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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

Kathryn Xu

Nico O'Reilly #3 and Harry Kane #9 of England react after a missed chance during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match between England and Ghana.

Soccer

What On Earth Is “Match Momentum”?

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 Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

Drew Magary

Funbag

All Of The Brands Suck At Branding

A genreal view of the ball as Filip Misolic of Austria serves against Camilo Ugo Carabelli of Argentina (not picture) in their first round match during day four of the Erste Bank Open 2025 at Wiener Stadthalle on October 21, 2025 in Vienna, Austria.

Tennis

Tennis Deserves Better Than These Worthless Metrics

Brad Pitt, star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, and Damson Idris, co-star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, stand for thr national anthem on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain.

Defector At The Movies

‘F1: The Movie’ Is Great If Your Favorite Part Of Racing Is All The Corporate Logos

A Lebanese couple look through windows of a building displaying a giant advertisement of a deodorant in Beirut 01 December 1999. Sexy and erotic advertisement have become common across Beirut the most liberal Arab capital.

Science

Suddenly Every Deodorant Company Wants To Get In My Pants

Dan Gentile is a writer, editor, and DJ based in San Francisco by way of Austin, TX. He works as the culture editor at SFGATE and has freelanced for publications like The Ringer, Rolling Stone, Texas Monthly, Wax Poetics, and more. Find more of his work at <a href="http://dangentile.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://dangentile.net&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1711040620694000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3XTZa73tUKo0JIWhdqylUa">dangentile.net</a> and on that <a href="https://twitter.com/Dannosphere" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/Dannosphere&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1711040620694000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3jvqFxajyG27FDs81Ssg-S">terrible social media site</a>.

Dan Gentile

Arts And Culture

Partying With The U.S. Army At South By Southwest

A new type of dryer is presented on the hair fashion show in London. About 1935. Photograph.

The Cult Of The New Is Why Everything Feels So Old

Felix Kent

A woman sits on the floor of her hotel room in her underwear, leaning against the bed and with a magnum of champagne turned up to her mouth. Her clothes are strewn about the bed and floor of the room. (Photo by Graphic House/Getty Images)

How To Drink Alone, The Madison Avenue Way

How To Ruin An Advanced Stat

Lauren Theisen

Please Stop Interrupting The Hockey To Tell Me To Watch Hockey, I’m Already Watching Hockey

Barry Petchesky

Capital

I Am The Most Virtuous Barry Of All The Barrys

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