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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

Dave McKenna

US swimmer Diana Nyad is seen in the water during her departure from the Ernest Hemingway Nautical Club in Havana on August 18, 2012 . Veteran US endurance swimmer Diana Nyad announced that she will try to swim the treacherous waters from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage.

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Swimming

Diana Nyad’s Swimming Brought Her Glory, Fame, And An Adversary Dedicated To Exposing Her Lies

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Ray Ratto

A photo of a brown stationwagon next to the water. It is covered in stickers.

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Racing

The Legend Of The Brown Smear In Newfoundland

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

REGINA, SK - AUGUST 19: Nathan Rourke #12 of the BC Lions throws on the run in the first half of the game between the BC Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium on August 19, 2022 in Regina, Canada. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images)

BC Lions v Saskatchewan Roughriders

The Brief, Thrilling Summer Of The All-Canadian Quarterback

Kalyn Kahler

HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 07: Back judge Shawn  Hochuli #83 and side judge Allen Baynes #56 carry a game ball to the Oakland Raiders locker room before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on January 7, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Wild Card Round – Oakland Raiders v Houston Texans

How NFL Teams Scout The Refs

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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

Casey Taylor

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Capital

The Cold War Killed Cannabis As We Knew It. Can It Rise Again?

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Just How Big A Problem Is Nepotism In NFL Coaching?


<p>Colin Daileda is a freelance journalist in Bengaluru, India, who has written for Longreads, The Atlantic, Atlas Obscura, and others. He used to be able to grab the rim of a basketball hoop, but he can no longer jump high enough.</p>


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Colin Daileda

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Cricket

Why India Lets Kashmiri Cricket Wither

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History

Ed Hardy Went To Japan And Brought Back A Myth


<p>Damon Young is a writer in Pittsburgh.</p>


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Damon Young

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Book Excerpts That Don't Suck

Thursday Night Hoops

Cleveland Hughes wears Seahawks gear as he gets the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine from Andrea Barnett during opening day of the Community Vaccination Site, a collaboration between the City of Seattle, First &amp; Goal Inc., and Swedish Health Services at the Lumen Field Event Center in Seattle, Washington on March 13, 2021. (Photo by Jason Redmond / AFP) (Photo by JASON REDMOND/AFP via Getty Images)

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What Do NFL Players Know About The COVID Vaccine? We Asked Them.

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Better Hate An Owner

Peter Angelos Couldn’t Stay A Hero Forever

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Laura Wagner

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Media Meltdowns

The Reckoning At The Appeal Was A Long Time Coming

<p><a href="http://www.ddavisla.com"><span style="font-weight: 400">David Davis </span></a>is the author of <i>Wheels of Courage: How Paralyzed Veterans From World War II Invented Wheelchair Sports, Fought for Disability Rights, and Inspired a Nation</i> and <i>Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku</i>. He lives in Los Angeles.</p>
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David Davis

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Hockey’s Cold War Was The Summit Of Two Photographers’ Careers

Quarterback Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans walks off the field following the AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at NRG Stadium on January 04, 2020 in Houston, Texas. Watson is dressed in his uniform. In the background are stadium lights and fans.

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What Licensed Massage Therapists And Former NFL Players Have To Say About Deshaun Watson

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<p class="sc-77igqf-0 bOfvBY">Vince Guerrieri is an award-winning journalist and author in the Cleveland area. He likes Lake Erie perch sandwiches, Jim Traficant and long walks on the field at League Park. His website is <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://vinceguerrieri.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://vinceguerrieri.com/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">vinceguerrieri.com</a>, and you can follow him on Twitter <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">@vinceguerrieri</a>.</p>
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Vince Guerrieri

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Torso Murders, An Olympic Sex Scandal, And The Cleveland World’s Fair That Wasn’t

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Ben Tippett

F1 Grand Prix of Emilia Romagna – Practice

The Complete Guide To Understanding Formula 1

<div class="gmail_default">Ryan Goldberg is an award-winning freelance journalist who has written for <em>Texas Monthly</em>, Deadspin, Vice, <em>The New York Times</em>, ProPublica and more than a dozen other publications in a long and <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/gizmodo-media-group-settles-defamation-lawsuits-led-by-charles-harder-11547852464" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wsj.com/articles/gizmodo-media-group-settles-defamation-lawsuits-led-by-charles-harder-11547852464&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1617716436060000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGnwX76ZVlHZ9D5IZMiC7g30JoBuA">eventful</a> career. You can find more of his work at <a href="http://ryangoldberg.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://ryangoldberg.net&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1617716436060000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEJr75Dmnzq8LVYtDuTwuDys8LfPw">ryangoldberg.net</a>.</div>
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Ryan Goldberg

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Horse Racing

Is Horse Racing Still Too Big To Fail?

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Brandy Jensen

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Defector Reads A Book

My Year With Jack Reacher

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How A “Deeply Progressive” Coffee Chain Is Trying To Crush Its Workers’ Union

Paul Blest

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The Rise And Fall Of Grand Slam USA

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Kelsey McKinney

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Video Games

Inside Blaseball

Anonymous

Convoy Of Ambulances Travels From Hospital To Fenway Park Honoring EMS Workers

Politics

I’m A Paramedic. Nothing Prepared Me For What I’ve Seen During The Pandemic

This is a Dutch guy affiliated with Red Bull Racing throwing a football. I just liked the photo.

College Football

An Arm And A Legend: Rick McIvor And The 100-Yard Throw

Jennifer Azzi

Women's Basketball

How The ABL Lost The Fight For The Soul Of Women’s Basketball

<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

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Al Michaels And The Price Of Comfort

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