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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

Tom Ley

Rose Lobelson, Communications Associate at Sotheby's, points to an image of the Sports Illustrated cover of Wilt Chamberlain in his 'Championship Clinching' 1972 NBA Final jersey, with bandaged-hands after he broke a hand, at Sotheby's Auction House in Beverly Hills, California, on August 1, 2023. The jersey is estimated at $4 million.

Media Meltdowns

Sports Illustrated May Yet Live

Samer Kalaf

Journalismism

Second Iteration Of Deadspin Now Also Dead

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

A VICE Media Group location is seen on February 23, 2024 in the Venice section of Los Angeles, California.

Capital

“The Locusts Of The Newspaper World”: How Fortress Investment Group Decimated Newspapers Before Gutting Vice

Patrick Redford

Start of the race 16 Charles Leclerc of Monaco, Scuderia Ferrari, SF-23 - Ferrari, action 04 Lando Norris of United Kingdom, Mclaren Formula 1 Team, MCL60 - Mercedes, action during the Formula 1 Lenovo United States Grand Prix of FIA Formula One World Championship from 19th to 22th of October, 2023 on the Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas, United States of America. (Photo by Gongora/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Road & Track EIC Tries To Explain Why He Deleted An Article About Formula 1 Power Dynamics

Jay Willis is a writer who covers law and democracy. His work has appeared in GQ, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Slate, and more. He is the editor-in-chief at Balls &amp; Strikes, an outlet for progressive commentary on the legal system.

Jay Willis

Giant portraits of the news anchors at Fox News headquarters building in New York City. Very cursed image.

Tim Burke’s Indictment Is A Political Choice Disguised As A Legal Act

The New York Times Ignores Intense Scrutiny Of Its Oct. 7 Report

Israel Daramola

Diddy attends The After hosted by Diddy &amp; Doja Cat powered by Ciroc Premium Vodka and DeLeon Tequila at Club Love on May 01, 2023 in New York City.

What To Take From The Latest Suit Against Diddy

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

Peter King pours a beer over Drew Magary’s head, in a still from a video from the old site.

10 Things I Think I Think On Peter King’s Retirement

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Vice’s Avaricious Stewards Finally Succeeded At Bleeding It Dry

An exterior view of Cleveland Browns Stadium prior to the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals on September 10, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Iconic And Brave: Plain Dealer Editor Decided Not To Report Some News About The Browns

A detail view of a hat with the Super Bowl logo during Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium on February 05, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)

This Is So Stupid

What Time Does “What Time Does The Super Bowl Start?” Start?

Randy Moss speaks at his NFL Hall of Fame induction; his bust has been replaced with the head of Randy Moss the journalist

How To Tell Randy Moss From Randy Moss: A Defector Strategy Guide

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Mike Tanier has covered the NFL for 20 years for Football Outsiders, the New York Times, The Messenger, Bleacher Report, Sports on Earth, and other ancient empires. He&#8217;s a co-author of Aaron Schatz&#8217;s FTN Football Almanac and the author of the Y/A novel for grownups Long Snapper&#8217;s Blues. He lives off Exit 3 of the New Jersey Turnpike with his long-suffering wife, two sons and a 70-pound American Bully named Frank the Tank. His new Substack, <a href="https://miketanier.substack.com/">Too Deep Zone</a>, has officially launched.
</div>

Mike Tanier

STILL LIFE OF SKELETON WRITING IN LARGE BOOK WITH QUILL PEN (Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images)

Three Newsrooms Imploded Around Me In Under A Year

The OpenAI logo is being displayed on a smartphone, with the Microsoft logo visible on the screen in the background.

Semafor’s AI Partnership Is The Same Old Shit

Thomas Friedman of the New York Times doing a PBS interview

New York Times Pays Thomas Friedman To Compare The Middle East To Bugs

Lauren Theisen

Pro-Commanders Spin Somehow A Bigger Mess Than Commanders

Logo for The Messenger, with letters flickering out and then going blank. First the 'h', then the 'nge', then the 'T e e r.' Blue background, white text.

The Messenger Was Built To Fail, And Did

Dave McKenna

A screenshot of Ross Levinsohn standing at a lectern. He's speaking at the University of Colorado. A giant poster of an SI cover with Deion Sanders on it is behind him.

Debating The Finer Points Of Nepotism With Ex-SI Boss Ross Levinsohn

Ray Ratto

An exterior view shows signage for Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on January 30, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The game will be played on February 11, 2024, between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.

Super Bowl Day 3: Too Stupid, Too Early

Jeff Pearlman’s Advice To Young Sportswriters: Simply Write A Book About LeBron James And Kobe Bryant

The New York Times’ David Leonhardt Turns In A Nasty Piece Of Work

October 16, 1972 Sports Illustrated cover and signed limited edition Wilt Chamberlain sports porcelain figurine on display during the press preview at Sotheby's Auction House on August 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Here It Is: One More Obit For Sports Illustrated

Kathryn Xu

A box of Sports Illustrated supplements. White bottles of various sizes. The most visible bottle is Sports Illustrated Nutrition: Collagen + Enzymes

Sports Illustrated As We Know It Appears To Be Dead

Music Journalism Can’t Afford A Hollowed-Out Pitchfork

A view of an ESPN Monday Night Football logo on a TV camera.