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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

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winter 2023 gift (eyebrow)

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

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Merch v3

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Ray Ratto

Multiple exposure of Oakland Athletics Rickey Henderson (24) in action, stealing base vs San Francisco Giants. Game 1. Oakland, CA 10/14/1989

Oakland Athletics vs San Francisco Giants, 1989 World Series

Rickey Henderson Believed In Rickey Henderson

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Israel Daramola

Quincy Jones on stage at The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz and The Recording Academy Los Angeles chapter honoring Herbie Hancock all star tribute concert at the Kodak Theatre

quincy-jones

Arts And Culture

Quincy Jones Was Greater Than Any One Era

Dave McKenna

LANDOVER, MD - CIRCA 1992: Jerrod Mustaf #0 of the Phoenix Suns warms up prior to playing the Washington Bullets in an NBA basketball game circa 1992 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Mustaf played for the Suns from 1991-94.

Phoenix Suns  v Washington Bullets

Sadly, Jerrod Mustaf Was More Than A Basketball Player

Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds dives head first into home plate during a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field during the early 1970s in Chicago

Cincinnati Reds v Chicago Cubs

Pete Rose, All-American

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Defector Staff

James Earl Jones smiling into the camera, 1978

James Earl Jones

Defector At The Movies

Defector’s Favorite James Earl Jones Performances

Rich Homie Quan performs onstage at The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre on September 01, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan.

rich-homie-quan

Rich Homie Quan Got To The Top Of The Mountain


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Typing

Sabrina Imbler

two penguins stand in front of an inflatable rainbow arch in a penguin enclosure

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Creaturefector

Sphen The Gay Penguin Broke The Ice

Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under The Influence

womanunder

Gena Rowlands Played Pathetic Better Than Anyone

A round stingray (Urolophus halleri) I photographed in shallow water at Bolsa Chica wetlands (Southern California). The clouds of sand around the eyes and and body were formed as the stingray flapped and positioned deeper in the sand, expelling water. You can see the spiracles behind the eyes.

Urobatis_halleri_bolsa_chica_2

Charlotte, The Stingray At The Heart Of Scandal, Has Died

Willie Mays walking across the outfield at the Polo Grounds as a member of the San Francisco Giants during a 1962 game against the New York Mets.

Willie Mays Walking Across Field Inside Stadium

Willie Mays Was Baseball

<p>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>.</p>


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Owen Lewis

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Journalismism

The ‘Longform’ Podcast Told The Story Of An Industry

(Original Caption) Lakers' Jerry West (C) is guarded closely by Celtics' Bill Russell (L) as he goes in for a layup, 3rd period, 1st game of championship playoffs of the NBA, Boston Garden (4/18). Celtics' Willie Naulls is on the right. Celtics won the game, 142-110.

Bill Russell Guarding Jerry West

Jerry West Never Left His Game

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Barry Petchesky

Earthrise - Apollo 8, December 24, 1968. This view of the rising Earth greeted the Apollo 8 astronauts as they came from behind the Moon after the fourth nearside orbit. The photo, by&#xa0;astronaut&#xa0;William Anders, is displayed here in its original orientation, though it is more commonly viewed with the lunar surface at the bottom of the photo. Earth is about five degrees left of the horizon in the photo. The unnamed surface features on the left are near the eastern limb of the Moon as viewed from Earth. The lunar horizon is approximately 780 kilometers from the spacecraft. Height of the photographed area at the lunar horizon is about 175 kilometers.

Earthrise – Apollo 8

Science

Bill Anders First Saw The Earth

Alex Belth

Journalist Grant Wahl (right) works in the FIFA Media Center before a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and USMNT at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 21, 2022 in Al Rayyan, Qatar. He had been detained earlier by stadium security for wearing a rainbow-colored t-shirt before later being allowed to enter the stadium.

Grant Wahl – USA v Wales: Group B – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Soccer

Remembering Grant Wahl, America’s Greatest Soccer Writer

<div class="author-header-content">
<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

Portland Trail Blazers' Bill Walton, who received many accolades for his performance on the court, is depicted here. Walton would later go on to pursue a career off the court as a sports broadcaster and an actor in feature films.

Portrait of Bill Walton

Bill Walton Let His Joy Flourish

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David Roth

Steve Albini performs with his band Shellac at the FYF Fest in Los Angeles in 2016.

FYF Fest 2016 – Day 1

Music

Everyone Has A Steve Albini Album

O.J. Simpson leaves the courtroom during a trial in Las Vegas in September 2008. Simpson was later convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping.

O.J. Simpson leaves the courtroom durin

O.J. Simpson Was Always More Than Polarizing

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<div class="p-rich_text_section">Tom Scocca is the editor of <a href="http://indignity.net">Indignity</a>, a subscription-supported newsletter of news, essays, and commentary.</div>
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Tom Scocca

Attorney Peter Angelos talks about his law practice and his hopes about buying the Orioles.

Peter-Angelos

Peter Angelos Was The Ultimate Team Owner


<p>Investigations Editor. You can reach her at diana@defector.com or, if you prefer protonmail, dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. If security is a concern, download the Signal app and send her a text at 929-251-8187.</p>


DFM New Headshot

Diana Moskovitz

A photo of Lilly the cat. She's smokey with black and white coloring, a little white bib, and green eyes. She's sitting atop a blanket atop our couch looking quite regal.

Lilly

Animals

For Lilly, Always There

<p>Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including <em>Point B</em>. Handsomest man in the world.</p>


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Drew Magary

TUNIS, TUNISIA - JULY 26 : A man reads a newspaper with the death of Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi (92) on the headline in the country in Tunis, Tunisia on July 26, 2019. (Photo by Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi dies at 92

Funbag

I Have To Know Why You Died!

COLLEGE PARK, MD - FEBRUARY 6: Former Maryland head coach Lefty Driesell waves to the crowd during a timeout against Purdue on February 6, 2016 in College Park, MD.

NCAA Basketball: Purdue at Maryland

College Basketball

Lefty Driesell, Who Brought Winning To D.C. Sports, Has Died

<p>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.</p>


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Sean T. Collins

2023 New York City Pride Rally

Here’s To Cecilia Gentili

TOM WILKINSON as Arthur Edens in Michael Clayton

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Tom Wilkinson And His Baguettes Are Eternal

Andre Braugher in a black and white portrait taken in 2015.

Celebrities Visit SiriusXM Studios – April 30, 2015

The Good Guy

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Tom Ley

Henry Kissinger looking like a little goblin while watching a Yankees fan

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Yankees Honor Least Evil Fan

Obits