SI.com's 10 most popular stories from the week ending July 31
Here is a roundup of SI.com's 10 most popular stories this week. Be sure to read to the bottom for a bonus story from the SI Vault.
The Birth of A League
As Major League Soccer’s 20th season continues, the architects of the league recall the early days, when the sustained success of MLS was far from a sure thing. By Grant Wahl & Brian Straus.
Alex Rodriguez writing a new story
When Alex Rodriguez returned to the Yankees after a year away from baseball, expectations weren't high. In one of the best storylines of this season, A-Rod’s year for the ages continues. By Tom Verducci.
Analyzing transfers: The top 100 recruits
How often do elite basketball prospects transfer between high schools, commit and decommit to colleges or transfer once they're in college? More and more of late, according to a Sports Illustrated study. By Luke Winn.
Greatest College Football Players by Number
Jersey numbers are often an afterthought, but for the greats of the game, those numbers can become part of their identity. Here are the greatest college football players to wear numbers 1-99.
Hot Seat, Cool Coughlin
The Giants have missed the playoffs for three straight years, and there are plenty of issues looming over the start of training camp. But according to Tom Coughlin, owner John Mara can’t do better than him at head coach. By Jenny Vrentas.
Q&A with Ricky Rubio
Now more than a half-decade removed from the peak of his teenage hype, he remains more of a theoretical quantity rather than a known one. In this Q&A, Rubio reflects on his past, present and future in Minnesota. By Ben Golliver.
Friday Night Lights, 25 years later
On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the publication of Friday Night Lights, author H.G. Bissinger felt compelled to return. Twenty-five years ago, he went in search of the Friday night lights. Now, during a week in April in Texas, he went searching for those who played under them. By H.G. Bissinger.
Driven by family
Myles Garrett, a potential No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft, has been a standout for Texas A&M. He’ll push ahead by learning from both his siblings, both the one who maximized her potential and the one who squandered his. By Pete Thamel.
Loving basketball after your hoop dreams collapse
Nineteen-year-old Johnny Carver has turned a love for basketball and a deep understanding of the game into a successful book, Racketology, after health concerns hindered his playing career. By Daniel Wilco.
Looking toward the future
Jurgen Klinsmann wasn’t hired to win a given game on a given day. He is constantly tinkering and testing and looking toward the future. If the U.S. Soccer Federation wanted a coach who focused on devising a plan to win the match in front of him, it would have stuck with Bob Bradley. By Brian Straus.
SI Vault: How the Celtics landed Kevin Garnett
Paul Pierce was unhappy on the Celtics. He was the lone All-Star on a team that had no real veteran presence other than himself. When it was rumored that Kevin Garnett might leave Minnesota, Danny Ainge landed Garnett and, in the process, helped the Celtics become a power player again. By Ian Thomsen.
