEO David Calhoun speaks during a joint press event with United Airlines at the Boeing manufacturing facility in North Charleston, on December 13, 2022.

How Will The Golden Age Of “Making It Worse” End?

October 16, 1972 Sports Illustrated cover and signed limited edition Wilt Chamberlain sports porcelain figurine on display during the press preview at Sotheby's Auction House on August 01, 2023 in Los Angeles.

Radicalized, Sleepy, And Sick Of Brock Purdy

Tom Ley

Justin Ellis

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

A bad guy reacts to having a grill thrown through his windshield by Jack Reacher

Arts And Culture

It Is Now Time To Discuss Jack Reacher Throwing A Grill At A Guy

Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy seeming to look side-eyed at The Distraction logo at upper left, in a photo taken before the team's Wild Card loss to the Green Bay Packers.

There Is Some Crying In Football, With Ray Ratto

A screenshot of one of the scammy AI-generated listings on Amazon; the product's name is just the boilerplate apology text created by OpenAI when it's asked to do something it can't do.

The Future Of E-Commerce Is A Product Whose Name Is A Boilerplate AI-Generated Apology

Tua Tagovailoa makes a semi-Jim Face during warm-ups before the Dolphins' Week 18 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Pantsless On New Year’s Eve, With Rohan Nadkarni

Investor Bill Ackman, wearing one of those goofy headsets you can rent that play the radio broadcast, watches Emma Radacanu play at the 2021 U.S. Open in Queens, NY.

Hiding And Seeking With The New York Times

Michael Penix Jr, seen here pointing at The Distraction logo at upper left during Washington's win over Texas in the Sugar Bowl on 1/1/2024.