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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

Ben Tippett

Chess

Who Wants To Be World Chess Champion?

Felix Kent

A tourist practices with a paddleboard during a sunset in Philippine's Boracay island on April 24, 2018, ahead of its closure. - Police with assault rifles patrolled entry points to Boracay island on April 24 just days before a six-month shutdown and clean-up of one of the Philippines' top tourist attractions. (Photo by NOEL CELIS / AFP) (Photo credit should read NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Elder Wisdom

A Middle-Aged Person Takes Up A Hobby

Soraya Roberts

Still image from the TV show, "The Bear."

‘The Bear’ Is Why We Must End The Reign Of TV’s Vibes Cartel


<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>


Robert O’Connell

Dan Uggla in the 2008 MLB All-Star Game, striking out.

No One Will Ever Have A Worse All-Star Game Than Dan Uggla


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


Brian Feldman

A comic of video stills of a kid getting hit in the head with a basketball

Life's Rich Pageant

The Secret History Of The Internet’s Funniest Buzzer-Beater


<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>


Amy Schneider

Rays Week

Where Are You Jimmy Ray?


<p>Corey Atad is a freelancer writer based in Toronto with an unhealthy Air Bud obsession.</p>


Corey Atad

Premiere Of HBO's "All The Way" - Arrivals

Ray Wise Has Always Been More Than “That Guy”

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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 Rise And Fall Of The Rogue League That Took On MLB And Changed It Forever

Screenshot from the movie Cha Cha Real Smooth.

Defector At The Movies

‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ Is The Worst Kind Of Indie Throwback


<p>Amy Pedulla is a writer and audio producer. She can be reached at pedullaa@gmail.com.</p>


Amy Pedulla

Capital

The Uphill Battle To Unionize Tennessee Whiskey

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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

An effigy of Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, dressed as a January 6, 2021, insurrectionist is placed near the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 25, 2021. - Protester set up effigies of Big Tech CEO's as the US Congress holds hearings March 25 about the spread of disinformation and misinformation on their platforms. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Journalismism

Who Is The Disinformation Beat Actually For?

‘RRR’ Didn’t Cross Over Just Because It’s Awesome

<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

How They Shot “The Last Shot”

<p>Maya Goldberg-Safir writes about women’s basketball and splits her time between Chicago and Oakland, where she was born and raised. She is the creator of <a href="https://wnbaroughnotes.substack.com/">Rough Notes</a>, a newsletter chronicling women’s basketball from the court, the road, and the heart.</p>


Maya Goldberg-Safir

WNBA

Brittney Griner And The Labyrinth Of Wrongful Detainment

‘Men’ Is Bad


<p>Reporter with Insider and cultural critic everywhere. Born and raised. Probably eating ice cream.</p>


Bradford William Davis

Don’t Let Josh Donaldson Fool You

Craig Finn of The Hold Steady performs at Ottobar in Baltimore.

Arts And Culture

Craig Finn Returns To The Scene


<p>Lam Thuy Vo is a journalist who marries data analysis with on-the-ground reporting to examine how systems and policies affect individuals. She is currently a <a href="https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/soros-justice-fellowships" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Soros Justice Fellow</a>, a <a href="https://www.typeinvestigations.org/blog/2021/06/14/announcing-the-2021-ida-b-wells-fellows/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Type Investigations Ida B. Wells Fellow</a>, and a <a href="https://www.journalism.cuny.edu/2021/03/lam-thuy-vo-named-to-new-role-to-strengthen-data-journalism-curriculum/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data-journalist-in-residence at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism</a>. Previously, she worked for BuzzFeed News, The Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera America and NPR&#8217;s Planet Money.</p>


Lam Thuy Vo

A climber scales a climbing wall at Brooklyn Boulders

Climbing

What Happens To A Rock Climbing Community When Venture Capital Comes Calling?


<p>Claire Watkins is a musician and writer living in Chicago, IL.</p>


Claire Watkins

The United States celebrate a goal by Trinity Rodman #14 (C-R) during the second half against Uzbekistan at Subaru Park on April 12, 2022 in Chester, Pennsylvania.

Soccer

Why Equal Pay For Equal Work Finally Became A Reality For The USWNT


<p>Adam Conover is a comedian, writer, and television host. His new series&nbsp;<em>The</em>&nbsp;<em>G Word&nbsp;</em>is out now on Netflix.&nbsp;</p>


Adam Conover

A photo of comedian Adam Conover after he finished the LA marathon.He's wearing a yellow marathon tank top, with a medal around his neck. He's making a "this sucked" face and giving the bird. There's also a receipt showing the fees the marathon charged him for participation. In the background wallpaper, there's scattered $100 bills.

What The Hell Happened To The LA Marathon?


<p>Richard Staff is a <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardStaff" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weapons-grade Twitter goblin</a> and hostage of the Mets. That is his real name.</p>


Richard Staff

Richard Nixon preparing to go on Meet The Press in 1988.

History

The Secret History Of Richard Nixon, Mets Sicko

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


Nicholas Russell

What Does ‘The Believer’ Want To Be?


<p>Patrick T. Dorsey is the writer of and a producer on the feature film FUTURE DATE, which had its world premiere at the 2024 Cinequest Film Festival and won the Audience Award for Best Comedy Feature. You can hear him Thursdays on Defector Trivia, whenever Diana Moskovitz shouts, “Baaaaaaabe!”</p>
