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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.

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Defector

Enter Our Raffle To Win A Visit And Home-Cooked Meal From Drew Magary

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tip jar sweepstakes

Felix Kent

A group of teenagers having fun in a convertible car in the 1950's. (Photo by FPG/Getty Images)

Teenagers In A Convertible

Life Lessons

This Is Not Actually An Endorsement Of Ditching Your Childhood Friends


<p>Noelle Mateer is a writer in Pittsburgh, previously in Beijing. </p>


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Noelle Mateer

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Olympics

I’ll Never Let You Go, Beijing Olympics Listserv

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Soraya Roberts

Premiere Of 20th Century FOX’s “Bad Times At The El Royale” – Arrivals

We Don’t Need Joss Whedon’s Cover Story


<p>Lori Teresa Yearwood is a trauma-aware and trauma-sensitive journalist currently covering the U.S. housing crisis for The Economic Hardship Reporting Project. A former reporter for the <em>Miami Herald</em>, the <em>St. Louis Post Dispatch</em> and the Syracuse Newspapers, she has always written stories about people from populations that have been marginalized.</p>


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Lori Teresa Yearwood

Ruston Kinney

How Are You Coping With That?

A Grocery Store Clerk Keeps Living

Promo picture of the stars of the TV show Yellowjackets.

yellowjackets pic

In ‘Yellowjackets,’ The Old Eat Their Young


<p>Chip Chantry is a television writer and stand up comedian. He has written for <em>Crazy Talk, </em>a comedy/talk series for NBC Universal and the syndicated series <em>Whacked Out Sports</em>. He most recently wrote on the NatGeo series <em>Howie Mandel’s Animals Doing Things. </em>In 2012, he released his first live comedy album, ACROSS FROM THE ADONIS. His second album, SWINGERS PARTY, debuted at #1 on the iTunes Comedy Charts in March 2019.</p>


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Chip Chantry

&lt;&gt; on March 15, 2010 in Hollywood, California.

Alliance For Children’s Rights “Right To Laugh” Fundraiser

Arts And Culture

I Was Bob Saget’s Underwear Guy

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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

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Capital

The Cold War Killed Cannabis As We Knew It. Can It Rise Again?


<p><a href="http://Feldman.cool" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brian Feldman</a> is a software engineer living in Brooklyn.</p>


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Brian Feldman

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Defector At The Movies

There’s Not Much To See After You Look Up


<p>Liz Cook is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Pitch, <em>Bon Appétit</em>, Eater, and <em>The Kansas City Star</em>, among others. She also writes the experimental food newsletter <a href="https://haterade.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Haterade</a>. </p>


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Liz Cook

Roller Skates For Christmas

Funbag

Help! My Spouse Sucks At Wrapping Presents

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Ashley Feinberg

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 20: A man dressed as Santa Claus is pictured outside the stadium prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Fulham and Sheffield United at Craven Cottage on December 20, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Fulham v Sheffield United – Sky Bet Championship

Jamboroo

Is Santa Claus Real? Wikipedia Editors Battle It Out

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Cold Comforts

‘Elle’ Is The Kind Of Dark, Twisted, Sexy Christmas Movie Only Paul Verhoeven Could Dream Up

Autumn and her mother

Facing Trauma When Your Parent Is Homeless


<p><a href="https://twitter.com/robertfoconnell" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robert O’Connell</a> is a writer from Kansas living in New York. His work has appeared in <em>Sports Illustrated</em>, <em>The Atlantic</em>, <em>The New York Times</em>, and elsewhere.</p>


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Robert O’Connell

Michael Dickson #4 of the Seattle Seahawks punts the ball in the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at CenturyLink Field on December 30, 2018 in Seattle, Washington.

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Prokick Australia Changed Punting, And Football, By Doing What Comes Naturally

<p>Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.</p>


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Nicholas Russell

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‘The Matrix’ Trilogy Has Always Been A Masterpiece


<p>Amy Schneider is a software engineer, cat owner, and Jeopardy champion who posts about her experiences on Twitter @Jeopardamy. She used to have a podcast, and odds are she will again some day.</p>


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Amy Schneider

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How I Got Smart

<p>Marc Normandin currently writes on baseball’s labor issues and more at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marcnormandin.com/">marcnormandin.com</a>, which you can read for free but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.patreon.com/marcnormandin">support through his Patreon</a>. His baseball writing has appeared at SB Nation, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Sports on Earth, The Guardian, The Nation, and TalkPoverty.</p>


Marc Normandin

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred talks to Astros GM James Click during the 2021 World Series.

World Series – Atlanta Braves v Houston Astros – Game One

MLB Owners Have Forgotten That They Always Lose Lockouts

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Ben Tippett

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Chess

Magnus Carlsen And Ian Nepomniachtchi Brought Classic Sports Drama To Chess

<p>Fran Hoepfner is a writer and teacher.</p>


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Fran Hoepfner

bad house

My Brush With Puzzle Brain

Julien Ingrassia traditionally drinks from a shoe as he celebrates his 8th World title on November 21, 2021 after the ACI Rally Monza 2021

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Racing

The Lottery In Secaucus

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The World Chess Championship Has Given Us The Best And Worst Of Classical Chess

Amos Barshad

NYC 2

These Musicians Are Angry, Organized, And Coming For Spotify


<p>Nandini Balial is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Harper&#8217;s Bazaar, Vice, Slate, The Week, The Texas Observer, Ebert Voices, The AV Club, and Wired, among others. She lives and works in Fort Worth, Texas.</p>


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Nandini Balial

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Chefector

Let’s Make Something Sweet, With Cardamom

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Defector Reads A Book

How Do You Pin Down An Auteur As Evasive As David Fincher?

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‘Red Road’ Is A Revenge Story So Hot You Can’t Look Away

Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021

Your Complete Guide To The 2021 World Chess Championship