𝐁𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐤: 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 #𝟏𝟒
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. 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐇𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐑𝐮𝐧
Back in the fall, I talked on the podcast about the emotional tribute 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒎𝒆𝑫𝒂𝒚 put together for Lee Corso when the show visited Bloomington for the Indiana-Washington game. It was touching to see the city honor him with 𝑳𝒆𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒐 𝑫𝒂𝒚, and it felt like a not-so-subtle sign that we were nearing the end of an era.
Now it’s official: ESPN has confirmed that Corso will appear on just one more episode of College GameDay this fall before stepping away for good. It’s hard to overstate what he’s meant to college football. A former head coach at Louisville, Indiana, Northern Illinois, and even a short stint in the USFL, Corso didn’t make his mark on the sidelines as his coaching record was modest (and that’s being kind). But his second act in front of the camera became legendary.
Since 1987, he’s been a central figure on 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒎𝒆𝑫𝒂𝒚, helping build it into one of the most beloved pregame shows in sports. And of course, he made the headgear pick – which started in 1996 – an institution everyone knows about and looks forward to.
Corso is 89 now, and his presence on the show in recent years has been limited due to health issues, but every time he’s on screen, it still feels special. There will never be another Lee Corso. He helped define the tone, energy, and fun of college football Saturdays for generations of fans. So thank you sir for all you’ve done for the game and all the enjoyment and smiles you’ve brought to countless football fans over the years.
𝟐. 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬
I listen to a ton of sports talk radio and always have. Locally, I gotta give a big shoutout to 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑴𝒄𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 here in Cincy. The guy is a total pro and one of the best to ever do it. Consistent, informed, and just gets it.
Nationally, I was a big 𝑴𝒊𝒌𝒆 & 𝑴𝒊𝒌𝒆 guy back in the day and still enjoy a lot of the voices out there now. But one dude I’ve never been able to stand – not back then, not now, not ever – is Jim Rome.
His whole act has always rubbed me the wrong way. The tone, the delivery, the way he talks to his listeners. The “clones,” the “tour stops,” the weird pauses followed by “out.” It all just seems very pompous and arrogant to me.
But the thing that really sealed it for me and that I’ve never been able to get past was the mid-90s interview with Rams QB Jim Everett – when Rome kept calling him “Chris” over and over again, even after Everett warned him to stop. Eventually Everett finally snapped, threw over a table, rushed Rome, and people intervened. Honestly I wanted to punch Rome myself watching him instigate that way. Zero class. And to this day, he still seems to lean on that edgy, self-righteous style and I can’t stand it.
I know some people love him, and great for them. But I don’t get it and never will. Give me smart, steady, and respectful over whatever that is any day of the week.
𝟑. 𝐓𝐨 𝐒𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝?
I spent last week down in The Villages visiting my in-laws – it’s about 90 minutes north of Orlando. If you’ve never been, it’s a pretty neat town for retirees. Golf courses everywhere, restaurants, rec centers, live music every night, and the part I’ve always loved – you can pretty much go anywhere in a golf cart. (and yes, I’ve heard the rumors so I always bring plenty of hand sanitizer).
They’ve been down there a few years now, and every time I visit, I like it a little more. It’s got a good vibe, nice people, lots to do. That said, I’m still not sure where I want to end up someday. I’m in my early 50s, so I’ve got some time to figure it out. My wife loves it down there, but I’m still on the fence.
My parents retired in Tennessee and were really happy. I know a lot of people who swear by South Carolina. Arizona’s obviously a popular spot too. But part of me doesn’t want to go anywhere. I really like Cincinnati, I don’t want to be far from my kids, and the Southern Ohio weather doesn’t bother me 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 much.
Either way I know I’d always want to keep a place in Ohio so maybe a January-May place somewhere warmer. Or maybe even just take a few longer vacations every year and skip the second house hassle altogether.
But what do you think, Sandman Nation? Anyone got a retirement spot they love? Or should I just keep holding it down in Ohio and call it good?
𝟒. 𝐀 𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭-𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲
The NFL Draft is this week, and I’ve always liked it. I won’t watch every second, but I’ll definitely be glued to the first round on Thursday, probably catch parts of Friday, and I’ll absolutely be reading every draft grade and analysis I can find – including our first-ever Sandman Sports draft grades, which we’ll be publishing next week!
Does the draft determine how this season will go? No. But it 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 add new pieces that can (and should) make an impact.
And all this draft buzz reminded me how much I enjoy the movie 𝑫𝒓𝒂f𝒕 𝑫𝒂𝒚. No, it’s not a cinematic masterpiece, and some people might argue it’s not even a good movie, but I’m pretty sure it’s the only movie ever made specifically about the draft. (I know Jerry Maguire has a draft plotline, but that’s certainly not the focus.)
I’ve always loved Kevin Costner, and while my least favorite part of the movie is the romantic subplot with Jennifer Garner, the movie does a great job building suspense and intrigue without a single game being played. It somehow makes the wheeling and dealing of draft day feel like high-stakes action. And I still laugh every time I hear the line: “𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑎𝑘𝑒-𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 f’𝑒𝑟.”
Yes, it’s about my despised rival, the Browns. But that doesn’t bother me – after all, it’s fiction, and we know they still won’t be good.
So if you’re looking for a fun little escape to get you in the mood for the draft, give 𝑫𝒓𝒂f𝒕 𝑫𝒂𝒚 a watch. Whether you’ve never seen it or it’s been a while, it’s a solid way to kill two hours and get a little hyped for Thursday night.
𝟓. 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐬𝐲!
While I was down in Florida, my mother-in-law dropped a classic I hadn’t heard in ages – “Heavens to Betsy!” – and later that same day, I heard someone at the grocery store say “Oopsy daisy.” And I couldn’t help but laugh… not 𝑎𝑡 them, but at how rare it is to hear those old-timey phrases anymore.
So naturally, I started making a list in my head. Here’s a few that came to mind:
• Hold your horses
• More than you can shake a stick at
• Hogwash
• Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle
• Holy mackerel
• Slow as molasses
These kinds of sayings feel like they came straight out of a 1950’s sitcom or my grandparent’s front porch – and honestly, I love it!
What about you, Sandman Nation? Got any old-school gems you still use or remember hearing growing up? What’d I miss?
𝟔. 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐈𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠
Just when you think you’ve seen it all in baseball…
The Diamondbacks and Cubs gave us a bonkers, beautifully crazy game – and somehow, in a sport that’s been around for over 150 years, we still get firsts.
Here’s the quick rundown from that 12–11 Cubs win:
o The D-backs scored 10 runs in the 8th inning… and lost.
o The Cubs became the first team in 113 years to give up 10 runs in a single inning after the 3rd and still win the game.
o The two teams combined for 16 runs in the 8th, making it the highest-scoring inning in the history of Wrigley Field, which opened in 1914.
o The teams combined for 23 runs, 23 hits… and 25 walks.
o The D-backs drew 16 walks, a new franchise record.
o The Cubs issued 5 bases-loaded walks – in one game.
o The D-backs scored 7 runs without a single hit during that rally.
o There were 8 total pitching changes in just the final 3 innings.
This game had a lot of chaos and comedy, and somehow, a Cubs win. I’m not a Cubs fan and could have cared less who won, but I do love seeing “new” things in our sports.
On a random Tuesday in April, we got to see the wildest inning in 110+ years at Wrigley field. Baseball can still be fresh, and that’s pretty cool.
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.
If you liked this, here are a few of the other recent Six-Packs:
