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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

Enter Our Raffle To Win A Visit And Home-Cooked Meal From Drew Magary

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tip jar sweepstakes

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Barry Petchesky

MIAMI, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 19: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two-run home run, his 50th of the season, during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on September 19, 2024 in Miami, Florida. Ohtani is now the first MLB player to have at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Los Angeles Dodgers v Miami Marlins

Shohei Ohtani Is Playing A Sport Of His Own

San Francisco Giants fan "McCovey Dave" Edlund, of Los Altos, wears a World Series ring on his head in McCovey Cove before Game 4 of the National League baseball championship series against the St. Louis Cardinals at AT&amp;T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2014. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants fan “McCovey Dave” Edlund, of Los Altos, wears a World Series ring on his head in McCovey Cove before Game 4 of the National League baseball championship series against the St. Louis Cardinals at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on

Boat Guy Has Balls

LANDOVER, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 15: Head coach Brian Daboll of the New York Giants looks on during the fourth quarter of a game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

New York Giants v Washington Commanders

Giants-Commanders Was Only Loosely Football

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 12: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins walks off the field after play on the field against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter in the game at Hard Rock Stadium on September 12, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Buffalo Bills v Miami Dolphins

This Can’t Keep Happening To Tua Tagovailoa

A man waves the Russian national flag as he arrives at the patriotic concert at the Red square in downtown Moscow ahead the Russia Day on June 11, 2023. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP) (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

TOPSHOT-RUSSIA-POLITICS

Media Meltdowns

Dimwitted Right-Wing Influencers Accused Of Being Unwitting Russian Assets

In this illustration, a Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is shown in low-Earth orbit. NASA is partnering with Boeing and SpaceX to build a new generation of human-rated spacecraft capable of taking astronauts to the International Space Station and expanding research opportunities in orbit. Boeing's upcoming Orbital Flight Test is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract with the goal of returning human spaceflight launch capabilities to the United States.

Boeing CST-100 Starliner Banner

Science

No Need To Worry About Eerie, Mysterious “Pulsing” Noise Coming From Janky Boeing Starliner, NASA Insists

fantasy football draft

Show Us Your Fantasy Football Team

Argentina, Patagonia, Rio Pinturas, Cueva de las Manos

Argentina, Patagonia, Rio Pinturas, Cueva de las Manos, cave paintings

The Machines

Whatever AI Looks Like, It’s Not

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: (L-R) Alex Verdugo #24, Aaron Judge #99 and Juan Soto #22 of the New York Yankees celebrate after defeating the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium on August 25, 2024 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Rockies 10-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Colorado Rockies v New York Yankees

We Need A Better Phrase For Back-To-Back-To-Back Home Runs

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 26: Patrik Laine #29 of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on during the warmups of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on November 26, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)*** Local Caption ***Patrik Laine

Columbus Blue Jackets v Carolina Hurricanes

Bad Contracts Expose Bad Teams

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Kathryn Xu

Vintage color photograph of a chimpanzee in a skirt, stupid blouse, wristwatch and boots seated at a cluttered desk in a faux office, typing on a red typewriter. (Photo by Found Image Holdings/Corbis via Getty Images)

Typing Chimpanzee

Point/Counterpoint: Monkeys Typing Shakespeare

A basalt head portrait of Roman Emperor Nero is pictured at the exibition "Nero" in Rome on April 11, 2011. Nearly two hundred pieces, including sculptures, reliefs, frescoes, paintings and artifacts from recent excavations will be shown during the exhibition from April 12 to September 18. AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLI (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

ITALY-EXHIBITION-NERO

Olympics

Nero Was The Worst Best Olympian Ever

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: An exterior general view is seen of Sphere prior to the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 26, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held at the Sphere on June 28 and 29, 2024. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft – Previews

Journalismism

Jeff Marek Got Fired For Leaking Draft Picks To The Wrong Person

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Announcements

Everyone’s Been Competing To Post Defector’s 10,000th Blog And I Just Clicked Publish On This

US Senator from Ohio and 2024 Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance (R) gives a thumbs up as he shakes hands with US former President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during the second day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 16, 2024. Days after he survived an assassination attempt Donald Trump won formal nomination as the Republican presidential candidate and picked right-wing loyalist J.D. Vance for running mate, kicking off a triumphalist party convention in the wake of last weekend's failed assassination attempt. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)

TOPSHOT-US-REPUBLICAN-CONVENTION-PARTIES-ELECTION-POLITICS-VOTE

Politics

Look At These Fucking Weirdos

biscuit basin

Don’t Bury Me At Biscuit Basin

CALGARY, CANADA - FEBRUARY 25: A view of the exterior of the Scotiabank Saddledome home of the NHL’s Calgary Flames with the city skyline in the background on February 25, 2016 in Calgary, Alberta. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

Sports Contributor Archive 2016

A Useful, Clear-As-Day, Couldn’t-Be-Simpler Guide To Canada’s Hockey Arenas, Places, And Centres

British actor and singer Sting on the set of Dune, directed and written by David Lynch. (Photo by Nancy Moran/Sygma via Getty Images)

On the Set of Dune

Wings Week

Sting’s Winged Briefs In ‘Dune’ Are Cinema’s Most Iconic Underpants

LONDON - APRIL 4: A creation made from Red Bull cans is seen at the Red Bull Art Of Can private view and awards at the The Old Truman Brewery on April 4, 2005 in London, England. Applicants had to use at least one Red Bull can in their creations, and the evening also features an auction of celebrity entries including a car by David Coulthard, an Olympic inspired medal by Jason Gardener and a shoe by Tara Palmer-Tomkinson. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Red Bull Art of Can Exhibition – Launch Party

I Drank Every Flavor Of Red Bull In A Row To See If It Would Give Me Wings

NASA Must Put Me On The Simulated Mars Mission, To Test The Astronauts’ Patience

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JULY 06: Jose Miranda #64 of the Minnesota Twins acknowledges fans after his at-bat against the Houston Astros in the sixth inning. Miranda tied an MLB record recording a hit in 12 consecutive at-bats at Target Field on July 06, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Houston Astros v Minnesota Twins

Old-Timey Ballplayers Have Nothing On José Miranda

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 29: New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks on during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

UFC 303: Swanson v Fili

The Jets Are Desperate Enough To Enable Aaron Rodgers

Greenfinches and Goldfinches on and around a bird feeder.

Busy Bird Feeder

Birdfector

You’re A Birder, James Hetfield

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers enters the dressing room with the Stanley Cup ready to celebrate with teammates after beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final at the Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

Edmonton Oilers v Florida Panthers – Game Seven

Momentum Or The Moment?

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 30: Barclay Goodrow #21 of the New York Rangers prior to the National Hockey League Eastern Conference Final game 5 against the Florida Panthers on May 30, 2024 at Madison Square Garden in New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

NHL: MAY 30 Eastern Conference Final – Panthers at Rangers

Barclay Goodrow Is Not Pleased With The Rangers’ And Sharks’ Handshake Deal