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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.

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Defector

NYC: Come To Our WNBA Comedy Show On May 16

10-minute-quarters-3-2-fix (1)

Live Event

ratto-ray_400x400

Ray Ratto

APR 28 1968; READY FOR ROCKET-TICKET CAMPAIGN; Jack Grunwald, right, will serve as general chairman of the Denver Rockets' season-ticket drive that will be launched with an organizational dinner meeting for 60 area businessmen Monday evening at the Denver Athletic Club. Grunwald headed last year's drive that set an ABA high of nearly 700 season tickets. Mapping plans are, from left. Rockets owner J. W. Ringsby, cochairmen Max Moore and Frank Byrne.; (Photo By The Denver Post via Getty Images)

APR 28 1968; READY FOR ROCKET-TICKET CAMPAIGN; Jack Grunwald, right, will serve as general chairman

It’s An Upset That The Nuggets Exist

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 12: Jonah Bride #26, Seth Brown #15, Jace Peterson #6, Esteury Ruiz #1 and Ramon Laureano #22 of the Oakland Athletics celebrate after a 4-3 win against the Tampa Bay Rays at RingCentral Coliseum on June 12, 2023 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Tampa Bay Rays v Oakland Athletics

Tonight’s A’s Game Will Be A Party Or A Wake

REGINA, SK - SEPTEMBER 16: An Edmonton Elks helmet on the bench before the game between the Edmonton Elks and Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium on September 16, 2022 in Regina, Canada. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images)

Edmonton Elks v Saskatchewan Roughriders

Someone’s Gotta Be The Worst Team In Edmonton

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 11: Miami Marlins third baseman Jean Segura (9) jumps in the air after hitting a home run in the ninth inning during a Major League Baseball game between the Miami Marlins and the Chicago White Sox on June 11, 2023 at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

MLB: JUN 11 Marlins at White Sox

The Marlins Can Be A Bigger Fish In A Big Pond

Miami's Duncan Robinson argues with referee Eric Davis during Game 1 of the NBA Finals

heatnugs ref

The Heat Have Bigger Problems Than The Refs

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS - APRIL 30: A general view of a golf ball on the green of the first hole during the final round of the Insperity Invitational at The Woodlands Golf Club on April 30, 2023 in The Woodlands, Texas.

Insperity Invitational – Final Round

Golf

I Demand These Two Awful, Heroic Golfers Be Given A Hefty NIL Deal

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - MAY 29: Fans sit behind signs referencing plans for the Oakland Athletics to move to Las Vegas during a game against the Atlanta Braves at RingCentral Coliseum on May 29, 2023 in Oakland, California.

Atlanta Braves v Oakland Athletics

Oakland A’s: Thousands Of Fans Across The Country Will Flock To Las Vegas To Watch Us Play Awful Baseball

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 30: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors hugs general manager Bob Myers after the Warriors defeated the Kings 120-100 in game seven of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Golden 1 Center on April 30, 2023 in Sacramento, 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Golden State Warriors v Sacramento Kings – Game Seven

The Warriors Are In Flux

Luton Town players celebrating with Tom Lockyer shirt after winning the game during the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final between Coventry City and Luton Town at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 27th May 2023. (Photo by Ivan Yordanov/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Coventry City v Luton Town: Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final

Soccer

Luton Town Is Back From The Brink

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: Tom Brady attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Paramount Pictures’ “80 For Brady” presented by Smirnoff ICE at the Regency Village Theatre on January 31, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

‚Äú80 For Brady‚Äù Los Angeles Premiere

You Won’t Be Rid Of Tom Brady That Easily

MIAMI, FL - MAY 27: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics shoots the game winner during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat on May 27, 2023 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

2023 NBA Playoffs – Boston Celtics v Miami Heat

Derrick White Was In Place

DALLAS, TEXAS - MAY 25: Joe Pavelski #16 of the Dallas Stars celebrates a game-winning power play goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during overtime in Game Four of the Western Conference Final of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center on May 25, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Vegas Golden Knights v Dallas Stars – Game Four

I Live In A Joe Pavelski Household Now

PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 23: Pitcher Nathan Eovaldi #17 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with Jonah Heim #28 after throwing a 6-1 complete game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on May 23, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

Texas Rangers v Pittsburgh Pirates

Don’t Look Now But The Rangers Might Be Good

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 23: Grant Williams #12 of the Boston Celtics controls the ball ahead of Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals at Kaseya Center on May 23, 2023 in Miami, Florida. 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 Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Boston Celtics v Miami Heat – Game Four

Celtics Live To Disappoint Another Day

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 18: Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Florida Panthers celebrates with teammates after scoring the game-winning goal during the fourth overtime to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in Game One of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 18, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)

Florida Panthers v Carolina Hurricanes – Game One

Game 1 Didn’t Last Long Enough

From left: Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers and Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob at Chase Center, Friday, July 30, 2021, in San Francisco, Calif. The Warriors selected Jonathan Kuminga (No. 7) and Moses Moody (No. 14) in the NBA Draft on Thursday night.

SFChronicleGiants

Suddenly Joe Lacob Has A Budget

DENVER, CO - MAY 16 : Rui Hachimura (28) of the Los Angeles Lakers fouls Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets during 1st game of Western Conference Final at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

Nuggets Lakers

The Lakers Better Hope Their Jokic-Stopper Is For Real

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 03: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman attends the 2023 NHL All-Star Skills Competition at FLA Live Arena on February 03, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

2023 NHL All-Star – Skills Competition

Arizona Is Gary Bettman’s Waterloo

EDMONTON, CANADA - MAY 14 Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Six of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on May 14, 2023, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Vegas Golden Knights v Edmonton Oilers – Game Six

That’s Oil, Folks

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 14: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics collides with Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter in game seven of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden on May 14, 2023 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)

Philadelphia 76ers v Boston Celtics – Game Seven

That’s Gotta Hurt

Jets fan holding up a "Thank you schedule makers" sign at a game

Detroit Lions vs New York Jets – October 22, 2006

The NFL Schedule Release Is A Beast That Won’t Stop Growing

Sam Bennett and Jake McCabe hit each other

NHL: MAY 10 Eastern Conference Second Round – Maple Leafs at Panthers

The Leafs Return Home With Bruises, Nerves, And A Win

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 10: LeBron James #6 and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during Game 5 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals of the 2023 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors on May 10, 2023 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE

2023 NBA Playoffs – Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors

Lakers-Warriors Is A Series Searching For A Story

TORONTO, ON- MAY 7 - Toronto Maple Leafs fans leave after the Leafs fall 3-2 in Florida for game three in the second round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, Toronto fans gathered at Maple Leaf Square outside Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. May 7, 2023. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Toronto Maple Leafs fans leave after the Leafs fall 3-2 in Florida for game three in the second round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, Toronto fans gathered at Maple Leaf Square

The Leafs Are The Hockey Knicks, Unless It’s The Other Way Around

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 21: A view shows the Las Vegas Strip behind the site that the Oakland Athletics agreed in principle to purchase from Red Rock Resorts Inc. for a potential new ballpark on April 21, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The A's President Dave Kaval said the deal for the 49-acre plot of land, formerly the home of Wild Wild West Gambling Hall &amp; Hotel, could be used to relocate the Major League Baseball franchise from Oakland to Las Vegas. The team will now work on a public-private partnership to build a USD 1.5 billion, 30,000-to-35,000-seat, partially retractable-roof stadium in time for the 2027 season. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)