SI.com's 10 most popular stories from the week ending Nov. 14
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.
Love, Loss and Survival
Courtesy of Ryan Anderson
Every suicide leaves behind about six survivors in a state of grief. Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson became one of them when his girlfriend, Gia Allemand, took her life. More than a year later, Anderson reflects on how he’s finally learning to move forward. By Chris Ballard.
A leader of character
Tim Clayton/SI
Max Lenox was born to a crack-addicted mother, given up for adoption and raised by two gay dads. The love and struggles of his family life - along with the ups and downs of his basketball career - have shaped him into a respected leader as captain of the Army basketball team. By S.L. Price.
The NBA’s top paid
Kevin Lee/Getty Images
Money is a driving force in professional sports. With all the talk on whether players are worth their salaries, SI.com teamed up with sports tax expert Robert Raiola to determine who’s really the highest-paid player in the NBA. By Chris Johnson.
A lasting rivalry
Neil Leifer/SI
In 1960, the American Football League had its inaugural season, marking the start of a bitter rivalry with the National Football League. In 1970, the AFL-NFL merger joined the two leagues into one. But the rivalry still endures, even 45 years later. By Don Banks.
Taking the pledge
Roger Pruneda
Sports Illustrated's High School Athlete of the Month is Adamson High School running back Josh Derrough-Harvey, whose participation in his team’s anti-domestic violence campaign has taken on a personal meaning. By Ali Fenwick.
Minus one McDermott
Eric Francis/Getty Images
Creighton basketball coach Greg McDermott is without four of last season’s starters, including his son Doug McDermott, the 2014 National Player of the Year. The upcoming season is full of unknowns without the star scorer, but the team is adjusting and finding a new rhythm. By Brian Hamilton.
Wayne Simmonds' mission
Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images
Philadelphia Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds was seven years old when his grandmother passed away from breast cancer. Now, the 26-year-old writes about the memory of his Nana and how he's using his NHL platform to raise cancer awareness. By Wayne Simmonds.
High supply, low demand
Al Tielemans/SI
The free agency market includes plenty of reliable starting pitchers, but emerging trends have some wondering if they still matter in the changing game. By Tom Verducci.
The other kids on the block
Boston Globe/Getty Images
USMNT star Clint Dempsey grew up playing street soccer with Hispanic immigrants, gaining skills that kids on organized teams were never exposed to. Believing that undiscovered talent lies in those disadvantaged communities, U.S. Soccer has come up with a plan to look beyond youth clubs for the next generation of soccer greats. By Stanley Kay.
Top of the World
From the Vault: Randy Moss
Heinz Kluetmeier/SI
Before he was a seven-time Pro Bowler, Randy Moss was a troubled college star. This Sports Illustrated article from 1997 follows Moss' journey at Marshall, where the effects of the 1970 plane crash that killed the entire football team still lingered. But despite his talent, Moss' impact was never fully united with the history of Marshall. By S.L. Price.
