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Defector

Tom Ley

WNBA

Ballhalla Got The Playoff Christening It Deserved

Ray Ratto

Amon-Ra St. Brown #14 of the Detroit Lions celebrates after scoring a touchdown with Jahmyr Gibbs #0 against the New York Jets during the second quarter on September 27, 2026.

Sports

The Finings Will Continue Until Morale Worsens

Austin Romaine #15 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders returns an interception for a touchdown during the first half of the game against the Sam Houston Bearkats at Galaxy Stadium on September 26, 2026 in Lubbock, Texas.

College Football

Austin Romaine Will Always Have Saturday

Stephen Curry attends the Guangdong City Basketball League All-Star Game event on September 12, 2026 in Dongguan, Guangdong Province of China.

Stephen Curry Leaves $20 Million In His Work Clothes

Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs tips his hat to the crowd after stealing his 40th stolen base during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field on September 24, 2026.

Pete Crow-Armstrong Has Answered Every Question

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


Israel Daramola

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 19: Chance Robinson #82 of the NC State Wolfpack reacts after a last second loss against the Vanderbilt Commodores at FirstBank Stadium on September 19, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Let’s Make These Games As Stupid As Possible

Manchester City chief-executive Ferran Soriano with Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Manchester City

Manchester City Found Guilty Of More Than 100 Financial Rule Breaches

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Head coach Natalie Nakase of the Golden State Valkyries reacts to a play against the Washington Mystics during the second half of the game at CareFirst Arena on July 6, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Eight Teams, Eight Qualms: A Guide To The 2026 WNBA Playoffs

The Packers Are All Fucked Up

Dave McKenna

A horse is covered in dirt after an undercard race ahead of the 151st Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park on May 16, 2026 in Laurel, Maryland. For the first and only time, Laurel Park is hosting the Preakness Stakes which is the second race of the Triple Crown jewel due to the traditional home of the race of the Pimlico Race Course undergoing complete renovations.

Racehorse Owner Told To Rename His Hitleresque Steed


<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

Josh Jacobs #8 of the Green Bay Packers participates in drills during the Green Bay Packers mandatory minicamp at Don Hutson Center on June 09, 2026 in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin.

Judge Declines To Seal Josh Jacobs Video,  But Cautions Against It Becoming Public

It Sucks To Be Alex Bregman Right Now

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


Chris Thompson

Sean Payton and Mike Macdonald talk on the field in 2024

Sean Payton, After Wrongly Accusing Mike Macdonald Of Cheating, Is Somehow The Only One Not Groveling

<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

Blitzing All The Time Is Analytics

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<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>
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Abigail Segel

The NWSL’s Struggling Teams Are Falling Behind

Jeremy Pena of the Houston Astros reacts after he is hit by a pitch during the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on September 22, 2026 in Seattle, Washington.

No One Should Win The AL West

Podcasts

One Game Is Not Enough To Deem Anyone A Fraud … But Two Games Is

The Protect College Sports Act Reveals The Dark Heart Of Management

Dublin , Ireland - 18 September 2026; Bohemians supporters display a banner, protesting the upcoming Republic of Ireland matches against Israel, during the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match between Bohemians and Drogheda United at Dalymount Park in Dublin. (Photo By Seb Daly/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Ireland Going Ahead With Israel Matches Against Everybody’s Wishes

The sun setting behind a view of the boat's starboard helm, which is unoccupied.

I Spent Three Sweltering Days Shredding The High Seas At Jogging Pace, And It Ruled

David Roth

Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 12, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. He is making a very pouty face.

Maybe The WBC Cursed The Red Asses Of Team USA

Luis Paez-Pumar

Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, during the La Liga EA Sports 2025/26 ''El Clasico'' match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou Stadium in May 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.

It’s Totally Cool And Normal That Real Madrid And La Liga’s President Are Bickering Online

Patrick Redford

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 15: Conservative YouTuber and influencer Nick Shirley records during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on exposing fraud in Dirksen Senate Office Building on July 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. CEO of O’Keefe Media Group James O'Keefe and Acting Vice-President of Policy and Government Affairs at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette also testified about various fraud schemes uncovered across the U.S. (Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images)

Government By Influencer, With Eamon Whalen

Barry Petchesky

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 01: A general wide-angle view from the upper deck of Comerica Park during the game between the New York Mets and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on September 1, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. The Mets defeated the Tigers 10-8. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Fifth Third Park Is A Terrible Stadium Name

<p><a href="https://josh-levin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://josh-levin.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2tqysV4T7Gh0gV7M0_bz7p">Josh Levin</a> is the creator and host of the sports history podcast “<a href="http://www.replaybooth.show/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.replaybooth.show&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1-rpGWGr1dKP0HBTa_zohZ">Replay Booth</a>.” He’s also the author of <em><a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/josh-levin/the-queen/9780316513272//?lens=little-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/josh-levin/the-queen/9780316513272//?lens%3Dlittle-brown&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw357vGVOyJU7dDVIkjqFQxu">The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth</a></em>, the creator of the podcast “<a href="https://slate.com/podcasts/one-year/s6/1990" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://slate.com/podcasts/one-year/s6/1990&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1LJrco6Xq1YK3vAueOtmRC">One Year</a>,” the host of two seasons of “Slow Burn” (on <a href="https://slate.com/podcasts/slow-burn/s4/david-duke" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://slate.com/podcasts/slow-burn/s4/david-duke&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PiV8w71WaqaTvzDwNTrOS">David Duke</a> and <a href="https://slate.com/podcasts/slow-burn/s10/rise-of-fox-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://slate.com/podcasts/slow-burn/s10/rise-of-fox-news&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762023504534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3LTehX3p4ZiFY9vhna8azk">Fox News</a>), and the former cohost of “Hang Up and Listen.”</p>


Josh Levin

Drawing of a fake-injured football player preparing to take part in a trick play.