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

Kathryn Xu

Interior Of Empty Subway Train, Photo Taken In Shanghai, China

Transit

All The Trains I Rode In China

Marc Marquez of Spain and Ducati Lenovo Team, Alex Marquez of Spain and BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP during the 2025 MotoGP Michelin Grand Prix of France at Circuit Bugatti on May 11, 2025 in Le Mans, France.

Racing

Finding The Limit At Le Mans

Alysa Liu of Team United States competes in Women's Single Skating - Free Skating.

Olympics

Alysa Liu Is Untouchable

Bryan Woo #22 of the Seattle Mariners throws in the first inning during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels.

Bryan Woo Thinks Walks Are For Dogs And Babies

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 02: Aslan, a Pomeranian, 2nd place winner of Toy Group, competes during the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show – Group Judging (Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding) &amp; Westminster Legends Presentation at Madison Square Garden on February 02, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Westminster Kennel Club)

Animals

My Life Among The 33 Pomeranians (And A Few Thousand Other Dogs)

Victor Mesa Jr. #25 of the Tampa Bay Rays is unable to make a catch as fans interfere on a ball hit by Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees.

What Is Wrong With Yankees Fans?

Sean Burke #59 of the Chicago White Sox looks on during Game Two of the American League Division Series.

White Sox Touched By God, Or Perhaps Merely Joyful Exuberance

A wagon of the suspended railway Schwebebahn is pictured in Wuppertal, Germany.

The Wuppertal Schwebebahn Is Real And It Is My Friend

Giri Nathan

Patrick Redford

<p>Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and has written for The Guardian, The Second Serve, The Athletic, n+1, Texas Monthly, Air Mail, and other publications.</p>


Owen Lewis

Elena Rybakina R of Kazakhstan celebrates during the awarding ceremony for the women's singles final match between Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan at the 2026 US Open tennis championships in New York, the United States, Sept. 12, 2026. (Photo by Li Rui/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Tennis

The Defector Tennis Desk Takes Stock Of The U.S. Open

Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks to the dugout during the first inning.

Report: Family Of Oneil Cruz Hired Fixer To Cover Up Fatal 2020 Car Crash

Race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team on the podium with his trophy during the F1 Grand Prix of Italy.

Kimi Antonelli Pulled Off A Miracle At Monza

Qinwen Zheng of China celebrates after defeating Madison Keys of the United States.

Zheng Qinwen Survived A Near-Death Experience At The U.S. Open

Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks walks into the dugout before the MLB game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Chase Field on August 31.

Ketel Marte’s Bridge-Burning Hat Raises, Leaves Unanswered Several Questions

The peloton passes the Philadelphia Museum of Art during the Women's Philadelphia Cycling Classic.

Cycling

Philly Is The Star Of The Philadelphia Cycling Classic

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Laurent Mekies, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing pose for a photo in a press conference.

After All That, Max Verstappen Re-Signs With Red Bull Racing

Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners looks on in the seventh inning after being taken out of game down 11-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Mariners Surely Reach Pinnacle Of Regular-Season Suffering

Jake Bauers of the Milwaukee Brewers diving past Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Ben Rortvedt on a play at home plate.

Eventually You May Have To Believe In The Dang Milwaukee Brewers

Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners heads back to the dugout after striking out in the second inning against the New York Yankees.

How And In What Manner Cal Raleigh Put The Ass Back In Big Dumper

Umpires explain a rule review to manager John Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning of their MLB game against the Boston Red Sox.

Red Sox Stumble Into Rules Review Hell, Emerge With Inconsequential Run

Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Oh No: Dodgers In Unrecoverable Tailspin After Sixth Straight Loss

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal greets teammate center fielder Andy Pages (44) during the eighth inning of an MLB game against the Boston Red Sox.

If Baseball Is Ruined, Show Me The Ruins

Kody Clemens #2 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates his walk-off, grand slam as he rounds the bases against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning

Kody Clemens Achieves The Ultimate Ultimate Grand Slam

Theoretical visualization of LeBron James sitting on a standard Amtrak car.

This Is So Stupid

LeBron James Should Just Take The Train To His New Job

People celebrate the opening of the Metro D Line Extension's Wilshire/Fairfax station in Los Angeles on Friday, May 8, 2026.

All The Trains I Rode In Los Angeles

George Russell climbs out of his car after crashing out on the opening lap.

Is Mercedes Conspiring Against Its Own Driver? (No.)

Race winner Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Scuderia Ferrari celebrates on arrival in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit.

Banger British Grand Prix Ends With A Whimper

A LA Metro shuttle bus transports fans after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Paraguay.

Soccer

A Shockingly Positive Review Of World Cup Public Transit In Los Angeles

Nico O'Reilly #3 and Harry Kane #9 of England react after a missed chance during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match between England and Ghana.

What On Earth Is “Match Momentum”?

Race winner Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari on the podium with his trophy during the F1 Grand Prix of Barcelona-Catalunya.