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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

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

WASHINGTON, DC - May 23: Laura Helmuth of The Washington Post via Getty Images poses for a portrait on Tuesday May 23, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Science

Do Not Accept An Unscientific American

Dave McKenna

An illustration depicting high school football player attempting to catch a gigantic football

High School Sports

How An Imported State Champion Blew Up Virginia High School Football

Albert Burneko

Robert F. Kennedy looking like an old shrunken russet potato at some Trump rally.

Media Meltdowns

What The Fuck Is A “Vaccine Skeptic”?

Israel Daramola

Quincy Jones on stage at The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz and The Recording Academy Los Angeles chapter honoring Herbie Hancock all star tribute concert at the Kodak Theatre

Arts And Culture

Quincy Jones Was Greater Than Any One Era

Eva Holland is a freelance writer and editor based in Whitehorse, Yukon. She&#8217;s a correspondent for Outside magazine and the author of the books Nerve and <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/no-sleep-til-fairbanks#/">No Sleep &#8216;Til Fairbanks</a>.

Eva Holland

Lael Wilcox pedaling past a field of poppes in Spain

Cycling

Trying To Catch Up With Lael Wilcox As She Biked Around The World In 108 Days

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Head coach Teresa Weatherspoon of the Chicago Sky complains about a call against her team during the fourth quarter of a home basketball game against the Washington Mystics at Wintrust Arena on August 28, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

WNBA

What Happened To All The WNBA Coaches?

Kelsey McKinney

Risk Week

What Do You Risk In Revisiting A Piece Of Culture You Once Loved?

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Students observe a classroom demonstration in an old black-and-white photograph from the 1930s.

Under The Influence

I Took A TikTok Class. What Happened Next Blew My Mind

Emily Bice is a Brooklyn-based writer. Her work centers on explorations of how we navigate love and life in the 21st century. These investigations have taken her to a fishmonger, inspired meditations on dating, and even led to rollerblading a marathon. You can find more on her Substack, <a href="https://129waysto.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://129waysto.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728739707762000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1SlDWyDATtJJ90_yxFN0B1">129 Ways to Get a Life</a>.

Emily Bice

Emily skates in the final stretch of the marathon

The Great Outdoors

The View From The Way, Way Back Of The Berlin Inline Skating Marathon

Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99

Diana Moskovitz

Lesley Ryder is a writer and a host covering the Chicago Red Stars. She co-created <a href="https://galpalsports.com/">Gal Pal Sports</a>, a platform that lives to make women’s sports fun for everyone.

Lesley Ryder

San Diego Wave flags during the NWSL match between the San Diego Wave FC and the Portland Thorns on May 26, 2023, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA.

NWSL

San Diego Wave, NWSL Sued For Team’s “Abusive And Hostile Work Environment”

An illustration of a little league baseball player trying to swing an oversized gavel as parents look on

Life's Rich Pageant

A Very Ugly Year In The Life Of A D.C. Little League

Ray Ratto

Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds dives head first into home plate during a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field during the early 1970s in Chicago

Pete Rose, All-American

Patrick Redford

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 26: The Oakland Athletics mascot, Stomper, waves to the crowd after the Oakland Athletics beat the Texas Rangers at the Oakland Coliseum on September 26, 2024 in Oakland, California. Today will be the final Athletics game played at the Coliseum. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The A’s Are Oakland’s No More

A general view of the Oakland Athletics playing against the Texas Rangers at the Oakland Coliseum on September 24, 2024 in Oakland, California.

Never Forget What Killed The Oakland A’s

Journalismism

The Truth Is An Inconvenience For Jake Tapper And Dana Bash

Giri Nathan

A screencap of some unhappy Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball attendees

‘Bridgerton’ Fans Paid Hundreds To Attend Sham Ball Organized By Uncle-Niece Duo

Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN discussing trade proposals for Jerami Grant

What Is The Cost Of A Woj Bomb?

Alex Morgan of USA celebrates her first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Final match between Japan and USA at the FIFA World Cup stadium Frankfurt on July 17, 2011 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Defector Reads A Book

Find A Job You Enjoy, And You’ll Never Have A Day Off In Your Life

David Roth

Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Republican vice presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) appear on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party's presidential nomination

Politics

What A Lie Is For

Billy Haisley

The artist Brunderr (L) performs during the filming of a music video at the Baile Funk of the Heliopolis favela in the south of Sao Paulo, Brazil, on April 20, 2024. Born in the impoverished favelas, Rio de Janeiro funk music has emerged as a global phenomenon, embraced by superstars like Anitta and Beyonce and starring in museum shows, though it still faces stigma in Brazil.

Music

A Washed American’s Guide To The Boundless Underworld Of Brazilian Funk

A view of the crowd milling around the U.S. Open

Tennis

The U.S. Open Crowd Has Become Too Much Of A Good Thing

After Beating The Case, Jannik Sinner Beat The Field

Richard Staff is a <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardStaff" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weapons-grade Twitter goblin</a> and hostage of the Mets. That is his real name.

Richard Staff

An illustration of several baseball mitts trying to catch the same ball

The Minor League Shrink And The Growing Gap Between Triple-A And The Bigs

Hamilton Nolan is a journalist based in New York City. Subscribe to his work at <a href="https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687350200913000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0naFbUVOe-5ZgtPDtIM3gz">HamiltonNolan.com</a>.

Hamilton Nolan

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 19: Delegates from Florida chant "Lock him up," as Hillary Clinton talks about former President Donald Trump's criminal convictions during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 19, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.