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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

Buy a Defector Gift Subscription, Get A (Different) Gift Subscription

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2025 gift subs

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Patrick Redford

BOSTON, MA - JUNE 1: Larry Bird #33 of the Boston Celtics answers questions during media day during the NBA Finals on June 1, 1986 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 Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Larry Bird gets interviewed during media day

The State Of Basketblogging

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David Roth

A coffee table with some Vogue magazines on it, and a Sports Illustrated on top. It's the famous "Why the University of Miami should drop football" cover but it's been edited to say "Why it's hard to play volleyball without a volleyball."

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Journalismism

Scorn Illustrated

<div>Adam Charles Hart is an author, curator, and archivist who lives in Pittsburgh. His second book, &#8216;<i>Raising the Dead: The Work of George A. Romero, </i>will be out in early 2024 from Oxford University Press.</div>
<div></div>


Adam Charles Hart

TOPSHOT - US director Martin Scorsese poses as he arrives on May 8, 2018 for the screening of the film "Todos Lo Saben (Everybody Knows)" and the opening ceremony of the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. (Photo by Antonin THUILLIER / AFP) (Photo by ANTONIN THUILLIER/AFP via Getty Images)

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Arts And Culture

Martin Scorsese’s Second Life As An Adman

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Samer Kalaf

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A.J. Hawk’s Role On ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ Seems To Be Easily Deceivable NPC


<p>Visual Editor. Runs <a href="http://defectorstore.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defectorstore.com</a>. Philadelphia-based, if you couldn’t tell.</p>


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Dan McQuade

A photo collage of Princess Diana wearing a Philadelphia Eagles jacket in 1991 while dropping her kids off from school

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Princess Diana Bought That Eagles Jacket Herself

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<p>Charles P. Pierce is a writer at <em>Esquire</em> and the author of four books, most recently <em>Idiot America</em>, and has been a working journalist since 1976. He lives near Boston with his wife but no longer his three children.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</div>
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Charles P. Pierce

Texas Tech Red Raiders v Boston College Eagles

College Basketball

The Life Of That Unhappy Bobby Knight Is Brought To An End

Palestinians in Gaza carry bodies through the street

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Politics

Bearing Witness To Gaza’s Grief Shouldn’t Feel Like A Radical Act

<p>Andre Kobayashi Deckrow is Post-Doctoral Associate in the Heritage Studies and Public History program and the Department of History at the University of Minnesota. He is currently working on a book about Japanese state-led migration to São Paulo in the 1920s and &#8217;30s. When not teaching or researching, he can be found rooting for Seattle sports teams or cooking Japanese food.</p>


Andre Kobayashi Deckrow

Pedro Okuda of Team Brazil celebrates a win over Panama in the WBC qualifiers in 2012.

World Baseball Classic Qualifier 3  Game 6: Team Panama v Team Brazil

How Baseball Became Brazilian

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


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Chris Thompson

Signage during the LIV Golf Invitational -Miami at Trump National Doral Miami on October 20, 2023 in Doral, Florida.

Golf

39,000 Steps At A LIV Golf Party In Trumpland

<div class="gmail_default">Timothy Faust is a healthcare writer and author of the book <i><a href="http://www.healthjusticenow.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.healthjusticenow.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685593699820000&amp;usg=AOvVaw24V19Y2HTPgYkH_EpZ_lgj">Health Justice Now</a></i>. He and his long little dog, Ume, move around a lot.</div>
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Timothy Faust

A drawing of Tim as a kidney vending machine.

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Life Lessons

You Too Can Donate A Kidney And Still Be A Normal Cool Guy Who Pounds Brewskis

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a campaign event at the Los Angeles Harbor Grain Terminal on September 29, 2023 in Long Beach, California. DeSantis is scheduled to speak at the California Republican Party Fall Convention in Anaheim, California later today.

GOP Presidential Candidate Ron DeSantis Campaigns In California

Is Ron DeSantis Wearing Hidden Platform Heels Inside His Stupid Ugly Boots? An Investigation

Dave McKenna

US swimmer Diana Nyad is seen in the water during her departure from the Ernest Hemingway Nautical Club in Havana on August 18, 2012 . Veteran US endurance swimmer Diana Nyad announced that she will try to swim the treacherous waters from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage.

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Swimming

Diana Nyad’s Swimming Brought Her Glory, Fame, And An Adversary Dedicated To Exposing Her Lies

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Kelsey McKinney

Nick Castellanos #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies in a Phillies jersey, grey, with the top buttons unbuttoned

Philadelphia Phillies v Milwaukee Brewers

Is The Phillies’ Good Luck Charm A Dedication To Himbo Culture And Showing Clavicle? [Update]

<div>Nate Jackson is a former NFL tight end and author of <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/slow-getting-up-a-story-of-nfl-survival-from-the-bottom-of-the-pile-nate-jackson/6430451?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpc-oBhCGARIsAH6ote9JzWMngZDpSjF2eoL1_JlyPm2QhDfkNgOzqvaB4n9ic0qqUNQ4iCwaAsasEALw_wcB"><em>Slow Getting Up</em></a>. He lives in Denver.</div>
<div></div>


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Nate Jackson

Denver Broncos v Miami Dolphins

Not All Ass-Beatings Are Created Equal

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Ray Ratto

A photo of a brown stationwagon next to the water. It is covered in stickers.

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Racing

The Legend Of The Brown Smear In Newfoundland

<p>James Robins is an award-winning critic and historian. His work has appeared in the <i>New Republic</i>, <i>Vulture</i>, and the <i>TLS</i>, and he writes the newsletter <a href="https://thedreadnought.substack.com/">The Dreadnought</a>. He lives in London.</p>


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James Robins

Walter Isaacson (right) and Elon Musk (left) speak onstage at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit back in 2014, long before Isaacson wrote a big biography of Musk.

Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit – Day 1

Not Even The Patron Stooge Of Fawning Biographies Can Make Elon Musk Look Good

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Lauren Theisen

Mordecai Brown Of The Chicago Cubs

An “Old-Fashioned Pitchers’ Duel” Didn’t Always Mean What You Think

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Luis Paez-Pumar

The Cyclone Roller Coaster at Coney Island

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Reflections From An Aging Roller Coaster Fanatic

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Giri Nathan

A crowd shot of Court 17 at the U.S. Open.

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Tennis

An Interview With The Biggest Tennis Sicko I’ve Encountered At The U.S. Open

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Jason England

Roger Goodell, Jay-Z and Blue Ivy Carter attend Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona.

Super Bowl LVII Pregame

Music

50 Years Later, Is There Anything Left Of Hip Hop?

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Kathryn Xu

Screenshot from tripleS LOVElution's "Girls' Capitalism" music video, with text reading, "Rule No. 1 Don't Cry Be Rich."

tripleS Girls Capitalism

TripleS And The Rise Of K-Pop Girls’ Crypto-Capitalism

<p>Hesse Deni is a podcaster and screenwriter from Buffalo, New York currently living in Manhattan. Her podcast is called <em>Seeking Derangement</em>s and is available on all major platforms.</p>


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Hesse Deni

Veteran broadcasters Harry Neale (left) and Rick Jeanneret (right) of the Buffalo Sabres get ready for their game

Montreal Canadiens v Buffalo Sabres

Rick Jeanneret’s Voice Gave Buffalo Hope

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Billy Haisley

Jennifer Hermoso, Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes of Spain celebrate with the FIFA Women's World Cup Trophy after the team's victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Final match between Spain and England at Stadium Australia on August 20, 2023 in Sydney / Gadigal, Australia.

Spain v England: Final – FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023

Soccer

It’s The Light That Lasts

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Israel Daramola

Michael Oher #74 of the Ole Miss Rebels stands with his family during senior ceremonies prior to a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

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The Tuohy Family’s Side Of The Story Has A Giant Hole At The Center

<p>Abigail Segel is a writer based in Montreal.</p>


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Abigail Segel

A July 17 photo of Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA, during the 'Fearless' set.

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You Must Understand That Taylor Swift Knows Me Better Than Anyone Else On Earth

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