CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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

Patrick Redford

Cycling

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

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

Team Visma | Lease a Bike's Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard celebrates on the podium with the overall leader's yellow jersey after the 1st stage of the 113th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, a 19 km team time trial stage in and around Barcelona in northeastern Spain, on July 4, 2026.

Jonas Vingegaard Made It Out Alive, Then Made Barcelona Smile

MANTES-LA-VILLE, FRANCE - JULY 27: (L-R) Ben Healy of Ireland and Team EF Education - EasyPost as most combative rider prize winner, Florian Lipowitz of Germany and Team Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe - White best young jersey, Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark and Team Visma | Lease a Bike - Polka dot Mountain Jersey, Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates - XRG - Yellow leader jersey, Jonathan Milan of Italy and Team Lidl - Trek - Green Sprint Jersey and Kaden Groves of Australia and Team Alpecin - Deceuninck prior to the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 21 a 132.3km stage from Mantes-la-Ville to Paris - Champs-Elysees / #UCIWT / on July 27, 2025 in Mantes-la-Ville, France. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

Your Guide To The 2026 Tour de France

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 17: Olivia Miles #5 of the Minnesota Lynx looks on during the second half against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena on June 17, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images)

Podcasts

Liv Takes Miles, With Maitreyi Anantharaman

TIGNES, FRANCE - JULY 26: UCI Commissaire Tour De France and Thierry Gouvenou of France TDF Race director / Stage neutralized - canceled due to snow and hail in the final 20km to finish-line / during the 106th Tour de France 2019, Stage 19 a 126,5km stage from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Tignes 2113m / TDF / #TDF2019 / @LeTour / on July 26, 2019 in Tignes, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Why The Tour de France Route Is Different Every Single Year

BEAUFORT, FRANCE - JUNE 14: (L-R) Paul Seixas of France and Team Decathlon CMA CGM and Isaac Del Toro of Mexico and UAE Team Emirates - XRG prior to the 78th Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes 2026, Stage 8 a 120.1km stage from Beaufort to Plateau de Solaison - Brison 1497m / #UCIWT / on June 14, 2026 in Beaufort, France. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

The Tour de France Is For The Children

The Athletics Are An Abomination

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 14: Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards looks on during a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on March 14, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)

Trae Young’s Bizarre New Deal Is The Wrong Kind Of Hedge

NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the NUMBER overall draft pick by the TEAM, PLAYER during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

A Sicko’s Guide To The NBA Draft, With David Lee

Slovenia's rider Tadej Pogacar of team UAE Emirates - XRG attends the team presentation on the eve of the first stage of the Tour of Switzerland (Tour de Suisse) cycling race, in Sondrio, Italy, on June 16, 2026. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)

It’s Still Tadej Pogacar’s World

New York Knicks owner James Dolan is interviewed by Ernie Johnson Jr. after his team's victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

FancyFree Is The Center Of The World, With Giri Nathan

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 13: Achraf Hakimi of Morocco pours water over his face during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match between Brazil and Morocco at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 13, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

Soccer

FIFA’s Hydration Breaks Break The Essence Of The Game

US President Donald Trump sits next to Knicks owner James Dolan as they attend Game Three of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 8, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

Conducting A Mid-Finals Vibe Assay, With Devon Walker And Will Menaker

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 5: FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump on stage during the FIFA World Cup 2026 official draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 5, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

The State Of Sportswashing

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks lands on the scorers table as Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

The Knicks Stopped Moving And Died

Belgium's Romelu Lukaku and Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne pictured during a training session of Belgian national soccer team.

Belgium’s Old Dogs Are Back For One Last Trick

Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark and Team Visma | Lease a Bike celebrates on the podium as the Pink Leader Jersey and overall race winner with the Trofeo Senza Fine during the 109th Giro d'Italia 2026, Stage 21, a 131km stage from Rome to Rome, on May 31, 2026, in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Massimo Valicchia/NurPhoto)

Jonas Vingegaard Rides Free

SAN ANTONIO, TX -MAY 12: of Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 12, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

One Must Imagine Sisyphus Dunking, With Hanif Abdurraqib

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 20: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings speaks to head coach Mike Brown in a break against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on March 20, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

Beam Team’s Esteemed Dreams Once Deemed Reamed, Now Redeemed With New Regimes

The USMNT Is Still Stuck In The Middle

25 Mar 1997: Vancouver Grizzlies guard Greg Anthony (left) and teammate center Bryant Reeves look on during a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. The Clippers won the game, 110-104. Mandatory

Getting Kicked Out Of The Comedian Run, With Gavin Matts

Canadian weightlifter Boady Santavy fails at an attempt to break the world record during the men snatch competition during the Enhanced Games at Resorts World Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 24, 2026. The first-ever Enhanced Games -- widely dubbed the "Steroid Olympics" -- took place Sunday in Las Vegas, where elite sprinters, swimmers and weightlifters will vie for world records while taking banned performance-enhancing drugs. (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT / AFP)

Olympics

The Enhanced Games Were A Predictably Stupid Failure

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 21: Actors Tracy Morgan (R) and Timothée Chalamet (3R) attend Game Two of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 21, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Back-To-Back Blown Leads, With Noah Kulwin Of ‘Blowback’

LONDON COLNEY, ENGLAND - MAY 19: (L-R) William Saliba and Riccardo celebrate Arsenal winning the Premier League after watching AFC Bournemouth v Manchester City at Sobha Realty Training Centre on May 19, 2026 in London Colney, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)