Summer might be unofficially over, but the hot weather is sticking around, and so are the good Friday Five vibes. We've got relaxing jams, killer docs, and an incredible athletic achievement to round out Volume 89. Kick off fall the right way, with a little Friday Five.
Chef's Table: Pizza
We love to highlight artists who have mastered their craft as part of the Friday Five, and this week, we are venturing into a different creative field. Food takes just as much artistry as music, movies, tv, and design, but doesn't necessarily get the same treatment. Enter: Chef's Table. The original season took a closer look at some of the world's greatest chefs, and while we had lost track of some of the more recent editions, the Chef's Table: Pizza trailer definitely caught our eye this week. First, a warning: the new Netflix show will make you crave pizza. We definitely recommend having a plan to get a slice into your hands before you watch the show -- or even the trailer. It takes a closer look at three of the finest pizza chefs in America, as well as three international culinary superstars. A pizza season is fun for the show not just for the visuals, but because there is an accessibility to homemade pizza that doesn't exist with fine dining. We also have to admire the drive of these chefs, because the food industry is nearly impossible to break into.
Cayucas - Sayulita
Another reason we love Chef's Table is because of how relaxing it is -- and our music pick this week keeps those good vibes going. We stumbled across a little-known group Cayucas, and we've had their newest single on repeat all week long. "Sayulita" is super catchy, and it is an easy tune to tap your foot along with. There are dreamy effects on the vocal track, which are complemented well by simple rhythm parts and beachy guitar riffs. The song is literally about falling asleep on the beach -- what else could we ask for on a slow September day? We are transitioning out of the summer party season, but the weather isn't cooling quite yet, so we definitely still need some easy-going warm-weather tracks. Summer music, without the party vibes? Cayucas has us covered.
ernest.tramp - Nonuple Kaboom
Ernest Brenchley is a "freestyle trampoline athlete" and, if you don't know what that means, just take a look at his Instagram. The most impressive thing we saw this week was his "Nonuple Kaboom" in which he pulled off nine flips on just one jump. We're not entirely sure how someone gets into the sport, but it looks like Brenchley is at the top of the game, setting records year after year. This particular stunt itself is obviously impressive. It takes an admirable amount of boldness to take that big of a risk for your sport. But above that audacity, we also just love the collaborative nature of the trick, and the absolute joy when he manages to pull it off. We didn't know trampolining was a team sport, but we'll definitely have to keep tabs on what Brenchley and his crew are up to from here on out.
Untold Vol. 2
Sticking to under-seen sports stories, the second season of Netflix's Untold series is out, and we highly recommend giving it a watch. It kicks off with a bang, with a two-part doc on the Manti Te'o catfishing story called The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist. It's hard to imagine it now, but that story was something that absolutely captured everyone's attention. It was an early social media scandal that seeped into national news, and the doc successfully paints the picture of what a bombshell it all was. Plus, it finally got full details from both Te'o and his catfisher, which was a side of the story we hadn't really heard. The Te'o doc might be the buzziest story, but the whole season looks excellent. The Rise and Fall of AND1 shines a new light on a different form of creative outlet for athletes, and the good and bad that came with the streetball league. Meanwhile, The Tim Donaghy saga was another controversy that vaulted far beyond just sports shows, into the national zeitgeist, and we finally get an inside look into that story. We also appreciate that they take on more obscure stories, too, like the 1983 America's Cup in sailing. If you're still looking to beat the heat, or want to relive some of the biggest sports stories of the last 30 years, head on over to Netflix.
NFL Opening Week
Last but not least, maybe the biggest thing in American pop culture this week: The return of the NFL. We obviously have a vested interest in the league, given our Sport Science work that occasionally overlaps with the NFL. But we are also longtime fans, and this season offers one of the most interesting starts in a long time. It was a hugely tumultuous offseason, with more big names switching teams than we can ever remember, and that chaos created a lot of intriguing storylines. There's also just a ton of young, up-and-coming talent, especially at the quarterback position, which has increased the parity in the league. Just last year, Cincinnati (of all teams) made the super bowl. Will the Bills follow suit this year? Or the other Los Angeles team, the Chargers? The possibilities are endless! This time of year is fun in any sport because there is just so much hope, and obviously the NFL is no different. The season got off to a hot start already, with the defending-champ Rams hosting the odds-on Super Bowl favorites in the Bills for the Opening Night Kickoff. There's a lot of time for full storylines to unfold, and teams to fully show us what they've got... but for now, truly anyone can win the Super Bowl, so we're just gonna enjoy having football on our TVs once again.