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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

Samer Kalaf

Giri Nathan

The Namedropping podcast logo, a coffee cup with a scratched-out name

Podcasts

Named By The Stars, With Naveen Farrani

David Roth

Evan Carter of the Texas Rangers celebrates in the clubhouse after beating the Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS.

Giving Home Plate The Business, With Emma Baccellieri

Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in The Normal School, New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review, and elsewhere.

Jae Towle Vieira

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

A Whodunit At Junk Science Summer Camp

How Your Name Can Determine Your Opportunities, With Xian Zhao

Onterrio Smith of the Minnesota Vikings diving for some extra yards in a NFL Playoff Game against the Eagles in January of 2005.

Holiday In Onterrio

Normal Gossip Returns, In Search Of A Teenage Dream

The Geography Of A Name, With Thomas Dai

An illustration of the cohosts of The Distraction, in the style of a Nascar fan t-shirt. We're both wearing those fire-suits and appear deeply tan.

A Tote Bag Full Of Starting Lineups, Live With Rohan Nadkarni

A Street Rat Named Desire, With Alli Katz

Geraldo Perdomo of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates by splashing to beers around after Arizona completed their two-game Wild Card sweep of the Brewers in October of 2023.

Wild Cards And Animal Spirits In October

Am I Having A White Thought Or An Indian Thought? With Sridhar Ramesh

Taylor Swift watching the Kansas City Chiefs game on Monday night in a luxury box with Travis Kelce's mother, Donna.

Pinning Your Ears Back For Taylor Swift, With Giri Nathan And Samer Kalaf

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders congratulates his son Shadeur during Colorado's win against Colorado State on September 16, 2023.

The Coach Prime Discourse Is Decadent And Depraved

Matt Carpenter of the Padres looking distraught during a road game against the Phillies in July of 2023.

What Are The Padres Trying To Tell Us, With Justin Halpern

Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

Drew Magary

xxxx during the NFL game between Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 2, 2016 in London, England.

A Comprehensively Stupid 2023 NFL Season Preview, With Kalyn Kahler

A Minnesota Vikings fan with a painted face and a goofy horned helmet looks contemplative/despondent during the team's loss to the New York Giants in the 2023 NFC Wild Card game.

What Kind Of Vikings Fan Should A Person Be?

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and his team react incredulously to a call during the 2023 College Football Championship Game.

The Kings Of Shrimp Country, With Spencer Hall

&lt;&gt; at KessPro Studios on August 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.

The Hater’s Guide To The 2023 Fantasy Football Season, With Andy Behrens

Kelsey McKinney

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Alex Sujong Laughlin and Kelsey McKinney standing beside Flat Margaret.

Kelsey And Alex’s Big Adventure: Notes From Normal Gossip On The Road

Pete Alonso high-fives his teammates in the Mets dugout after hitting a two-run homer against the Cubs on August 9, 2023.

Pete Alonso Emo Chat, With Lindsey Adler

A stock photo of sausages cooking on a barbecue grill.

The Bib Does Nothing!

Sophia Smith lines up a shot in the US Women's National Team's game against the Netherlands in the Women's World Cup on Wednesday night.

How Much Vlatko Is Too Much Vlatko, With Abigail Segel

Three demonstrators join hands to build strength against the force of water sprayed by riot police in Birmingham, Alabama, during a protest of segregation practices.

The Civil Rights Movement’s Turning Point Was Almost Its Last Stand, With Paul Kix

A group trying to rescue animals from the massive forest fire around Fort McMurray in Alberta wait at a roadblock on May 6, 2016. The Distraction logo is at top left.

To Live And Die In Petroleum Products, With John Vaillant

A photo of people watching fireworks over the Brooklyn Bridge and lower Manhattan.