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

David Roth

October 16, 1972 Sports Illustrated cover and signed limited edition Wilt Chamberlain sports porcelain figurine on display during the press preview at Sotheby's Auction House on August 01, 2023 in Los Angeles.

Podcasts

Radicalized, Sleepy, And Sick Of Brock Purdy

Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy seeming to look side-eyed at The Distraction logo at upper left, in a photo taken before the team's Wild Card loss to the Green Bay Packers.

There Is Some Crying In Football, With Ray Ratto

Tua Tagovailoa makes a semi-Jim Face during warm-ups before the Dolphins' Week 18 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Pantsless On New Year’s Eve, With Rohan Nadkarni

Michael Penix Jr, seen here pointing at The Distraction logo at upper left during Washington's win over Texas in the Sugar Bowl on 1/1/2024.

Wolfgang Amadeus Penix Jr.

Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on in the first half at Lumen Field on December 18, 2023 in Seattle, Washington.

Yelling At An Infant About Fake Punts, With Dan McQuade

Shohei Ohtani smiling in the dugout during an Angels game on September 17 of 2023.

Infinite Bonilla Mode

A man wears a bootleg Bart Simpson t-shirt—black, with the words Ay Carumba (sic) in heavy metal font over an image of Bart displaying GUD and BAD finger tattoos—on the streets of Bangkok, in 2018.

Professor Frink Is Real, And Strong, And My Friend, With Matt Selman

Irish boxer Katie Taylor exulting after defeating Chantelle Cameron in a title bout in Dublin on November 25, 2023.

Great Irish Champions, With Dave McKenna

Mark Sanchez looking forlorn after a Jets game on October 31, 2010.

Gratitude, Triumph, And The Butt Fumble, With Jasper Wang

Aaron Barrett and Derek Gibbs of Reel Big Fish perform at Southampton University on March 5, 2011.

When Ska Was King, With Rob Harvilla

New Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs exults after leading his team to a comeback win against the Falcons in Atlanta.

A Dad’s Guide To Joshua Dobbs Mindset

<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>


Drew Magary

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 8: Sphere displays the In Season Tournament visuals on its exterior, the largest LED screen on Earth, during the 2023 Las Vegas Summer League on July 8, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)

The NBA In-Season Tourney Is A Recipe For Blindness, With Ray Ratto

Evan Carter of the Texas Rangers celebrates in the clubhouse after beating the Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS.

Giving Home Plate The Business, With Emma Baccellieri

Onterrio Smith of the Minnesota Vikings diving for some extra yards in a NFL Playoff Game against the Eagles in January of 2005.

Holiday In Onterrio

An illustration of the cohosts of The Distraction, in the style of a Nascar fan t-shirt. We're both wearing those fire-suits and appear deeply tan.

A Tote Bag Full Of Starting Lineups, Live With Rohan Nadkarni

Geraldo Perdomo of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates by splashing to beers around after Arizona completed their two-game Wild Card sweep of the Brewers in October of 2023.

Wild Cards And Animal Spirits In October

Taylor Swift watching the Kansas City Chiefs game on Monday night in a luxury box with Travis Kelce's mother, Donna.

Pinning Your Ears Back For Taylor Swift, With Giri Nathan And Samer Kalaf

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders congratulates his son Shadeur during Colorado's win against Colorado State on September 16, 2023.

The Coach Prime Discourse Is Decadent And Depraved

Matt Carpenter of the Padres looking distraught during a road game against the Phillies in July of 2023.

What Are The Padres Trying To Tell Us, With Justin Halpern

xxxx during the NFL game between Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 2, 2016 in London, England.

A Comprehensively Stupid 2023 NFL Season Preview, With Kalyn Kahler

A Minnesota Vikings fan with a painted face and a goofy horned helmet looks contemplative/despondent during the team's loss to the New York Giants in the 2023 NFC Wild Card game.

What Kind Of Vikings Fan Should A Person Be?

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and his team react incredulously to a call during the 2023 College Football Championship Game.

The Kings Of Shrimp Country, With Spencer Hall

A stock photo of sausages cooking on a barbecue grill.

The Bib Does Nothing!

Sophia Smith lines up a shot in the US Women's National Team's game against the Netherlands in the Women's World Cup on Wednesday night.

How Much Vlatko Is Too Much Vlatko, With Abigail Segel

Three demonstrators join hands to build strength against the force of water sprayed by riot police in Birmingham, Alabama, during a protest of segregation practices.

The Distraction