Say, were you wondering what Bill James, the father of Sabermetrics, was up to today? Here is the answer to that question: Let&#8217;s hope Bill went down for a nap after this. Thank you for your continued support of Defector. Later!

Let’s Check In With Bill James

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Tom Ley

World Cup fans cheer as one tries to catch a ball

Defector Up All Night

Try To Cool Off In The July 4th Weekend Open Thread

Defector Staff

Here’s A World Cup Weekend Open Thread

The cast of Our Gang/The Little Rascals singing, circa 1930.

Hey! Over Here! Come Chat With The Defector Staff

Undated group photo of the original "Our Gang."

Staff Chat

Come One, Come All, And Ask The Defector Staff Some Questions

31st December 1931: New Year's Eve revellers at the Piccadilly Hotel in London.

Here’s An Open Thread To Help Ring In The New Year

A fan dressed in a snowman costume looks on during the Premier League match between Everton and Arsenal at Hill Dickinson Stadium on December 20, 2025 in Liverpool, England.

Have A Wonderful Christmas Time In This Open Thread

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Kathryn Xu

Umpires explain a rule review to manager John Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning of their MLB game against the Boston Red Sox.

Red Sox Stumble Into Rules Review Hell, Emerge With Inconsequential Run

Patrick Redford

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Charli XCX Made A Beautiful Monument To Impermanence

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Mike Kinsella of American Football performs onstage during a concert at O2 Academy Leeds.

American Football Is Still Making Magic

Annie Berke

Arts And Culture

The Sports Idiot Is Dead, Long Live The Sports Idiot

<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

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Cathy Engelbert Is Doing The Job She Was Hired To Do

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Former player Ashley Cole of England and Fabrizio Romano are seen at the Heineken booth during the UEFA Champions League Final 2026 in Budapest, Hungary.

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While Wearing An Orange Wig And A Big Red Foam Nose, Fabrizio Romano Insists He’s Not A Clown

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Football teams from the schools of Yale and Princeton playing a match on Thanksgiving Day afternoon that ended in a tie score, November 1879. The illustration, a wood engraving, was published in an 1879 issue of Harper’s Weekly newspaper.

Catch Your Breath In The Thanksgiving Open Thread