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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

Kathryn Xu

A Boston Terrier is examined in the judging area during day one of the 150th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City on February 2, 2026.

Interviews

A Westminster Dog Show Judge Tells Us What They’re Looking For

Dave McKenna

Jarrell Miller reacts to his toupee falling off in a heavyweight bout against Kingsley Ibeh during the Ring 6 fight at Madison Square Garden on January 31, 2026 in New York City.

The Fights

Jarrell Miller Got His Hair Punched Off And Became A Hero

Defector Staff

Austrian fortune-telling cards from a pack of 32, showing acorns, hearts, bells and leaves.

Underexplained Lists

Underexplained Predictions For 2026

Barry Petchesky

Year In Review

What Horrible Things Did We Do To Our Penises Last Year?

What Did We Get Stuck In Our Rectums Last Year?

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<div><a href="https://www.bystefanfatsis.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bystefanfatsis.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1759235100786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1mlCW5_XUY56jklGr11a_z">Stefan Fatsis</a> is the author of four books: <a href="https://groveatlantic.com/book/unabridged/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://groveatlantic.com/book/unabridged/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1759235100786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0jbw5ZscOBp6w-1um3R6yu"><i>Unabridged</i></a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-few-seconds-of-panic-a-sportswriter-plays-in-the-nfl-stefan-fatsis/7891278" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-few-seconds-of-panic-a-sportswriter-plays-in-the-nfl-stefan-fatsis/7891278&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1759235100786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0MpNNngIOKaj-715hSNVZD"><i>A Few Seconds of Panic</i></a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/word-freak-heartbreak-triumph-genius-and-obsession-in-the-world-of-competitive-scrabblep-layers-stefan-fatsis/11648962" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bookshop.org/p/books/word-freak-heartbreak-triumph-genius-and-obsession-in-the-world-of-competitive-scrabblep-layers-stefan-fatsis/11648962&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1759235100786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw02LL51Wrka0A0lLkwOxYUj"><i>Word Freak</i></a>, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Outside-Renegade-Baseball-Heartland/dp/0802712975" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Outside-Renegade-Baseball-Heartland/dp/0802712975&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1759235100786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1YzbrZGW2KCbIttDDLhkPn"><i>Wild and Outside</i></a>. He&#8217;s also a former cohost of “Hang Up and Listen,” commentator on NPR&#8217;s &#8220;All Things Considered,&#8221; and reporter for <i>The Wall Street Journal</i>.</div>
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Stefan Fatsis

Life's Rich Pageant

How A Campy 1970s Game Show Became Part Of Canada’s National Lexicon

Tom Ley

Luis Rubiales and editor Gonzalo Sichar speak during the presentation of "Matar a Rubiales"on November 13, 2025, in Madrid, Spain. The former president of the RFEF presents his book "Matar a Rubiales" in which he tells his version of events about the non-consensual kiss to Jenni Hermoso.

Luis Rubiales Egged By Uncle Who Is Also Named Luis Rubiales

FBI and Border Patrol officers arrest Sean Charles Dunn, after he allegedly assaulted law enforcement with a sandwich, along the U Street corridor during a federal law enforcement deployment to the nation's capital on August 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered an increased presence of federal law enforcement to Washington, DC in an effort to curb crime.

If The Sub Didn’t Split, You Must Acquit


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

Rick Mathews holding a sign that says "ALL" on a children's coaster to say he has all of them.

The Journey Of All 1,091 U.S. Roller Coasters Ends With A Toot Around The Track

Fianna Fail presidential candidate Jim Gavin leaving the first presidential debate on The Tonight Show, at Virgin Media Television Studios in Dublin. Picture date: Monday September 29, 2025.

Politics

Small-Time Political Scandals Still Have Consequences In Island Nation Called Ireland

Kelsey McKinney

Detail from a large fresco titled 'The Last Judgement' painted by Michelangelo

Why Is Everyone Talking About The Damn Rapture Again?

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


Chris Thompson

Jesse Cole, owner of the Savannah Bananas, in his trademark yellow suit and top-hat.

The Official Charity Of The Savannah Bananas Has A Hard Time Explaining How Its Money Is Spent

Samer Kalaf

Samer Kalaf in a Hell Gate hat at the Mets game

TNT Sports Airs Guerrilla Marketing For Worker-Owned Website That Isn’t Defector

Josina Anderson Advises Independent Noun-Inclusion Vis-À-Vis Chemtrails

Heckler Achieves Impossible Task Of Making Shohei Ohtani Even Cooler Than He Already Was

Never Attempt To Bribe Me With Snacks Unless They Are The Good Snacks

A brown leather couch covered, almost completely on the seats and up the seatbacks, with Greg Briley Topps baseball cards

Here’s How A Man Accidentally Bought 10,400 Greg Briley Rookie Cards

ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 01: Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears fumbles the ball as he is sacked by DeMarcus Ware #94 of the Dallas Cowboys in the third quarter at Cowboys Stadium on October 1, 2012 in Arlington, Texas.

Bears Fan Who Spent $12,107 On A Jay Cutler Card: “I Don’t Want To Spend $12,107 On A Jay Cutler Card”


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

a 3D-printed crab named Wavy Dave is waving his claw at a fiddler crab in the distance

Creaturefector

The Brief Adventures Of Wavy Dave

David Roth

A screengrab of Alan Dershowitz on his Dershow podcast's mailbag segment. He is literally saying the words "Jeffrey Epstein" at this moment.

Are You Aware Of The Alan Dershowitz Martha’s Vineyard Pierogi Situation?

Waterslide person silhoutted shot on 35mm film vintage style

I Can’t Stop Thinking About The Underwater Waterslide Of Horror

Patrick Redford

A float for the Cochonou brand in the Tour de France caravan, with spectators reaching out to it as it passes.

Cycling

There Is No Tour de France Without The Tour de Brands

Bills Week

Just What You Wanted: A Bill Belichick TV Show

An illustration of Wild Bill Hickock shooting a guy with the last name Williams in the Old West.