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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

Lauren Theisen

Posters of Connor McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov and a tear-out centerfold of "Defector Hockey Monthly 2025 season preview"

Who’s Hot And Who’s Not? A 2025–26 NHL Preview

Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees rounds third base to score a go-ahead run

Jazz Chisholm Flew

Kirill Kaprizov #97 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates

Minnesota Is Good Enough For Kirill Kaprizov

Jacob Young Kicked The Mets While They’re Down

Micah Parsons #1 of the Green Bay Packers sacks Jared Goff

The Packers Got What They Needed In Micah Parsons

Emmanuel Rivera #26 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with teammates after walking off the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 06, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland

[Affecting A Maryland Accent] “Whoa! Go O’s!”

Gamers sample an assortment of pinball machines

Video Games

Pinball Is Getting Too Fancy

Tennis

Tennis Player Acts Normal

Life Lessons

Seeking Closure At Planet Hollywood, Where My Life Once Exploded

Mason Miller #22 and Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres celebrate a 3-2 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks

Better Not Guess Wrong Against Mason Miller

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. #12 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates while running the bases after hitting a two run home run

Mason Miller’s Balls Were Fast, But Lourdes Gurriel’s Dong Was Faster

Jhoan Duran #59 of the Philadelphia Phillies enters the game for the ninth inning

What’s The Big Deal About Jhoan Durán’s Entrance?

Birch boletus - edible mushrooms on moss (Leccinum scabrum)

Arts And Culture

My Favorite Part Of ‘Anna Karenina’ Is The Guy Who Can’t Stop Himself From Talking About Mushrooms

Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres makes a jumping catch in the fourth inning of the game against New York Mets

The Robbin’ Padres Took Away A Home Run Before Anyone Knew What Happened

Luis Paez-Pumar

L t r Greg Gates, Melb. Glenn Ford, Willoughby, Syd. and Joe Italiano, of Mitchum Vic, study Copy of Fantastic Four

Defector At The Movies

Four Thoughts About ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers strikes out

The First-Place Dodgers Are In Relative Trouble

General Manager Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild smiles during rounds 2-7 of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft at TRIA Rink on July 24, 2021 in St. Paul, Minnesota

Bills Week

The Wild’s Offseason Has Been Pretty Tame

David Roth

Dave McKenna

Singer and pianist Billy Joel rests on an airline flight between Austin and Dallas during a tour promoting his "57th Street" album. | Location: Above Texas, USA.

You Should Never Argue With A Crazy M-M-Music Club

Bill Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers poses for a photo during the 2025 MLB All-Star player photo shoot

How Did Will “Bill” Smith Do At The MLB All-Star Game?

Bill’s Wines & Liquors: The Defector Review

Bill Laimbeer #40 takes the ball during the NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics

Bill Laimbeer Made Me A Youth Basketball Maniac

Zach McKinstry #39 of the Detroit Tigers rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run

30-Year-Old Man Hits Athletic Peak

Wilyer Abreu #52 of the Boston Red Sox dives into home on an inside-the-park home run in the fifth inning during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Monday, June 30, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Wilyer Abreu Hit It To The Most Fun Spot In Fenway

US wrestler CM Punk greets the fans before his match against against John Cena for the undisputed WWE Championship during the King of the Ring event at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on June 28, 2025.

Pro Wrestling

CM Punk Loves Saudi Arabia

Richard Lovelady #57 of the New York Mets pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Tuesday