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Defector

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<div class="gmail_default">Ryan Goldberg is an award-winning journalist and author who has written for <i>Texas Monthly</i>, The Intercept, <i>The</i> <i>New York Times</i>, <i>Popular Science</i>, and ProPublica, among many other publications. Some of his best stories ran in the old Deadspin. He lives in Brooklyn, and leads regular walks for the Brooklyn Bird Club. You can find more of his work at <a href="http://ryangoldberg.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://ryangoldberg.net&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1758917926877000&amp;usg=AOvVaw04lh06uBoaa598nfG5ro-G">ryangoldberg.net</a>.</div>
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Ryan Goldberg

Horse Racing

Is Horse Racing Still Too Big To Fail?

<p>Clover Hope is a Brooklyn-based writer and author of the award-winning book <a href="https://store.abramsbooks.com/products/the-motherlode"><i>The Motherlode: 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop</i></a>. Her writing has appeared in <i>Esquire</i>, <i>Men&#8217;s Health</i>, <i>Elle</i>, ESPN, <i>Billboard, </i>and <i>GQ</i>, among others.</p>
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Clover Hope

Twins pose during the 20th edition of the Fete des Jumeaux (Festival of Twins), a gathering of twins, triplets and quadruplets, in Pleucadeuc, western of France on August 15, 2013. AFP PHOTO / FRED TANNEAU (Photo credit should read FRED TANNEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Funbag

How Many Clones Of Yourself Do You Want?

Brandy Jensen

Defector Reads A Book

My Year With Jack Reacher

Amos Barshad

Capital

Inside The Chaotic, Quasi-Legal Marketplace For Personal Protective Equipment

<p>Andrea is a journalist and author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Baseballs-Leading-Lady-Manley-Leagues/dp/1250623723" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Baseballs-Leading-Lady-Manley-Leagues/dp/1250623723&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1616169124789000&amp;usg=AFQjCNENNVrOlqBUsKJ9upT7e4F-Dj_Ycw">Baseball&#8217;s Leading Lady: Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro Leagues</a>.</p>


Andrea Williams

Baseball’s Erasure Of Black Managers And Executives Shows Who MLB Believes Is Worthy To Lead

<p><a href="http://www.ddavisla.com"><span style="font-weight: 400">David Davis </span></a>is the author of <i>Wheels of Courage: How Paralyzed Veterans From World War II Invented Wheelchair Sports, Fought for Disability Rights, and Inspired a Nation</i> and <i>Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku</i>. He lives in Los Angeles.</p>
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David Davis

Mil Máscaras finishes Professor Toru Tanaka with a flying body press.

Pro Wrestling

Pro Wrestling’s Finest Down-And-Dirty Chronicle Is Getting Even Better

<p>Carman Tse is a Giants fan living among Dodgers fans in Los Angeles. He was the former editor of LAist and his writing has also appeared on Hyperallergic.</p>


Carman Tse

Music

Feeding Your Record Collection In A Pandemic Always Comes With A Cost

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<div>Casey Taylor is a writer living and working in Pittsburgh. He is currently writing a book for St. Martin&#8217;s Press about cannabis religions, Haile Selassie I, and the Cold War in the Caribbean. He also writes a free newsletter called <a href="https://weedchurch.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://weedchurch.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1709306863919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1mVH2xiID6S0zvlyj6yHco">Weed Church</a> covering foolish spiritual things that occur to him. His work has appeared in The New Republic, WIRED, New York Magazine, and a sports blog he can’t currently recall the name of. You can <a href="mailto:caseyt7@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">email</a> him if you’d like.</div>
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Casey Taylor

In The Future Of Collecting, Is Anyone Having Fun?

Samuel Lam

Curling

Yes, You Can Build A Curling Simulator In The Comfort Of Your Own Home

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<p>Charles P. Pierce is a writer at <em>Esquire</em> and the author of four books, most recently <em>Idiot America</em>, and has been a working journalist since 1976. He lives near Boston with his wife but no longer his three children.</p>
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Charles P. Pierce

The Fights

Marvelous Marvin Hagler Wouldn’t Bend

Jason England

A still from the movie Judas and the Black Messiah.

Defector At The Movies

Shaka King, Director Of ‘Judas And The Black Messiah,’ Talks Radical Politics, How To Make Black Movie Stars, And The Black Excellence Industrial Complex

<p>Matt Ufford is the head of video and audio at Yahoo Sports.</p>


Matt Ufford

A Tufted Titmouse stands on a branch as Robert DeCandido also known as "Birding Bob" leads a group of bird watchers during a tour in Central Park, New York on November 29, 2020. - On a recent sunny morning in New York a few dozen people gathered in Central Park's wooded Ramble area with a common goal: zero in on an elusive owl. Autumn leaves crunch under their shoes as "Birding Bob" -- a guide who has been organizing birdwatching tours in the park for more than three decades, with interest jumping since the coronavirus pandemic hit the city in March -- leads them along winding paths. (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Birdfector

A Bird Idiot’s Guide To Birding

<p><a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://demause.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://demause.net/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]"><em>Neil deMause</em></a><em> has covered sports economics for more publications than even he can shake a stick at. He’s co-author of the book </em><a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="https://www.amazon.com/Field-Schemes-Stadium-Swindle-Private/dp/1567511384?ascsubtag=c9dca64cfbbd6c35085d286f4423ee39b8350b2f&amp;rawdata=%5Br%7Chttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F%5Bks%7Cgoogle%5Bt%7Clink%5Bp%7C1800657108%5Ba%7C1567511384%5Bau%7C5722120546910826704%5Bb%7Cdeadspinascsubtag%3D4eba2da0f6cc83fe1f221e8d8ca5894cd93bf2a7ascsubtag%3D33f4f2a16c1eda72859c34ee8aa577410b04a0d8&amp;tag=deadspinamzn-20" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-ga="[[&quot;Commerce&quot;,&quot;deadspin - Baseball Doesn't Need Collusion To Turn Off The Hot Stove&quot;,&quot;1567511384&quot;]]" data-amazonasin="1567511384" data-amazontag="deadspinamzn-20" data-amazonsubtag="[r|https://www.google.com/[ks|google[t|link[p|1831644811[a|1567511384[au|5722120546910826704[b|deadspin[lt|text" data-commerceready="true">Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money Into Private Profit</a><em>, and runs </em><a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://fieldofschemes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://fieldofschemes.com/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]"><em>the website of the same name</em></a><em>.</em></p>


Neil deMause

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 01: Construction continues at Allegiant Stadium, the USD 2 billion, glass-domed future home of the Las Vegas Raiders on July 1, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders and the UNLV Rebels football teams are scheduled to begin play at the 65,000-seat facility in their 2020 seasons. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Science

Which Teams Will Be The First Lost To Climate Change?

<p>Dvora Meyers is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn. She writes about gymnastics and other topics in her newsletter, <a href="https://dvora.substack.com/">Unorthodox Gymnastics.</a></p>


Dvora Meyers

U.S. Gymnast Sam Mikulak, formerly of the University of Michigan, at the 2019 FIG Championships.

Gymnastics

Men’s College Gymnastics Must Choose Between The NCAA And Survival

<p><a href="https://twitter.com/ericnus">Eric Nusbaum</a> is a writer based in Tacoma, Washington. He is the author of the book <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/stealing-home-los-angeles-the-dodgers-and-the-lives-caught-in-between-9781541742222/9781541742215">Stealing Home: Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between</a></i>. He is also a former editor at Vice.</p>


Eric Nusbaum

Kids photograph a pitcher for the Pacific Coast League's Oakland Acorns in 1952.

MLB’s Minor League Power Play Is An Offense Against Baseball History

<p>John Loeppky is a freelance writer and theatre artist currently based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. His work has appeared for outlets such as FiveThirtyEight, CBC, and <em>Maclean’s</em>.</p>


John Loeppky

DIADEMA, BRAZIL - SEPTEMBER 19: Para Athlete Alan Fonteles Cardoso Oliveira rests during a training session at the shoulder of the Imigrantes Highway on September 19, 2020 in Diadema, Brazil. Alan had both his legs amputated below the knee since he was 21 days old. He specializes in speed tests and competes in T44 sprint events. He is a Paralympic and World Athletics Champion and will participate in his fourth Paralympics. Alan is being trained by Katsuhico Nakaya, who is going to his ninth Olympics. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Parasports

What Does The Pandemic Mean For Paralympians?

FILE - Atlanta Braves' Hank Aaron eyes the flight of the ball after hitting his 715th career homer in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Atlanta, Ga., in this April 8, 1974 file photo. Dodgers pitcher Al Downing, catcher Joe Ferguson and umpire David Davidson look on. Hank Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth but went on to break the career home run record in the pre-steroids era, died early Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. He was 86. The Atlanta Braves said Aaron died peacefully in his sleep. No cause of death was given. (AP Photo/Harry Harrris, FIle)

Shots

The Man Who Shot The Home Run Kings

Soraya Roberts

‘The Investigation’ Might Be The Perfect Crime Series

Soccer

The Man Who Captured The Hand Of God Has Been Erased From History

Anonymous

Politics

I’m A Paramedic. Nothing Prepared Me For What I’ve Seen During The Pandemic

<p>Jason Jeong is a writer living in Brooklyn.</p>


Jason Jeong

Tottenham Hotspur's Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld (L) celebrates with Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean striker Son Heung-Min after he scores his team's third goal during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on January 2, 2021.

Son Heung-min Fancams Are More Than Just Internet Ephemera

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<p class="sc-77igqf-0 bOfvBY">Vince Guerrieri is an award-winning journalist and author in the Cleveland area. He likes Lake Erie perch sandwiches, Jim Traficant and long walks on the field at League Park. His website is <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://vinceguerrieri.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://vinceguerrieri.com/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">vinceguerrieri.com</a>, and you can follow him on Twitter <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">@vinceguerrieri</a>.</p>
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Vince Guerrieri

The NFL As We Know It Was Born In Cleveland

K.C. Jones Always Owned The Room

Ashley Feinberg

US Vice President Mike Pence delivers an update on "Operation Warp Speed" in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC on November 13, 2020. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo by

Jamboroo

Is Mike Pence Packin’?

CAROLINA, PUERTO RICO - NOVEMBER 13: A remaining batting helmet sits on the field at the Roberto Clemente Municipal Stadium on November 13, 2018 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The ballpark was once used for minor league AA baseball. The stadium is set to be demolished due to the extended damage it sustained from Hurricane Maria. The effort continues in Puerto Rico to remain and rebuild more than one year after the Hurricane Maria hit and devastated the island on September 20, 2017. The official number of deaths from the disaster is 2,975. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images for Lumix)

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