The Weekly Roundup

As we arrive at the conclusion of another week, the team at TPT wanted to take a moment to reflect on a few of the posts that we’ve put up on the site that you might have missed (it’s okay, these things happen) while also highlighting a few other stories from around the web that caught our eye. Here’s our Weekly Roundup:

“’Til It’s Gone” by Bryce Salvadore

Announcing his retirement from the NHL on Wednesday, New Jersey Devils captain Bryce Salvadore reflects on his incredible career and the injury he barely overcame.

“When I tried to step onto the ice, I had no concept of where I was in relation to anything else. Everything was white. The ice was white. The boards were white. All the visual signposts were gone. I’ve skated on the same ice hundreds of times, but now all of a sudden I felt lost. When I tried to drive at night, it felt like I was floating through space.”

“The Streak” by Cal Ripken Jr.

On the 20th anniversary of his 2,131st consecutive game played, Cal Ripken Jr. reflects on breaking one of the most impossible records in sports, and who he did it for.

“I remember my dad was in the skybox, and I looked at him a couple times and gave him a sign. I felt like I was expressing all these emotional things that were never really said growing up. There were a million emotions being shared between us through just a look.

I always say that catching the last out of the World Series was the best professional moment of my career and the night of 2,131 was the best human moment.”

“The Weight” by Mardy Fish

In 2012, Mardy Fish was scheduled to play Roger Federer in the fourth round of the U.S. Open when he withdrew from the match. He opens up on The Players’ Tribune about how his anxiety disorder nearly crippled his career, and what it took to overcome.

“Honestly, this isn’t a sports story. And I think it’s important that my story not have a sports vocabulary. I didn’t “choke” in Act Two, and I’m not going to “win” in Act Three.

This is a life story.”

“Just a Kid from Chino” by Diana Taurasi

WNBA legend Diana Taurasi kicks off our From Somewhere series, detailing how her immigrant parents and childhood in working class Chino, California, shaped her life and career.

“I am very much the daughter of immigrants. It’s both a point of pride and an essential part of characterizing my upbringing. We spoke Spanish in our house. We listened to Spanish music. All of the TV channels we watched were in Spanish. We ate mostly Italian and Argentinian food. That was my normal; it’s all I knew. That’s how I understood this country — a myriad of cultures coexisting all at once.”

“What You Don’t Know About: Being a Striker” by Chris Wondolowski

One of the best strikers in MLS and USMNT history, Chris Wondolowski, breaks down his position for the casual fan with an in-depth explanation of how he’s able to fool defenders and secure perfect position to get the ball into the net.

A major part of my job is to lie (sorry, Mom). I have to use deception to manipulate two, sometimes three, defenders guarding me. It’s a 90-minute game of chess. If I know we don’t have the ball in a threatening spot, I’ll often sacrifice my positioning for a little while so I can soften up the defenders for later. I want to build up their confidence and make them think they’re all over me. 

Must-Watch

1440: New York Liberty (Episode One)

In our first episode of1440, a behind-the-scenes documentary series detailing a series of 24 hours — 1440 minutes — in the life of the No. 1 team in the Eastern Division of the WNBA, the New York Liberty, the Liberty host West rivals the Minnesota Lynx, and rally to clinch their 2015 playoff berth. ​

Five Good Reads from Around the Web

1. ‘Yankees Suck! Yankees Suck!’ (Grantland)

2. Is FC Monterrey’s New Stadium Really “The Environmental Crime of the Decade?” (Vice Sports)

3. The Top Tennis Player in the World Started Here (New York Times)

4. Why Tom Brady, NFLPA beat Roger Goodell in their Deflategate Appeal (Sports Illustrated)

5. The U.S. Will Never Dominate Men’s Tennis Again. Neither Will Any Other Country (New Yorker)

  Pic of the Week

Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Miami Dolphins takes the field during a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons at Sun Life Stadium on August 29, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)