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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

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

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