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

Ray Ratto

Mr. Manfred Calling For Mr. Walter

Dave McKenna

Gaelic Football

How Do You Get Over The Greatest Sports Story Of All Time?

Brandy Jensen

Arts And Culture

A Brief Consideration Of Some Fictional Big Boys

In His Debut Game, Joshua Baez Ties Stump Wiedman On Career Homers List

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Dominique Malonga #14 of the Seattle Storm shoots against Serah Williams #25 of the Portland Fire during the first half at Moda Center on August 08, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.

WNBA

The Storm Are The WNBA’s Tank Champions

Kathryn Xu

Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners heads back to the dugout after striking out in the second inning against the New York Yankees.

How And In What Manner Cal Raleigh Put The Ass Back In Big Dumper

Veronica de Souza

Make It Nice

Make It Nice: Is There Such A Thing As A Good-Looking Dog Crate?

Tom Ley

Edwin Diaz looking morose in the dugout all by himself

More Like Edlose Diaz

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 Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

Drew Magary

INGLEWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 14: Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell cheers on his team on the field during pregame warmups before an NFL football game between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium, December 14, 2025, in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Tony Ding/Icon Sportswire)

Why Your Team Sucks

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Detroit Lions

College Football

Jayden Daniels Won’t Tolerate Some Scrub Wearing The Same Number He Did On His Journey To The ReliaQuest Bowl

David Roth

A torn section of the roof sags inside the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on December 13, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Metrodome's roof collapsed under the weight of snow after a powerful blizzard hit the area on December 12, 2010.

Podcasts

In This House We Believe A Bunch Of Stuff, With Justin Ellis

Giri Nathan

Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dunks after a steal against the LA Clippers at Staples Center on January 16, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. 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. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Russell Westbrook Was Total

Patrick Redford

Russell Westbrook when he was still with the Oklahoma City Thunder

Russell Westbrook Was Singular

John Saward

Actor James Gandolfini in scene from HBO TV drama series The Sopranos.

James Gandolfini Had A Lot In His Bag

Matt Ufford is the head of video and audio at Yahoo Sports.

Matt Ufford

Adonai Mitchell fumbles the ball out of the endzone

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Indianapolis Colts

Israel Daramola

Listening Habits

Fenix Flexin Puts Bankrolls On The Table And AI On The Charts

David Hollingshead

Humanists Have Done Nothing Wrong

Craig Kimbrel of the Tampa Bay Rays prepares to throw against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on June 20, 2026.

Craig Kimbrel Can’t Quit

Jeff McNeil of the Athletics slides into third base safe against the Boston Red Sox in the top of the fourth inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on July 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California.

Did The A’s Infect The Red Sox With Whatever Is Wrong With Them?

Adam Silver, Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger are seen at Day 10 of the 2025 US Open Tennis Championships at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 2, 2025 in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York City. (Photo by XNY/Star Max/GC Images) *** Local Caption ***Adam Silver;Joshua Kushner;Bob Iger

Lakers Owner Mark Walter Suddenly Sells Team Amid Federal Investigation

Jae Towle Vieira [they/them] works as a producer for Normal Gossip. Their fiction has been published in The Normal School, New England Review, Carve Magazine, Passages North, Fairy Tale Review, and elsewhere.

Jae Towle Vieira

A table displaying various handmade Viking axes carved by Bosnian Stipe Pleic

Eventually Everyone Needs An Axe Guy

A child plays alone in a soccer goal on a grassy field

Minor Dilemmas

Will My Only Child Be A Weirdo?

Sophie Cunningham #8 of the Indiana Fever reacts to DiJonai Carrington #7 of the Chicago Sky foul during the first half on August 8, 2026 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)