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:

“The Yogi I Knew” by Derek Jeter

Founding publisher Derek Jeter reflected on the passing of his close friend and mentor Yogi Berra in an intimate and touching piece.

“Yogi understood something simple about the sport: baseball is meant to be fun. Any time he was around, he made it that way. You can’t get through a 162-game baseball schedule without keeping things light. On our championship teams, that was one of the keys. Yogi’s mission was to put a smile on people’s faces, and he succeeded.”

“What You Don’t Know About: Being A Sniper” by James Neal

On the ice, things move pretty fast. But there’s a lot more to scoring goals in the NHL than meets the eye. Nashville Predators goal-scorer James Neal provided us with an inside look at what it takes to fill up a box score.

“So much of scoring goals is confidence. If you shoot a puck and you don’t believe it’s going in, it’s not going in, buddy. I’d say the toughest part about being a goal-scoring winger is that when you go through a slump, it’s pretty brutal. Hockey is really unique in that respect. You could be having the worst game ever, but if a shot deflects in off your shin guard, your whole mood changes. You get instant confidence. When you’re in a drought, it feels like there’s a forcefield over the net.”

“Heroes of the Wave” by Robert Beck

The first-ever ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championships, held in La Jolla, California, last weekend, proved to be an inspiring demonstration of talent, sportsmanship and the best that wave riding has to offer.


 Here is a collection of some of the faces of the competition.

“Letter to My Younger Brother” by Dorell Wright

As Toronto Raptors point guard Delon Wright prepares for his rookie season in the NBA, his older brother, league veteran Dorell Wright, decided to pass on some sage advice in the form of an open letter.

“Get ready to hear lots of trash talk from the fans. Some places are worse than others. Golden State is going to be live this year because they’re the defending champs. I love playing there. Madison Square Garden is always crazy. And in Philly, there’s this guy behind the Sixers bench who writes down all your stats on a dry-erase board if you’re struggling. He’s hilarious, so don’t take that too personally. When I was traded to Philly in 2012, he was the first guy I asked about. I wanted to make sure he was still a season-ticket holder.”

“Chasing a Dream” by Rich Franklin

MMA veteran Rich Franklin announced his retirement this week in a piece in which he reflected on a career that saw him go from fighting in cages with broken floorboards to headlining UFC events in front of tens of thousands of spectators.

“To those of you who pursue your dreams, keep in mind that yours is not necessarily the dream of everyone who loves you, yet they are dragged through the same sacrifices as you without the same passions for your pursuit. It can be costly on personal relationships. Learn how to manage a healthy balance.”

Five Good Reads From Around the Web

1. Yearning to Player in the Rugby World Cup, but Forbidden by a Contract (NY Times)

2. Ex-Packers Coach Mike Sherman on a High School Sideline Now (MMQB)

3. The Worst Players In NFL History (Grantland)

4. Heavy Lies the Warriors’ Crown (Sports On Earth)

5. Breaking Madden (SB Nation)

Photo of the Week

Josh Norman of the Panthers got way, way up for this game-sealing interception against the Saints. (via Getty Images)

One Fine Vine