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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

NYC: Come To Our WNBA Comedy Show On May 16

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Live Event

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Soraya Roberts

Writers on strike march with signs on the picket line on day four of the strike by the Writers Guild of America in front of Netflix in Hollywood, California on May 5, 2023. - More than 11,000 Hollywood television and movie writers are on their first strike since 2007 after talks with studios and streamers over pay and working conditions failed to clinch a deal.

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Arts And Culture

Is An Independent Hollywood Possible?


<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>


Patrick T. Dorsey

Rose Zhang of the United States plays a shot from the 18th tee during the second round of the Dana Open at Highland Meadows Golf Club on July 14, 2023 in Sylvania, Ohio.

Dana Open – Round Two

Golf

Rose Zhang, Golf’s Next Phenom, Is Doing Her Own Thing

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


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Nicholas Russell

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in the film Barbie

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Defector At The Movies

‘Barbie’ Was Born Out Of The Anxiety Of Modern Filmmaking

<p>Kim McCauley covers soccer for The Athletic and ESPN, and worked as a data analyst at Angel City FC. You can <a href="https://twitter.com/kimischilling" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/kimischilling&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690042325485000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3FfPKUcZC9_LzSiHDnR1Ox">follow her on the bird app</a>.</p>
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Kim McCauley

Alyssa Thompson #7 of the United States dribbles the ball during the first half of an international friendly against Wales at PayPal Park on July 09, 2023 in San Jose, California.

Wales v United States

Soccer

What Is This USWNT Player’s Deal: Alyssa Thompson

Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

‘Dead Reckoning’ Knows Exactly Who We Need Behind The Wheel

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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

An American soldier stands in the Zeppelin stadium and looks towards a Nazi swastika, Nuremberg, Germany, 1945. The stadium, along with two others, was used by Adolf Hitler to hold many Nazi rallies. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

Nuremberg in Allied Hands

They Almost Played An All-Star Game At Nuremberg

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Hey It's That Guy

Stephen Root Knows What Lurks Beneath The Everyman

<p>Lucas Hubbard is a North Carolina-based writer whose work has appeared in Microfiction Monday Magazine, INDY Week, Paste, and other outlets.</p>


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Lucas Hubbard

A card with a bunch of love items about Rafael Nadal. There's one of him picking his wedge, one of him screaming after a point and him, in a heart, smiling. Also there are drawings of tennis balls and tennis rackets.

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Tennis

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Nadal

Crowds are seen in front of the stage as Lost Frequencies gives a DJ Performance concert on the second day of the Champions Festival, which is being prepared for the UEFA Champions League final to be held in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 9, 2023.

Day 2 Festival – UEFA Champions League Final 2022/23

I Just Want To Go To A Concert

<p>Jen Ramos Eisen is a Central California-based minor league baseball writer.</p>


Jen Ramos Eisen

Domingo German #0 of the New York Yankees pitches to Esteury Ruiz #1 of the Oakland Athletics in the bottom of the ninth inning at RingCentral Coliseum on June 28, 2023 in Oakland, California. Ruiz made the final out in a no-hit perfect game for German, defeating the Athletics 11-0.

German Perfect Game

The Perfect Game That Also Sucked 

Promotional image for Matthew McConaughey's Art Of Livin' event featuring McConaughey, Tony Robbins, Dean Graziosi, and Trent Shelton

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The Art (And Commerce) Of Livin’: Five Dazed And Confusing Hours Of Matthew McConaughey’s Self-Help Seminar

<p>Keith Paradise is a freelance writer who somehow won a Keystone Press Award during his<br />
decade spent as a newspaper reporter in Pennsylvania, where he covered sports, education, and<br />
the murder of a neighborhood turkey. Originally from Pittsburgh, he is a monthly contributor to<br />
<em>Billiards Digest</em> magazine.</p>


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Keith Paradise

A rack of Starter jackets, satin and pullover and polyester. Colorado Rockies is in the front.

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The Rise And Fall Of Starter, The Coolest Company On Earth

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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

Enrique Hernandez #5 of the Boston Red Sox makes an error as he throws to second base during the second inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 3, 2023 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.

Tampa Bay Rays v Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox Have Never Felt Smaller

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<div>Davey Davis is the author of the novels<em> the earthquake room </em>and <em>X</em><i>. </i>They write<i> </i>a weekly newsletter about <span style="color: #1a1a1a">art, culture, and sexuality at</span> <a href="http://itsdavid.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://itsdavid.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687637345270000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2asJHAQI7qwTPU6pk62gjF">itsdavid.substack.com</a>. They live in Brooklyn.</div>
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Davey Davis

Drawing of a group of people helping each other over a labyrinth

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Histories Of Transition

Doctors Vs. David

Felix Kent

ZAGREB, CROATIA - MARCH 20: A sign in tribute to Craig Breen of Ireland and Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team who succumbed to injuries sustained in a testing crash last week during Day One of the FIA World Rally Championship Croatia on March 20, 2023 in Zagreb, Croatia. (Photo by Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images)

FIA World Rally Championship Croatia – Day One

Life Lessons

It’s Continually Alarming That Choices Matter

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‘The Flash’ Resurrecting Christopher Reeve Is Nothing But Bad News

<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

Underground Archive

Shots

He Said He Was Going To Save A Century Of Priceless Sports Photos. He Ended Up The Madoff Of Memorabilia.

<p>Hamilton Nolan is a journalist based in New York City. Subscribe to his work at <a href="https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687350200913000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0naFbUVOe-5ZgtPDtIM3gz">HamiltonNolan.com</a>.</p>


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Hamilton Nolan

(EXCLUSIVE, Premium Rates Apply) LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 05: **EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE** Actor Gilles Marini attends the FAGE Total Yogurt Bar at The 25th Spirit Awards Official Presenter Lounge held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on March 5, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/WireImage)

FAGE Total Yogurt Bar At The 25th Spirit Awards Official Presenter Gift Lounge

Funbag

You Can Probably Eat More Yogurt Than You Think

<div>Adam Charles Hart is an author, curator, and archivist who lives in Pittsburgh. His second book, &#8216;<i>Raising the Dead: The Work of George A. Romero, </i>will be out in early 2024 from Oxford University Press.</div>
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Adam Charles Hart

raquetteurs

The Most Important Sports Movie Ever Made


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


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Corey Atad

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‘Across The Spider-Verse’ Reclaims Animation’s Pioneering Spirit

<p>Ben Orbison is a writer living in Los Angeles</p>


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Ben Orbison

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 15: Tommy Fleetwood of England plays a second shot on the first hole during the first round of the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club on June 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

123rd U.S. Open Championship – Round One

The Los Angeles Country Club Owes L.A. More Than Just A Good U.S. Open

<p><a href="https://abshippy.com/">Abdullah Shihipar</a> is a writer and public health researcher based at Brown University.</p>


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Abdullah Shihipar

L-R Kyla Bennett, PhD, JD Director, New England PEER and a local resident Tracy Stewart of Medway look over old astroturf piled up in a forested area, where it's apparently leaching PFAS chemicals into nearby water sources.

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Climate

The Case Against Turf Fields


<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

Michael Hermosillo of the Angels makes a catch in foul territory during the 2020 MLB season, while a bunch of creepy stuffed teddy bears look on.

Los Angeles Angels v Oakland Athletics

“I Almost Wished There Was Someone There To Curse At Me”: Isolation And Triumph In MLB’s Plague Season

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. Episode 302 of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. Cr.

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“You Knew It Was Something Really Nasty”: How The Art Department Brings ‘I Think You Should Leave’ To Life

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Derek Mead

Cyclists walk their bikes through a muddy portion of the 2023 Unbound gravel race

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