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Death To The NCAA


<p>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</p>


Diana Moskovitz

Florida coach Todd Golden standing in front of a basketball hoop.

Two Florida Hoops Coaches Are The Subject Of University Investigations; Both Are Still Coaching [Updated]

Maitreyi Anantharaman

UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) huddles up with her team during a women's basketball game against the Indiana Hoosiers on January 4, 2025, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.

The Growing Pains Are Over For UCLA

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


Dan McQuade

During an interview with sportscaster Greg Gumbel (right), American disc jockey (from WLUP radio, 'The Loop') Steve Dahl breaks a disco record over his head prior to hosting an anti-disco promotion at Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois, July 12, 1979. The event, held between games of a doubleheader between the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers, allowed fans to attend the games for 98 cents along with an unwanted record and, following the detonation of those records, eventually resulted in the White Sox forfeiture of the second game due to unsafe playing conditions when fans stormed the field causing serious damage to the venue and playing surface.

Greg Gumbel Kept It All In Perspective

Patrick Redford

Doug Gottlieb Humbled By Michigan Tech, Life

Kiyomi McMiller does a spin move during a game against Wagner

Kiyomi McMiller’s Gorgeous Spin Move Has Graduated To College

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 30: Dylan Harper #2 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights runs out the court before their game against the Texas A&amp;M Aggies during the Players Era Festival basketball tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 30, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aggies defeated the Scarlet Knights 81-77. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)

Dylan Harper Is Big-Time

Hannah Hidalgo Plays Like A Woman Possessed

Hailey Van Lith #10 of the TCU Horned Frogs goes to the basket against the Houston Christian Huskies in the second half at Schollmaier Arena on November 5, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Hailey Van Lith Is Getting Her Groove Back At TCU

Lauren Theisen

Tafara Gapare #6 of the Maryland Terrapins dunks the ball

Ohio State Suffers Most Brutal Loss Since Saturday

Jaloni Cambridge #22 of the Ohio State Buckeyes stands on the court during the game against the Cleveland State Vikings at Value City Arena on November 5, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.

Get Ahead Of The Curve And Watch These Exciting New Freshmen

David Roth

Members of the Auburn Tigers celebrate their 74-69 victory over the Houston Cougars on November 10.

Auburn Beat Each Other Up Before They Beat Houston

Giri Nathan

Baylor's VJ Edgecombe dunks over Gonzaga's Joe Few

Mark Few Sends His Son To Slaughter

<div class="author-header-content">
<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>
<div class="author-header-shares"></div>


Charles P. Pierce

Portland Trail Blazers' Bill Walton, who received many accolades for his performance on the court, is depicted here. Walton would later go on to pursue a career off the court as a sports broadcaster and an actor in feature films.

Bill Walton Let His Joy Flourish

Kevin Borseth slams down piece of paper at a 2008 postgame press conference

As He Heads Out, Let’s Remember Kevin Borseth’s Remarkable Entrance

Ray Ratto

Stanford Cardinal head coach Tara VanDerveer celebrates her 1203rd career college coaching victory becoming the winningest coach in NCAA Division 1 basketball history.

Tara VanDerveer, Who Never Needed The Spotlight, Retires In The Night

Tom Ley

The Connecticut Huskies celebrate with the trophy after beating the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60 to win the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship game at State Farm Stadium on April 08, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona.

Nobody’s In UConn’s League

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 21: Head coach John Calipari of the Kentucky Wildcats walks off the court after losing to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 21, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Oakland Golden Grizzlies won, 80-76. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

John Calipari Gets Out Ahead Of The Pitchforks And Torches

Kamilla Cardoso #10 of the South Carolina Gamecocks and Sydney Affolter #3 of the Iowa Hawkeyes jump for a rebound during the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four National Championship game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 7, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.

South Carolina Is A Perpetual Machine

Paige Bueckers #5 of the Connecticut Huskies and JuJu Watkins #12 of the USC Trojans looks on during the second half in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on April 01, 2024 in Portland, Oregon.

See The Subject Beyond The Frame

College Basketball: NCAA Final Four, North Carolina State David Thompson (44) victorious with net after winning game vs UCLA, Greensboro, NC 3/24/1974

50 Years Later, My First Final Four Is Still The Best

UConn center Donovan Clingan celebrates during the team's Elite Eight win in Boston during the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

UConn Is Exhaustingly, Relentlessly Great

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates on the court after defeating the LSU Tigers during the Elite Eight round of the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at MVP Arena on April 1, 2024 in Albany, New York.

Caitlin Clark Made It Look Easy

DJ Burns Jr. #30 of the NC State Wolfpack cuts the net following their 76-64 victory against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at American Airlines Center on March 31, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.

Everybody Loves DJ Burns

Luis Paez-Pumar

Chase Hunter #1 of the Clemson Tigers lays up against Keshad Johnson #16 of the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Crypto.com Arena on March 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California

Clemson Had An Answer For All Of Arizona’s Questions

Head coach Lynne Roberts of the Utah Utes speaks to the media following a loss against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the second round of the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at McCarthey Athletic Center on March 25, 2024 in Spokane, Washington.