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Defector

Patrick Redford

Soccer

Second-Division Sacramento Republic Is On A Magical Open Cup Run

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 28: CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg appears on a monitor as he testifies remotely during the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing 'Does Section 230's Sweeping Immunity Enable Big Tech Bad Behavior?', on Capitol Hill, October 28, 2020 in Washington, DC. CEO of Twitter Jack Dorsey; CEO of Alphabet Inc. and its subsidiary Google LLC, Sundar Pichai; and CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg all testified virtually at the hearing. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act guarantees that tech companies can not be sued for content on their platforms, but the Justice Department has suggested limiting this legislation. (Photo by Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images)

Capital

Meta Is Desperate

Ludwig enjoying the moment after her win.

Cycling

It’s Impossible Not To Root For Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig

EUGENE, OREGON - JULY 24: Tobi Amusan of Team Nigeria crosses the finish line in the Women's 100m Hurdles Final on day ten of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 24, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Track And Field

A Maddening Attempt To Figure Out Why So Many Runners Broke Records In One Event At The Track World Championships

TOPSHOT - Jumbo-Visma team's Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey celebrates as he cycles to the finish line to win the 18th stage of the 109th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 143,2 km between Lourdes and Hautacam in the Pyrenees mountains in southwestern France, on July 21, 2022. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)

A Thrilling Tour de France Belongs To Jonas Vingegaard

UAE Team Emirates team's American rider Brandon McNulty (L), UAE Team Emirates team's Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (C) wearing the best young rider's white jersey, and Jumbo-Visma team's Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard (R) wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey cycle in the ascent of Peyragudes during the 17th stage of the 109th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 129,7 km between Saint-Gaudens and Peyragudes, in southwestern France, on July 20, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Young Americans Step Into The Tour de France Spotlight

USA's Alex Morgan (top) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Canada during their 2022 Concacaf women's championship final football match, at the BBVA Bancomer stadium in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon State, Mexico on July 18, 2022. (Photo by Julio Cesar AGUILAR / AFP) (Photo by JULIO CESAR AGUILAR/AFP via Getty Images)

The USWNT Got Their Revenge

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 07: President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Dana White attends UFC 274 at Footprint Center on May 07, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Fights

The UFC’s Labor Problem Is Only Getting Worse

Jumbo-Visma team's Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey (R) and UAE Team Emirates team's Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar wearing the best young rider's white jersey (L) await the start of the 13th stage of the 109th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 192,6 km between Le Bourg d'Oisans in the French Alps, and Saint-Etienne in central France, on July 15, 2022. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP) (Photo by THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Jonas Vingegaard Finally Cracked Tadej Pogacar, And Now The Race Is On

Father and son going on a fishing trip circa 1940's. (Photo by FPG/Getty Images)

Rays Week

I Am Not Ray Ratto’s Son

Samer Kalaf

A Review Of Three Eateries Across The Ray’s Spectrum

Kelsey McKinney

Barry Petchesky

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

The Read Planet: Let’s Discuss ‘The Martian Chronicles’

Ray Kroc Once Got On The PA And Called His San Diego Padres Stupid In Front Of Everyone

Rey Enigma taking on legendary chess player Garry Kasparov

Meet Rey Enigma, Anonymous Spanish Chess Wizard

We Might Have A Real Fight On Our Hands

Australian Simon Clarke of Israel-Premier Tech, Dutch Taco van der Hoorn of Intermarche Wanty-Gobert Materiaux and USï¿¿ Neilson Powless of EF Education-EasyPost pictured in action during stage five of the Tour de France cycling race, a 155 km race from Lille Metropole to Arenberg porte du Hainaut, France on Wednesday 06 July 2022. This year's Tour de France takes place from 01 to 24 July 2022. BELGA PHOTO DAVID STOCKMAN - UK OUT (Photo by DAVID STOCKMAN / BELGA MAG / Belga via AFP) (Photo by DAVID STOCKMAN/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

Neilson Powless Came So Close To His Yellow Jersey Moment

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: Chet Holmgren poses for photos on the red carpet during the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2022 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 Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Report: Chet Holmgren Either Instant DPOY Contender Or Huge Flop

A mechanic prepares the bicycles of Team Sky cycling team prior to a training session on July 4, 2018 in Saint-Mars-la-Reorthe, western France, three days prior to the start of the 105th edition of the Tour de France cycling race. (Photo by Jeff PACHOUD / AFP) (Photo credit should read JEFF PACHOUD/AFP via Getty Images)

A Mechanic On The Hidden Army That Propels Every Tour de France Rider

Iranian-French chess grandmaster Alireza Firouzja looks on during the first day of the chess Candidates Tournament FIDE 2022, in Madrid on June 17, 2022. - Eight of the world's top chess players are in Madrid to decide who will challenge Norway's grandmaster Magnus Carlsen for the world title. (Photo by Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP) (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP via Getty Images)

Chess

Prodigal Chess Teen Loses Crucial Match After Staying Up All Night Playing Online Chess

Team Jumbo rider Slovenia's Primoz Roglic (L) and Team UAE Emirates rider Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey attend the start of the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris, on September 20, 2020. (Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP) (Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images)

Which Slovenian Will Win The Tour de France?

Arts And Culture

Here’s To Mike Davis, A Titan

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 26: Kyrie Irving attends the 2022 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images,)

So I Guess We’re Doing This Again

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Paolo Banchero pose for photos after Banchero was drafted with the 1st overall pick by the Orlando Magic during the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2022 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)

The Magic Shocked Everyone By Selecting Paolo Banchero First Overall

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - JANUARY 25: Shaedon Sharpe #21 of the Kentucky Wildcats against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Rupp Arena on January 25, 2022 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

What Is Mystery Man Shaedon Sharpe’s Deal?

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 16: Gary Payton II #0 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after defeating the Boston Celtics 103-90 in Game Six of the 2022 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 16, 2022 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 Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)