Bierman’s six pack: issue #7

Welcome to this week’s Six Pack! Each week, I’ll share a mix of thoughts – some sports-related, some not – and I’d love for you to jump in with your reactions, ideas, or recommendations in the comments. Here’s what’s on my mind this week.

𝟏. 𝐑𝐈𝐏 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐦𝐚𝐧

The overrated Academy Awards took place this past weekend, but I didn’t watch. While I enjoy movies, the Oscars have never been my thing – probably because I almost never agree with their choices for any of the major awards.

But one man who absolutely deserved every award and accolade he ever received was the legendary Gene Hackman.

Hackman passed away recently at the age of 95 under unusual circumstances – his wife and dog were also found dead, yet carbon monoxide was ruled out, they were discovered in different parts of the house, and foul play isn’t suspected. Strange indeed, and I’m sure more details will emerge in the coming weeks. But for now, I just want to take a moment to say thank you to Mr. Hackman for his incredible contributions to cinema.

He was always near the top of my list of favorite actors. Hackman won two Academy Awards – Best Actor for “The French Connection” and Best Supporting Actor for “Unforgiven”. Both films are among the greatest ever made, and his performances were a huge part of that.

I could go on forever listing his iconic roles, but as a sports-obsessed kid growing up in the ’80s, I’ll simply give a special shoutout to his portrayal of Coach Norman Dale in “Hoosiers”. While the film takes plenty of liberties with the real story, it remains one of the greatest sports movies ever made – largely thanks to Hackman’s star power and understated brilliance.

So, thank you, sir, for giving us many unforgettable movies and an escape into worlds we’ll never forget. You were one of the best to ever do it, and you will be sorely missed.

Rest in peace.

𝟐. 𝐋𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐲𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐲

Paul Jan Gorzelewski has been a die-hard Detroit Lions fan for the past 25 years, holding season tickets despite now living in Philadelphia. His dedication isn’t cheap – last year alone, he spent over $50,000 to attend games, flying in for every home matchup.

As part of his season ticket package, Gorzelewski originally held eight seats but had been selling them for years. Rather than use all eight tickets, he sold them and instead bought two front row tickets for every game, which gave him better seats and extra money used to fund his travel expenses.

Last week, however, the Lions revoked his ability to purchase season tickets, citing a violation of their resale policy. While the policy is clearly stated – and even Gorzelewski admits he technically broke it – I still feel this situation was handled unfairly.

First, if a fan has been loyal for 25 years, doesn’t he at least deserve a warning email or phone call before being cut off entirely? A simple, “Hey, we noticed your reselling activity – please adjust or risk losing your seats” seems like a reasonable approach.

Second, and more tellingly, the Lions ignored this for years while the team was awful and tickets were hard to give away. Now that Detroit is a regular playoff contender and has a season ticket waitlist, suddenly, the organization cares about enforcing resale policies? The timing reeks of convenient opportunism rather than a genuine concern for policy enforcement.

This certainly isn’t the first time an NFL team has acted like this and I know firsthand. A friend of mine faced a similar issue with the Bengals when they made their Super Bowl run – he was allowed to keep his season tickets but was blocked from buying playoff seats due to resale activity. It’s a double standard, and it shows how teams will turn a blind eye when ticket sales are low but crack down when demand skyrockets.

At the end of the day, teams have the right to enforce their policies, but when it comes at the expense of loyal, lifelong fans, it just feels like another example of corporate greed overtaking common sense.

Shame on the Lions. Shame on the NFL.

𝟑. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐨

I mentioned this on our podcast a month ago, but it’s worth saying again – Rick Pitino is doing something special at St. John’s. The Red Storm just secured their first outright conference title since 1984-85 and only the second in program history.

They also finished the regular season 18-0 at home, marking their first perfect home record since the 1931-32 season. St. John’s has now won 20 straight regular-season home games, including a perfect 9-0 at Madison Square Garden.

Love him or hate him, there’s no denying Pitino’s greatness. He’s now the only coach in history to lead five different programs to conference championships – Boston University, Kentucky, Louisville, Iona, and now St. John’s. With over 875 career wins, Pitino is also the winningest active coach in college basketball.

His St. John’s squad plays gritty, old-school basketball, thriving on rebounding and shot-blocking and could be poised for a deep tournament run. The Johnnies haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2019 and haven’t won a game since 2000, but that’s about to change.

St. John’s is having a magical year and they can thank Rick for that.

𝟒. 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

My 11-year-old son recently had a two-hour school delay, and I have to admit, I just don’t get it.

I understand the need for caution with weather and road conditions, but delays feel like an odd middle ground. If it’s unsafe to start on time, wouldn’t it make more sense to cancel the entire day? And if conditions improve quickly, why not just stick to the regular schedule?

For parents, delays can be a logistical headache – work schedules, childcare, and transportation all get thrown off. If school is canceled outright, at least families can adjust. With a delay, everything just gets pushed back, creating more hassle without much benefit.

Even for students and teachers, it’s disruptive. Shortened class periods and an offbeat schedule make it tough to get into a rhythm. By the time everyone settles in, the day is half over.

I know safety comes first, and these decisions aren’t easy, but delays just seem to create more problems than they solve. Either call the day off or start on time – just pick a lane and keep it simple.

𝟓. 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫

“Sweet Child O’ Mine” is the greatest song ever made, and I challenge anyone to convince me otherwise. Of course, there are plenty of other epic songs and many “all-time classics” but there is no song that gets me going more so than this one.

When that opening riff hits, I’m all in. I’m turning it up, singing along (badly), and just generally in a better mood. It’s one of those songs that never gets old, no matter how many times I hear it.

The only downside is I’ve never heard it live. For as many concerts I’ve been to, I’ve sadly never seen Guns N’ Roses. And probably won’t have the chance at this point.

But it’s all good – Axl, Slash and crew will remain at the top of my playlist just waiting to be cranked up. Cue that guitar and I’m in my happy place.

𝟔. 𝐏𝐮𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐰

Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame. No debate, no discussion – he absolutely deserves it. So, hearing that Rob Manfred is finally considering a petition to remove him from MLB’s ineligible list is a welcome development.

That being said, it’s ridiculous that it took Rose’s death for this conversation to even happen. The man had to die before MLB would give his case another look? Frustrating to say the least.

For decades, baseball’s all-time hits leader has been kept out of the Hall while steroid users, criminals, and other far worse offenders have either been enshrined or at least given the chance to be considered. Meanwhile, Rose – who, yes, broke the rules by betting on games – was permanently shut out despite never cheating the game on the field. His 4,256 hits, his 17 All-Star selections, his three rings, and his legacy as one of the toughest competitors the game has ever seen should frankly be all that matters when determining Hall of Fame placement.

I give Manfred a lot of credit for finally considering this, but I do wish this decision would have been made while Rose was still alive. It’s bittersweet, but at least there’s a chance his name will finally be where it belongs: on a Hall of Fame plaque in Cooperstown.

It’s about time. Too bad it’s too late for Rose to see it.

Thanks for checking out this week’s Six Pack, Sandman Nation! I’d love to hear your thoughts: what resonated with you, what you disagree with, or your own takes on these topics. Drop your comments and let’s keep the conversation going. Have a great week and take care!