“Youth Soccer Participation Has Fallen Significantly in America,” New York Times
The World Cup is over, but the fact that the U.S. soccer team failed to qualify still haunts people. Yet, as noted in this New York Times story, the future of the sport doesn’t look any better: It turns out youth soccer participation continues to plummet in the U.S. This isn’t because Americans are becoming less interested in soccer; it’s because clubs are getting more expensive — and thus keeping out needed talent from poor and underserved communities. — Ibrahim Hirsi, workforce and immigration reporter
“Unadulterated Joy: An Oral History of ‘Step Brothers,’” The Ringer
Director Adam McKay and actor Will Ferrell needed a break following the arduous shooting of their 2006 comedy “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” McKay vowed their next collaboration (again with “Talladega” co-star John C. Reilly) would be a bit more stripped down. Alan Siegel compiles an oral history of that project, the “surreal mix of filthy silliness and reckless abandon” that became “Step Brothers.” Cast and crew share anecdotes about rookie improviser Richard Jenkins’ “Don’t lose your dinosaur” pep talk and the “Sweet Child O’ Mine” family singalong, featuring the then-unknown Adam Scott. —Corey Anderson, creative director
“A new accent is developing in southwest Kansas,” Atlas Obscura
Seems like we’re always hearing about how mass communication is smoothing out regional accents, but here, Atlas Obscura takes a look into what linguists say is a novel accent developing in small-town Kansas. In this southwest Kansas community, people — even non-Spanish speakers — talk in English, but have adopted Spanish inflections. That’s thanks to the influx of people from Mexico working in the region’s meatpacking industry. —Greta Kaul, data reporter
“Can a Democrat ever win in Texas?” New York Magazine
Could a Democrat win the state of Texas? Congressman Beto O’Rourke, who is challenging incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz this year, thinks so, and this profile of the bilingual El Paso representative explains why. The short answer: a combo of voter turnout, demographic change, and personality could land Dems their first victory in the Lone Star State in almost 25 years. —Sam Brodey, Washington correspondent
