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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

Heather Chen is a former Defector intern and the managing editor at the Columbia Daily Spectator. She loves hockey, photography, and the good ol’ state of Michigan.

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Heather Wei-Xi Chen

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Animals

The Secrets Of Human And Canine Fashion At The Westminster Dog Show

Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and co-founded the website <a href="http://popcorntennis.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://popcorntennis.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726234676777000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0PFWw6PL-FUqaCMME5TLqP">popcorntennis.com</a>. He wrote 63,000 words about the Novak Djokovic-Rafael Nadal rivalry that can be accessed for free at <a href="https://thegoldenrivalry.substack.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thegoldenrivalry.substack.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726234676777000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2OjAHpo4PVIhkx8Xd21lRJ">thegoldenrivalry.substack.com</a>.

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Owen Lewis

Carlos Alcaraz celebrates on the court after winning the Australian Open.

Australian Open 2026 – Men’s Singles Final

Tennis

A Pure Tennis Boy

Mychal Denzel Smith is the author of Stakes Is High, winner of the Kirkus Prize for Non-Fiction.

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Mychal Denzel Smith

Celebrities Visit SiriusXM – October 28, 2024

I Thoroughly Enjoyed Watching Michael Rapaport Eat Shit On ‘The Traitors’

Eli Cugini

Arts And Culture

Fanfiction’s Total Cultural Victory

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>.

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Hamilton Nolan

Lopez v Stevenson – The Ring 6

Boxing

Look On The Bright Side

Séamus Malekafzali is a New York-based journalist and writer primarily focusing on the politics of the Middle East.

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Séamus Malekafzali

Donald Trump looks on as Lindsey Graham talks in the foreground.

President Trump Returns To The  White House After Spending Holidays In Florida

Politics

Lindsey Graham Has Waited Decades For The Chance To Obliterate Iran

Leland Nally is a writer living in Los Angeles.

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Leland Nally

Lisbon , Portugal - 3 November 2021; Tarek Mansour, Co-founder, Kalshi on Centre Stage during day two of Web Summit 2021 at the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal.

Web Summit 2021 – Day Two

Capital

Prediction Markets Are Betting On A Grim Future

Fans line up to enter Melbourne Park ahead of day four matches at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 21, 2026.

TENNIS-AUS-OPEN

The Australian Open Is Too Much Of A Good Thing

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Alex Pareene

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Gregory Bovino with his security team while a group of citizens opposed to the country's immigration policies protested him in Minnesota on January 21, 2026.

CBP Commissioner Gregory Bovino faces protest in Minnesota

I Have A Great Idea For Retraining ICE Agents

Elon Green is the author of The Man Nobody Killed and Last Call.

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Elon Green

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Michael Connelly Should Stick To Fake Crime

Abigail Segel is a writer based in Montreal.

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Abigail Segel

Manchester City players huddle ahead of the Subway Women's League Cup Semi Final match between Manchester City and Chelsea at Joie Stadium on January 21, 2026 in Manchester, England.

Manchester City v Chelsea – Subway Women’s League Cup Semi Final

Soccer

Manchester City Lost A Battle But Is Winning The War For English Women’s Soccer Supremacy

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James Webster

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Elisa Shua Dusapin Is The Real Deal

<a href="https://zachgozlan.info/">Zach Gozlan</a> is a data scientist, trivia ringer, and internet user based in Washington, D.C.

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Zach Gozlan

Athletes stand at the Jeopardy podiums in full sports gear.

Jeopardy

Are ‘Jeopardy!’ Contestants Really That Bad At Questions About Sports? 

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Veronica de Souza

gallery wall design

Make It Nice

Make It Nice: Gallery Wall Tutorial

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

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Nicholas Russell

Interviews

Natan Last Has Thought A Lot About Crosswords

Tommy Craggs is an editor and writer, late of Game Theory With Bomani Jones on HBO, Mother Jones (no relation), HuffPost, Slate, Gawker Media, and Deadspin. He&#8217;s part of the <a href="https://flaminghydra.com/">Flaming Hydra</a> cooperative of independent writers and artists, and one of the many founders of the <a href="https://www.oaklandreviewofbooks.org/">Oakland Review of Books</a>.

Tommy Craggs

Bari Weiss seated onstage at a Free Press event in 2024.

Bari Weiss blue chair

Journalismism

Bari Weiss Is The Symptom

AFC Wild Card Playoffs – Buffalo Bills v Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars Junction: Wild Card Round

Sean T. Collins has written for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Vulture, Decider, Pitchfork, and many others. He lives with his family on Long Island.

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Sean T. Collins

AEW ballroom

Dadfector

This Is Awesome

Christen Press and Tobin Heath at their live show

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Christen Press And Tobin Heath Want To Keep Up The Fight

E.Y. Zhao is a writer and editor from St. Louis. Her debut novel, <a href="https://astrapublishinghouse.com/product/underspin-9781662603266/">Underspin</a>, set in the world of competitive table tennis, is out now. She holds a BA in history from Harvard College and an MFA from the University of Michigan.

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E.Y. Zhao

Marty

‘Marty Supreme’ Bears Us Into The New World

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 21: Mascot Jaxson de Ville of the Jacksonville Jaguars leaps from the light towers prior to the game against the Houston Texans at EverBank Field on September 21, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars Junction: Week 17

Eva Holland is a freelance writer and editor based in Whitehorse, Yukon. She&#8217;s a correspondent for Outside magazine and the author of the books Nerve and <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/no-sleep-til-fairbanks#/">No Sleep &#8216;Til Fairbanks</a>.

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Eva Holland

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‘Heated Rivalry’ Is Bringing Me Back To Hockey

Matt Ufford is the head of video and audio at Yahoo Sports.

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Matt Ufford

Reginald Owen, playing Scrooge, confronts the Ghost of Christmas Present, played by Lionel Braham, in the 1938 MGM production of "A Christmas Carol." Undated movie still.

Ebenezer Scrooge and the Spirit of Christmas Present

Jamboroo

You Can’t Defeat Christmas, But You Can Survive It

Make It Nice: How To Shop For A Couch

Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers looks on in street clothes during player introductions before a game against the Detroit Pistons

Tyrese Haliburton street clothes

Following The Damned Pacers Through The Pits Of Hell