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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

Justin Ellis

Normal Gossip logo with cartoon characters gossiping

Podcasts

The Passion Of The Familiar Stranger

David Roth

Joel Zumaya of the Detroit Tigers pitches in a game against the Yankees in May of 2010. The facial hair is outrageous.

Make Gambling Embarrassing Again, With Justin Halpern

Shohei Ohtani strikes out in an uncharacteristically undistinguished and unflattering way against the San Francisco Giants. The Distraction logo is at upper right.

Subtraction By Subtraction, With Ray Ratto

Austin Powers's XK8 Union Jack Jaguar convertible at the New York premiere of "Austin Powers in Goldmember" with The Distraction logo at upper right.

Junior Year Abroad: The Return

N'Faly Dante of the Oregon Ducks celebrates with fans after defeating the Arizona Wildcats at Matthew Knight Arena on January 14, 2023 in Eugene, Oregon.

In Search Of The Vibes Team, With Ken Pomeroy

Art, Commerce, And Frankly Irresponsible Apple Consumption, With Kathryn Xu

o-founder of Subway, Fred DeLuca poses for a portrait in February 1991 in Toronto Canada.

Truth In Sandwich Advertising, With Rohan Nadkarni

A guest wears new Apple Vision Pro outside Bora Aksu during London Fashion Week February 2024 on February 16, 2024 in London, England.

The Future Doesn’t Work, With Ed Zitron

A man skiing fresh powder in Alta, Utah. You might assume from context that the man skiing is Drew Magary, but it is not.

A Bloody Footprint By The Toilet

Chris "Mad Dog" Russo looking smug or sleepy, depending on your perspective, on radio row in Las Vegas before the Super Bowl.

Looter Capitalism, Loser Capitalists, And Mad Dog Russo Mindset

Travis Kelce faces the media during Super Bowl Media Days in the lead up to Super Bowl LVIII. It's pretty dramatically lit for something happening at a Westin in Henderson, Nevada.

Big Ideas And Big Novelty Slot Machines At The Super Bowl, With Matthew Coller

Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions warms up prior to the NFC Championship NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California.

Lessons Of Collapse And The Christian Version Of Limp Bizkit, With Jason Kirk

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.

Radicalized, Sleepy, And Sick Of Brock Purdy

Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy seeming to look side-eyed at The Distraction logo at upper left, in a photo taken before the team's Wild Card loss to the Green Bay Packers.

There Is Some Crying In Football, With Ray Ratto

Tua Tagovailoa makes a semi-Jim Face during warm-ups before the Dolphins' Week 18 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Pantsless On New Year’s Eve, With Rohan Nadkarni

Michael Penix Jr, seen here pointing at The Distraction logo at upper left during Washington's win over Texas in the Sugar Bowl on 1/1/2024.

Wolfgang Amadeus Penix Jr.

Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on in the first half at Lumen Field on December 18, 2023 in Seattle, Washington.

Yelling At An Infant About Fake Punts, With Dan McQuade

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

We Must Do Something About The Dog Lobby

Shohei Ohtani smiling in the dugout during an Angels game on September 17 of 2023.

Infinite Bonilla Mode

Romancing The Bellhop

A man wears a bootleg Bart Simpson t-shirt—black, with the words Ay Carumba (sic) in heavy metal font over an image of Bart displaying GUD and BAD finger tattoos—on the streets of Bangkok, in 2018.

Professor Frink Is Real, And Strong, And My Friend, With Matt Selman

Dog Day Afternoon At The Salon

Irish boxer Katie Taylor exulting after defeating Chantelle Cameron in a title bout in Dublin on November 25, 2023.

Great Irish Champions, With Dave McKenna

All The Razzle Dazzle Money Can Buy

Mark Sanchez looking forlorn after a Jets game on October 31, 2010.