Australian Football

Better Hate An Owner

Bowling

Chess

Climbing

Cricket

Curling

Cycling

Darts

Death To The NCAA

Disc Sports

Gaelic Football

Gambling

Golf

High School Sports

Horse Racing

Hurling

Infinite Replay

Jamboroo

Lacrosse

Olympics

Parasports

Pro Softball

Pro Wrestling

Racing

Rugby

Running

Skateboarding

Soccer

Sports Highlight Of The Day

Tennis

The Fights

The Great Outdoors

Volleyball

Why Your Team Sucks

Wings Week

CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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

Dave McKenna

Dana White’s Latest UFC Prodigy Gets KO’d  In 12 Seconds

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


Chris Thompson

Laz Díaz gestures at his wrist and yells something during a baseball game.

Laz Díaz And Modern Baseball Are Mutually Through With One Another

Luis Paez-Pumar

Jose Mourinho of Real Madrid holds up a printout with two fouls he believed should have been red cards for Atletico Madrid during the derby.

José Mourinho Gives Real Madrid Exactly What It Paid For

Ray Ratto

The Chargers Have Placed Their Own Asses Directly Into The Jackpot

Tom Ley

Esteban Ruiz-Haynes watching sports in his apartment

The Gambling Companies Need Their Customers’ Misery

Justin Ellis

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward scores a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 20, 2026

Hot Feet On Main Are Only One Part  Of The NFL’s Climate Problem

<p>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 <em>Point B</em>. Handsomest man in the world.</p>


Drew Magary

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is carted off the field with an injury during a game with the Minnesota Vikings on September 20, 2026

Caleb Williams Suffers Awful Injury At Awful Time In Awful Game

Members of the Vanderbilt Commodores football team react after a last second fumble return in the endzone won the game against NC State, 35-31

College Football

NC State Innovates Brand-New Endgame Choking Strategy

ESPN's College GameDay show on the quad at LSU, with Rece Davis, Nick Saban, Lainey Wilson, Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbstreit, and Pat McAfee

This Is So Fucking Embarrassing


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Culture Writer</p>


Israel Daramola

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 5: Lane Kiffin of the LSU Tigers walks down victory hill prior to a game against the Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium on September 5, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Lane Kiffin And ESPN Are Both Shilling For Their Agendas

Barry Petchesky

Russian Alexander Ovechkin talks to media in a locker room after the charity hockey "Match of the Year" between Russian players of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) at the CSKA arena in Moscow on July 13, 2025. (Photo by TATYANA MAKEYEVA / AFP via Getty Images)

Alex Ovechkin Finally Faces Some Pushback For Supporting Vladimir Putin

Josh Allen pats Aidan Hutchinson on the helmet after their game

The Lions’ Defense Is Dyin’ Out There

Patrick Redford

CHESTER, PA - SEPTEMBER 09: Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan #6 is shown before the game between the Philadelphia Union and FC Cincinnati on September 9th, 2026 at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Cavan Sullivan And The USMNT’s Future Are Here


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">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

Defensive coordinator Steve Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels look on prior to a game against the Syracuse Orange at JMA Wireless Dome on October 31, 2025 in Syracuse, New York.

Steve Belichick Is Gone From UNC

<div id="message-list_1773066846.655809">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>Abigail Segel is a contributing writer at Defector. She is also an editor for The IX Soccer and the Equalizer. Her work has been published in the Guardian and the Montreal Gazette.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>


Abigail Segel

Rory Dames’s SafeSport Suspension Has Ended

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 28: Head coach Will Hardy of the Utah Jazz looks on during the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on March 28, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Jazz 134-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Podcasts

Zoomer Cultural Exchange Hour, With ‘State Of The League’

Everybody Hates Bob Kraft

There’s Always More Angry Problem Gamblers Where Those Came From

Cleveland Guardians center fielder Petey Halpin (0) is congratulated in the dugout after scoring a run during the third inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians on September 16, 2026.

There’s Nothing Like September In The American League

<p>Lesley Ryder is a writer and a host covering the Chicago Red Stars. She co-created <a href="https://galpalsports.com/">Gal Pal Sports</a>, a platform that lives to make women’s sports fun for everyone.</p>


Lesley Ryder

A detailed view of a Nike NWSL ball prior to the NWSL match between Angel City FC and Gotham FC at BMO Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.

NWSL

Docs: NWSL Received Eight Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Harassment, Or Retaliation Complaints This Year

Omar Marmoush of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 12, 2026 in London, England.

Tottenham’s Revamped Attack Is An Overpriced Calamity

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a solo home run in the ninth inning during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Pete Alonso Has Mets Fans Down Bad

Toward A Proper Definition Of “Overrated”

<p><span class="il">Frankie</span> de la Cretaz is an award-winning independent journalist whose work sits at the intersection of sports and gender. They are the co-author of <em>Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League</em>, and their writing has been featured in the <em>New York Times</em>, <em>Sports Illustrated</em>, and many more publications.</p>


Frankie de la Cretaz

An illustration showing a silhouette of a player in a Miami Sol jersey being grabbed by two silhouette of men in suits

WNBA

The Miami Sol’s Needless Demise Provided A Familiar Lesson

Giri Nathan

<p>Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and has written for The Guardian, The Second Serve, The Athletic, n+1, Texas Monthly, Air Mail, and other publications.</p>


Owen Lewis

Kathryn Xu

Elena Rybakina R of Kazakhstan celebrates during the awarding ceremony for the women's singles final match between Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan at the 2026 US Open tennis championships in New York, the United States, Sept. 12, 2026. (Photo by Li Rui/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Sports

Dana White’s Latest UFC Prodigy Gets KO’d In 12 Seconds