It has been the longest week of the year, thanks to my continuing battle with fever brought on by a lingering throat infection. I spent most of my time in bed, doing little more than reading. The upside of all of this: I have some great suggestions for you to read, though I have to admit this week’s mix is a little sports heavy.

  • “The Cold War.” Salem, Oregon, is an unlikely spot for one of the tastiest and coolest battles. Now, this is a good way to get your weekend going. [Epic]
  • “The Man in the Van.” There are a lot of people who like living in their VW campers. After one of them, Tigers pitcher Daniel Norris, battled cancer and struck up a friendship with photographer Ben Moon, the two traveled across America together. ESPN has published two stories, one about the man in the van, the other about a man dealing with mortality. They are both excellent. Read this one before you read the other. [ESPN]
  • “Higher and Higher.” It is Super Bowl weekend in America, and the Carolina Panthers could be champions. So why not read about former Panther Shawn King’s journey on the long road to redemption? [SB Nation]
  • “The Problems with Food Media That Nobody Wants to Talk About.” One of the most honest pieces you might read this weekend. [FirstWeFeast]
  • “Has the Super Bowl Become Music’s Biggest Event?” In case you were wondering about this, Stereogum has some surprising insights. [Stereogum]
  • “A Guy Like Me.” Hockey player John Scott was an unlikely candidate to be nominated to the All-Star Game. But fans voted for him online as a way to expose the hypocrisy of the online voting systems. It cost him his job and uprooted his family. This is his story. It will make you sad. [The Players’ Tribune]
  • “Why Did Two Parents Murder Their Adopted Child?” The Guardian tries to explain the unexplainable. [The Guardian]

Plus here are some of my writings from this week:

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Om Malik

Om Malik is a San Francisco based writer, photographer and investor. More....