defector-orange-no-empty-space

lede_post_card_default

lede_post_card_stacked

lede_post_card_featured_post

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero

lede_post_card_featured_posts_sidebar

lede_post_card_highlighted_post

lede_post_card_horizontal_a

lede_post_card_horizontal_c

lede_article_featured_16x9

lede_article_featured_3x2

lede_article_featured_flexible

lede_article_content

lede_article_content_wide_width

lede_article_content_full_width

lede_byline_avatar_post_card

lede_byline_avatar_highlight

lede_profile_coral_avatar

lede_logo

lede_logo_banner

lede_logo_footer_banner

lede_logo_simple_header

lede_sponsorship_logo

lede_sponsorship_logo_river_card

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card_logo

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card

lede_related_post

Footer Legal

Header - Categories

Header Menu

The last good website.

Topics

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-no-empty-space

Defector

You DID Hear It From Us: There's Normal Gossip Merch

NEW NORMAL GOSSIP MERCH!

Merch v3

<div dir="ltr">
<div>Zach Buchanan has covered Major League Baseball for more than a decade, for the <em>Arizona Republic</em>, <em>Cincinnati Enquirer,</em> and most recently The Athletic. He also has been published in <em>The New York Times</em>, <em>Washington Post</em>, FanGraphs and <em>Baseball America</em>. He lives in Phoenix, where he prepares for the inevitable water crisis by living off Dr Pepper instead.</div>
</div>
<div class="yj6qo ajU"></div>


zb_background

Zach Buchanan

terryfranconaarizona

College Basketball

Terry Francona’s Next Act: Arizona Hoops Superfan

justin

Justin Ellis

Wake Forest basketball fans packed together and celebrating after storming the court following their 83-79 upset victory over Duke.

Duke v Wake Forest

Can Someone Please Tell Me If Storming The Court Is Ever OK?

IMG_5859

Giri Nathan

Two Mavericks fans interact with Kevin Durant

kevin-durant-mavericks-fans

Savor The Discomfort Of Kevin Durant Confronting A Mavs Fan Who Called Him A “Bitch”


<p>Visual Editor. Runs <a href="http://defectorstore.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defectorstore.com</a>. Philadelphia-based, if you couldn’t tell. </p>


Dan McQuade in front of a march madness basketball court

DFmBbTQF_400x400

Dan McQuade

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 09: (EDITORS NOTE: Image contains nudity.) A fan dressed in costume as William Wallace from Braveheart, runs on the course during the second round of the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on February 09, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

rowdy-golf-tournament-moon

Golf

The Rowdy Golf Tournament Got Too Rowdy This Year

IMG_3819

Tom Ley

Fans celebrate on the floor after the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes in overtime on January 21, 2024, at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: JAN 21 Women’s – Iowa at Ohio State

Elder Wisdom

Here Is The New Rule About Storming The Court

ratto-ray_400x400

Ray Ratto

A New York Jets fan looks on from the crowd during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium on Saturday, August 19, 2023, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers v New York Jets

For Jets Fans, Disaster Is The Only Love Language

A crowd shot of Court 17 at the U.S. Open.

us-open-tommy-paul

Tennis

An Interview With The Biggest Tennis Sicko I’ve Encountered At The U.S. Open

headshot1

Patrick Redford

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Oakland Athletics fans display signs during a reverse boycott game against the Tampa Bay Rays at RingCentral Coliseum on June 13, 2023 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brandon Vallance/Getty Images)

Tampa Bay Rays v Oakland Athletics

Oakland A’s Fans Held A Raucous Wake For Their Team

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 12: Jonah Bride #26, Seth Brown #15, Jace Peterson #6, Esteury Ruiz #1 and Ramon Laureano #22 of the Oakland Athletics celebrate after a 4-3 win against the Tampa Bay Rays at RingCentral Coliseum on June 12, 2023 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Tonight’s A’s Game Will Be A Party Or A Wake

roland-garros-court

I Could Stare At The Roland Garros Clay All Day

skalaf-photo

Samer Kalaf

The rapper E-40 yells at arena security personnel before being escorted from courtside seating during Game One of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings

e-40-kings-warriors

E-40 Says Kings Security Wrongfully Ejected Him From Game 1

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 20: De'Aaron Fox #5 and Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings celebrate after a three-point basket in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Golden 1 Center on November 20, 2022 in Sacramento, California. 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 Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Detroit Pistons v Sacramento Kings

Kings Fans Have Waited So Long For This

Kansas City Chiefs fans in Germany do the Tomahawk Chop during Super Bowl 57.

germany-chiefs-fans

Life's Rich Pageant

NFL Exports Racist Arm Gesture To Germany

<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>


drewkid-1-e1599592436888

Drew Magary

An announcement is displayed on the scoreboard after the game was temporarily suspended following the collapse of Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills after making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on January 02, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Buffalo Bills v Cincinnati Bengals

Interviews

A Fan At The Bills-Bengals Game Describes The Scene When Damar Hamlin’s Heart Stopped

Turkish chef Salt Bae poses with World Cup trophy.

salt-bae-world-cup-trophy

Salt Bae Thinks He’s On The Team

George Kittle shaking hands with Tom Brady. "Finally got to meet you, man. Keep doing your thing."

nfl-brady

Tom Brady Gracious At Postgame Fan Convention

A member of Morocco's team holds a Palestinian flag after the team won the penalty shoot-out to win the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between Morocco and Spain at the Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha on December 6, 2022.

morocco-palestine-world-cup

Soccer

Palestine Is All Over The World Cup

Serena Williams of the United States plays a backhand against Anett Kontaveit of Estonia in their Women's Singles Second Round match on Day Three of the 2022 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.

serena-williams-us-open

Nobody Wants Serena Williams To Lose

Dan Snyder is a gross loser.

Who Can Actually Get Rid Of Dan Snyder?

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 22: Manchester City fans celebrate winning the Premier League title on the pitch by swinging on the cross bar and lounging on the roof of the net after the Premier League match between Manchester City and Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium on May 22, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Manchester City v Aston Villa – Premier League

English Premier League

The Pitch Invasion Is Back

bh def prof pic

Billy Haisley

Everton's fans invade the football pitch to celebrate at the end of the English Premier League football match between Everton and Crystal Palace at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on May 19, 2022. - Everton staged a dramatic fightback from two goals down to preserve their Premier League status with a 3-2 win against Crystal Palace.

FBL-ENG-PR-EVERTON-CRYSTAL PALACE

It Doesn’t Get Better Than That

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 09: President and CEO of Green Bay Packers Mark Murphy introduces Matt LaFleur (not in frame) as head coach of the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on January 09, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Green Bay Packers Introduce Matt LaFleur – Press Conference

The Dark Heart Of The NFL Beats Within The Packers Mailbag Column

Felix Kent

TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 09: Auston Matthews #34 and Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs look on following their lose to the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 09, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images)

Columbus Blue Jackets v Toronto Maple Leafs

Fans

How Bad Should I Want My Team To Feel When They Lose?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 23: Oscar Mercado #35 of the Cleveland Guardians is restrained as fans throw debris on the field following Gleyber Torres #25 of the New York Yankees walk off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium on April 23, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

fans