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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


<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>


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Lam Thuy Vo

A copy of Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing at the Brooklyn Public Library. Access to Gyasi's book was recently restricted at a high school in Nixa, Missouri.

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Politics

When Adults Banned Their Books, These Teens Fought Back By Organizing

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Ashley Feinberg

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Funbag

Trump Vs. DeSantis: Who Ya Got?!

<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

Two boxing gloves on a red floor background, with deep shadows. The gloves are black, and laid at the wrists atop each other. The left glove has 1-2 on it. The right glove has 2-4 on it. This is painted on with stencils in red ink.

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The Fights

On Punches


<p>A founding member of the Billings, Montana-to-Brooklyn sportswriting pipeline, Patrick Sauer has written for many large digital publications you’ve heard of and even more smaller ones that no longer exist. He’s on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/pjsauer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@pjsauer</a>.</p>


Patrick Sauer

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Music

The Legend Of Run-DMC’s Immortal “Christmas In Hollis,” As Remembered By The People Who Made It

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


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Nicholas Russell

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Hey It's That Guy

Sean Harris Leans Into The Pain Of Being A Creep


<p><a href="https://twitter.com/petesegall?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pete Segall</a> lives in Chicago. His fiction has appeared in <em>The Bennington Review</em>, <em>Conjunctions</em>, <em>The Drift</em>, and elsewhere.</p>


Pete Segall

The eponymous hospital in Lars Von Trier's supernatural soap "Kingdom"

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Arts And Culture

After Two Decades Of Chaos, Lars Von Trier’s Supernatural Soap Opera ‘Kingdom’ Returns

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Soraya Roberts

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Defector At The Movies

Please Remove Me From This List

Still image from the movie Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.

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Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead, Or That Christina Applegate Is Now Older Than Her

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


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Matt Ufford

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Birdfector

A Bird Idiot’s Guide To Winter Birding


<p>Michael is a writer who has worked with The Atlantic, The New Yorker, WIRED, Vox, The New York Times, and other publications. His first book, <em>The Other Olympians</em>, which uncovers the stories of several European athletes who transitioned gender in the 1930s, is now available for purchase.</p>


Michael Waters

TOLEDO, OH - JULY 01: Columbus Clippers player's ball caps are seen on the dugout bench during a regular season game between the Columbus Clippers and the Toledo Mud Hens on July 1, 2019 at Fifth Third Field in Toledo, Ohio.

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Capital

The Columbus Clippers Made Public Sports Ownership Work. Can Anyone Else?

Canadian singer Bryan Adams posing in front of a brick wall. Taken in 1984, in Paris.

Portrait de Bryan Adams en 1984

Why Is Bryan Adams’s “Summer Of ’69” The Only Song On My Radio?

Amos Barshad

Harry Kane of England walks around the pitch after being substituted during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between England and IR Iran at Khalifa International Stadium on November 21, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.

England v IR Iran: Group B – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Soccer

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Harry Kane


<p>Shamira Ibrahim is a Brooklyn-based culture writer by way of Harlem, Canada, and East Africa,&nbsp;who explores identity, cultural production and technology.</p>


Shamira Ibrahim

Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles – October 28, 2022

Where Does Ye Go From Here?


<p><a href="https://twitter.com/LeanderAlphabet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leander Schaerlaeckens</a> is a sports writer and previously wrote about <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2020/05/donald-trump-baseball-high-school-nyma.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donald Trump’s high school baseball career</a>, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/14/sports/soccer/asbury-park-football-club-soccer.html?mcubz=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a soccer team that doesn’t exist</a>, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/19/sports/raw-talent-and-college-sports-mix-at-culinary-institute-of-america.html?smid=tw-share&amp;_r=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">varsity sports at the Culinary Institute of America</a> and <a href="https://www.theringer.com/soccer/2022/1/27/22891886/american-investors-european-soccer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Americans buying European soccer teams</a>. He is writing a book about the United States men’s national soccer team. He teaches at Marist College.</p>


Leander Schaerlaeckens

The handwritten notes of Dick Cramer, back when he was coming up with a stat that would change baseball forever during his spare time.

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The Forgotten Men Behind The Ideas That Changed Baseball

Jacksonville Jaguars v Kansas City Chiefs

Jaguars Junction: Week 10

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Video Games

Sometimes It’s Fun To Be A Weird Guy With A Hand For A Head


<p>Jay Willis is a writer who covers law and democracy. His work has appeared in GQ, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Slate, and more. He is the editor-in-chief at Balls &amp; Strikes, an outlet for progressive commentary on the legal system.</p>


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Jay Willis

Supreme Court Justice and Philadelphia Phillies fan Samuel Alito seen at the July 2019 swearing-in of Mark Esper as Secretary of Defense.

President Trump Swears In Mark Esper As Secretary Of Defense

Spare A Thought For Samuel Alito, America’s Worst Phillies Fan

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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

HUNTINGTON BEACH CA - FEBRUARY 4 : A SWAT team member enacts defense against school violence . SWAT teams from many Police forces throughout America and Canada participate in a realistic training exercises at various High Schools throughout America to help combat the rise in shooting and violence on Campus. April 19, 2001 Huntington Beach High School, Huntington Beach California (Photo By Paul Harris/Getty Images)

Realistic Training  Scenarios For SWAT teams to Combat The Rise In School Shootings

Dadfector

How To Train A Lamb For The Slaughter


<p>Leo Baudhuin is a freelance journalist covering the Thorns and the NWSL. He&#8217;s also a known fan of soup, octopuses, and astrology.</p>


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Leo Baudhuin

San Diego Wave FC v Portland Thorns – Semifinal: 2022 NWSL Championship

Crystal Dunn And The Portland Thorns Just Need One More Moment

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Keith David Is Somewhere In Your Head


<p>Annie Rauwerda is a writer and comedian from Michigan. She loves Wikipedia, digital archives, and her cat.</p>


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Annie Rauwerda

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Life's Rich Pageant

In Search Of A Hot Pink Bitch Named Breakfast

Audacy Beach Festival

The Internet’s Biggest Jack Antonoff Hater Explains Himself

Justin Long as Cale in 20th Century Studios' Barbarian.

BARBARIAN

Let’s Just Crown Justin Long The Toxic Horror King


<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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