Bierman’s Six Pack: issue #3

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. Birthday Cake, Candy, and a Cincinnati Betrayal?

We celebrated my mom’s 89th birthday in Cleveland this weekend, and it was great to see my older brothers, sister, and their families. We had a great dinner at Rocky River Wine Bar on Saturday night and I would highly recommend if you’re ever in the area.

The weekend celebration got me thinking about two things:

First, I’m not a big sweets guy – I’ll take salty snacks any day – but I do love a good birthday cake with a scoop of ice cream. We also took my 11-year-old to Sweetie’s, a massive candy store, and let’s just say, I got to fully experience the phrase “like a kid in a candy store.” His eyes lit up, and somehow, half the store ended up in our cart, especially anything sour like Warheads and Cry Babies.

As for me, it was Now n’ Laters, Sugar Babies, and Rock Candy. Also reminded me I’m probably overdue for my next dental checkup.

Second, while I’m definitely a Cincinnati guy and we have our famed Findlay Market, we also stopped by Cleveland’s legendary West Side Market – and I gotta say, I think I liked it better! Do I lose my Cincinnati cred for saying that?

2. My First Ever Super Bowl Bet

It’s Super Bowl week, and like most Americans, I love this game – even when I don’t have a team in the fight. Of course, a lot of people get into squares, prop bets, or any kind of gambling angle to make things more interesting, especially if they don’t have a rooting interest.

Every year around this time, I think back to the very first Super Bowl bet I ever made. I was seven years old, and it was Super Bowl XIV—January 20th, 1980. A neighbor friend of my parents, Mr. Rodenski, was a big Steelers fan, and even at that young age, I knew not to like the Steelers. I didn’t know much about the LA Rams, but I knew I wanted them to win.

So, we made a bet: whoever lost had to sing a song on the winner’s porch. (Don’t ask me what song as I have no idea.) The Rams, despite being big underdogs, kept it close most of the game but ultimately fell short, losing 31-19. Damn you Vince Ferragamo!

While I’m always up for money bets, fun bets like this one can make a game even more intense. And let me tell you, I really didn’t want to lose this one. But I did – and I still remember that walk of shame over to his porch to sing. That was also my first real lesson in gambling: a bet’s a bet, and you gotta pay up.

The silver lining? He tipped me $2 for my “great” singing performance, so I guess it wasn’t a total loss.

Got any great stories of non-monetary sports bets you’ve won or lost? I’d love to hear them!

3. Why is DePaul so Bad at Basketball?

Football is definitely my favorite sport, but I do love college basketball, and now that we’re into February, I’ll be paying much more attention. I’ve always been into it, and for some reason as a kid. despite having no connection to Chicago. I developed a strange appreciation for DePaul Blue Demons basketball.

They made the Final Four in 1979 behind Mark Aguirre andTerry Cummings and had several Sweet Sixteen runs in the ‘80s with Dallas ComegysandRod Strickland. Now, as a big Xavier fan, I occasionally check the Big East standings to see how DePaul is doing. And every year, it’s the same story – another rough season, and another year where I think, maybe next year they’ll turn it around.

They never do. And I just don’t get it.

Sure, DePaul is a small school, but it’s in Chicago – one of the best basketball cities in the country—with an endless pipeline of talent just miles from campus. They play in a top conference, they have resources, and they’ve had respectable coaches over the years: Joey Meyer, Pat Kennedy, Oliver Purnell,and nowChris Holtmann,who recently took over after stints at ButlerandOhio State.

I’m not expecting DePaul to dominate the Big East, but they haven’t made an NCAA Tournament in 21 years and have only been to four since 1991. Holtmann has them at 11-12 this season, and while that won’t get them to the tourney, they at least look more competitive.

Maybe he’ll be the one to finally change the culture there.

But I won’t hold my breath.

4. The Essentials for a Good Night’s Sleep

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for a high-quality, nice-sized mattress. About eight years ago, my wife and I finally upgraded to a king-sized bed, and it was life changing. Not only is there so much more room, but every night when I crawl in, I can’t help but smile as I nestle in for a comfortable night’s sleep.

Now, pillows are just as important, and thankfully, I’ve found two that work for me. I usedto travel with them, but after leaving one behind at a hotel once (which turned into an absolute disastertrying to retrieve), I’ve accepted my fate and just make do with whatever pillows the hotel provides, even though I don’t love it.

Speaking of travel, I alsoused to bring a box fan with me. Yep, a full-sized box fan. Not so much for the cool air, but for the sound. I need some kind of background noise to sleep. Thankfully, technology has evolved, and now I just rely on “box fan” and “white noise” apps instead of lugging a fan around like a lunatic.

One additional bedtime related thought – do they still make waterbeds? And more importantly, does anyone still sleep on one?

5. Delta is My One and Only Choice

When I was younger, I’d fly with whatever airline was cheapest. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that quality matters. I’ve traveled on Southwest, Frontier, Allegiant, United, American and plenty of others, and while they each have their perks, they just aren’t for me. Too many delays, not enough comfort, and not a whole lot of confidence in their overall service.

That’s why I stick with Delta. I don’t even bother checking prices on other airlines anymore. The frequent flyer perks, Sky Priority, Sky Club, and occasional upgrades definitely help, but even if I never got those benefits, I’d still choose them. Sure, every airline has delays, lost luggage, and occasional bad service, but when it comes to consistency, Delta rarely lets me down.

Oh, and having TVs in every seatandfree WiFi? Yes please and thank you!

If they could just guaranteethe seat next to me is always empty, they’d be perfect.

6. Super Bowls are More Competitive Now than Ever

Growing up in the ‘80s, you never knew if the Super Bowl was going to be a nail-biter or a total snooze fest. More often than not, it was the latter. But in recent years, the big game has felt much more competitive. So, I decided to dig into the numbers, and here’s what I found:

Average Margin of Victory by Decade (with # of one-score games)

• 1960s (3 games): 17.67 points (0 one-score games)
• 1970s (10 games): 11.7 points (4)
• 1980s (10 games): 16.7 points (2) – interestingly, both were 49ers vs. Bengals
• 1990s (10 games): 18.0 points (2)
• 2000s (10 games): 10.0 points (6)
• 2010s (10 games): 10.4 points (6)
• 2020s (5 games): 6.4 points (3) – and the last three have all been decided by exactly 3 points

So what does this tell us?

First, the ‘80s and ‘90s were brutal for good Super Bowls with only 4 of 20 games decided by one score. Yikes.

Second, parity is working. The first 33 Super Bowls had an average margin of victory of 15.7 points, with only 8 close games. But over the last 25? That number has dropped to 9.44, with 15 games going down to the wire.

Yes, we still get the occasional dud (looking at you, Seahawks’ 43-8 beatdown of the Broncos in 2014), but we’ve also seen the only two overtime Super Bowls happen in the past eight years.

The NFL may not get everything right, but making the Super Bowl consistently competitive? They’re nailing it. Keep it up, league!

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 below and let’s keep the conversation going. Have a great week and enjoy the Super Bowl (and fingers crossed it is another competitive one!)