CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Capital

DraftKings Abruptly Shuts Down NFT Operation, Panicking Collectors With Vast Holdings Of Digital Tokens

Patrick Redford

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 12: Sam Altman speaks onstage during A Year In TIME at The Plaza Hotel on December 12, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for TIME)

Sam Altman’s Scarlett Johansson Whoopsie Is The True Future Of AI

Tom Ley

The NCAA logo is covered by confetti after the South Carolina Gamecocks defeat the Oregon State Beavers during the Elite Eight round of the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at MVP Arena on March 31, 2024 in Albany, New York.

Death To The NCAA

The NCAA Settlement Should Be The Beginning, Not The End

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 25: Marvin Harrison Jr. celebrates after being selected fourth overall by the Arizona Cardinals during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza on April 25, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Marvin Harrison Jr. Sued By Fanatics For Breaching Contract, Speaking To Pat McAfee

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 21: Michael Jordan signed Sports Illustrated cover is on display during a press preview of The Olympic Collection at Sotheby's on July 21, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Media Meltdowns

Sports Illustrated Owner Sues Former Publisher Over Bungled Leverage Play

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 15: during the UFC 2024 Seasonal Press Conference at MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 15, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

UFC Settles Pair Of Class-Action Lawsuits For $335 Million

Israel Daramola

A NCAA logo is seen on the field before the game between the South Dakota State Jackrabbits and the North Dakota State Bison in the Division I FCS Football Championship held at Toyota Stadium on January 8, 2023 in Frisco, Texas.

NCAA’s Desperate Flailing Invites Another Lawsuit

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 23: TKO Executive Chairman of the Board Vince McMahon is seen during a ceremony announcing Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has joined the Board of Directors for TKO at New York Stock Exchange on January 23, 2024 in New York City.

Pro Wrestling

Vince McMahon Is Gone From WWE, Allegedly For Real This Time

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 19: The NCAA logo on the basketball court during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament between the Butler Bulldogs and the Pittsburgh Panthers at the Verizon Center on March 19, 2011 in Washington, DC. The Bulldogs won 71-70. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

DOJ Joins Antitrust Lawsuit Against The NCAA

Barry Petchesky

Harvey Weinstein and James Dolan at House of Elyx on December 13, 2015 in New York City. Dolan has a drink in his hand.

Music

Lawsuit Accuses James Dolan And Harvey Weinstein Of Sexual Assault

NEW YORK, USA - JUNE 15: FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried arrives at Manhattan Federal Court for a court appearance in New York, United States on June 15, 2023. (Photo by Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Oh, So It’s Illegal To Email Your Son About How To Do Financial Crimes Now?

Lane Kiffin wears a visor and holds a football.

College Football

Lawsuit: Lane Kiffin Berated And Abused Ole Miss Player For Taking Mental Health Break Amid Crisis

Jim Trotter smiles during a media appearance.

Jim Trotter’s Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Makes Working For NFL Network Sound Like A Nightmare

Ray Ratto

Knicks owner James Dolan, seen here leering weirdly at a Knicks/Lakers game in 2019. He has a goatee.

Who Would Steal The Business Secrets Of The New York Knicks?

Greg Norman stands with Yasir Al-Rumayyan at a LIV Golf event.

Golf

The PGA Tour Couldn’t Beat ‘Em, But LIV Golf Won’t Join ‘Em

Life's Rich Pageant

Mission Re-Accomplished: Shaq Served At Former FTX Arena

Oh No, Shaquille O’Neal Is Still Evading The FTX Lawsuit!

A Surreal, Chum-Choked Plunge Through Ja Morant’s Countersuit Against A Teen Boy

Shaquille O'Neal performs as a DJ at a party.

Florida Court Rules That Shaquille O’Neal May Continue To Juke Process Servers In The Physical World

Laura Wagner

Protesters face off with a line of police officers during a rally against the fatal police assault of Tyre Nichols outside the LAPD headquarters, in Los Angeles, California, on January 27, 2023. - The US city of Memphis released January 27, 2023 graphic video footage depicting the fatal police assault of a 29-year-old Black man, as cities nationwide braced for a night of protests against police brutality. Five Memphis officers, also all Black, were charged with second-degree murder in the beating of Tyre Nichols, who died in hospital on January 10 three days after being stopped on suspicion of reckless driving. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP)

Policing

Journalist Ben Camacho On Facing Petty LAPD-Driven Lawsuit: “It’s The Biggest Gaslight Of My Life”

LIV Golf And Its Representatives Are Having An Extremely Normal Masters Week

The NFL Has Yet Another Scandal To Eat

Norways Magnus Carlsen (R) gestures during his round 9 game against the Indonesias team at the 44th Chess Olympiad 2022, in Mahabalipuram on August 7, 2022. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP) (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)

Chess

Magnus Carlsen’s Lawyers Call Hans Niemann’s Lawsuit A Big Dumb Publicity Stunt

PGA Tour Files New Lawsuit Against Saudi Public Investment Fund In Latest Escalation Of Golf’s Turf War

US international grandmaster Hans Niemann waits his turn to move during a second-round chess game against Jeffery Xiong on the second day of the Saint Louis Chess Club Fall Chess Classic in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 6, 2022. - Niemann said on October 5 that he "won't back down," after the chess platform chess.com reported he has "probably cheated more than 100 times" in online games. (Photo by Tim Vizer / AFP) (Photo by TIM VIZER/AFP via Getty Images)

Lawsuits