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. Bills Mafia, Bengals Heartbreak, and a Perfect Weekend Anyway

About ten years ago, my son Brady, now 21, and I started a tradition of going to one NBA game every year in a new city and stadium. Four years ago, my daughter Mackenzie, now 24, created a similar tradition with me for the NFL. Each year for Christmas, she surprises me with a trip to a Bengals away game. We’ve been to Cleveland, Charlotte, Nashville, and this past weekend, Buffalo.

We made the six-hour drive on Saturday and met my best friend and Mac’s godfather, Uncle Keith, who flew in from Texas for the game. We caught all the college football action on Saturday, then headed to Highmark Stadium on Sunday for our first-ever visit. A few observations:

• Bills Mafia fans were terrific. Everyone was friendly and accommodating, and we had zero issues wearing Bengals gear.
• The stadium itself felt more like a college venue than an NFL one, which makes sense given it was built in the early 70s. Their new facility across the street opening next season looks incredible, though.
• Our seats were fantastic, 40-yard line and five rows up, but the real fun was the snow. Watching a game basically in a blizzard in Buffalo is every bit as cool as it looks on TV. I’ve been to a few snow games before, but this was easily the snowiest and most memorable.
• Yes, it was cold. Long underwear, layers, heavy boots, two pairs of socks, and electric hand warmers helped a ton, and while it was chilly, it was never unbearable.
• And while the Bengals looked like they were going to win but ultimately “bengaled it up,” the result didn’t really matter. I realized long ago, these trips aren’t about the scoreboard. They’re about time with my kids, enjoying something we love together, and building great memories year after year. And having Uncle Keith there made it even more special this time around.

Lastly, a very happy 24th birthday to Mac, who celebrated on Saturday. You were my first child and made me a dad, and I am so proud of the woman you’ve become. Love you so much, and I hope you had a great birthday weekend with your old man.

2. Championship Weekend Reactions

Championship Weekend delivered in a big way. It started with some decent Group of Five action on Friday, but Saturday was where it really heated up.

Mac, Keith, and I watched most of it from a cool spot called Wingnutz near the Buffalo airport, and the wings were legitimately some of the best I have ever had. A few quick takeaways from a wild day of football:

• Texas Tech is for real. The Red Raiders have the 8th-ranked offense and 4th-ranked defense, and Joey McGuire has built a tough, balanced team with major help from NIL. They just won their first Big 12 title and now have twelve wins by 20 or more points. Only 2013 Florida State and 2018 Alabama have ever done that, and both made it to the national title game.
• Georgia finally shook the Alabama hex, beating the Tide for just the second time in nine meetings and avenging their only loss of the season.
• The ACC Championship delivered too, with Duke beating Virginia in overtime. I still think Duke should have earned a CFP spot, but the committee went with 12–1 James Madison instead, despite JMU losing by fourteen to a seventh-place ACC Louisville team. Not the right decision in my book.
• But the biggest story of the weekend happened in Indianapolis. Indiana won its first Big Ten Championship since 1967, snapped a thirty-game losing streak to Ohio State, and ended the nation’s longest winning streak at sixteen games. Curt Cignetti has completely transformed the all-time losingest program in Power Four history. They went 9-27 from 2021 to 2023. Since he arrived, they went 11-2 with a CFP berth last year, and now they are 12-0, the #1seed, and in my opinion the favorite to win the whole thing. Fernando Mendoza probably locked up the Heisman too. What an unbelievable turnaround.
• And one last thing, which I will expand on I’m sure in a podcast rant, but Notre Dame should not have made the field. No impressive wins, only one road win over a team with a winning record, and now they are acting like a child and boycotting a bowl. Embarrassing stuff from the Irish.

3. The Grinch List: My Most Overrated Christmas Flicks

I feel like this time of year we get flooded with “best” and “favorite” Christmas lists. Last week on the podcast we ranked our top five Christmas songs, and last year we tackled our favorite Christmas movies. Today, though, I’m putting on my Grinch hat and sharing my five most overrated Christmas movies. Many seem to love these. I do not.

5. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

One of my wife’s favorites, and it has a few funny moments, but the overall silliness wears me out. Cousin Eddie’s antics and the Margot/Todd subplot, which so many people adore, just irritate me. Call me Scrooge, but this one is hard to rewatch.

4. Home Alone and Home Alone 2

I know this take may anger many, and yes, both movies have charm. But the slapstick gets old fast. Marv and Harry are so unbelievably dumb that it becomes grating, and Kevin shifts from cute to annoying way too quickly in each film.

3. The Santa Clause

I usually like Tim Allen, but I found him almost unbearable as Scott Calvin. The movie tries to deliver a heartfelt “transformation” and Christmas spirit, but it lands squarely in the meh category for me, especially since “Santa” annoys me for most of the movie.

2. It’s a Wonderful Life

The message is great and I respect the themes, but the movie is simply too long. It spends an hour setting things up before anything meaningful happens. Trim it down and maybe I’d watch it more often. Can you make that happen, Clarence?

1. A Christmas Story

I have never liked this movie, even as a kid. I’ve tried again as an adult, and while it has a few endearing moments, too many scenes annoy me (Ralphie’s brother and the mashed potatoes is near the top). And the 24-hour marathon every Christmas does not help. This “classic” just isn’t for me and I kinda wish it would shoot its eye out. 

4. A Great Sports Rivalry

College football’s rivalry week just reminded us how great that sport can be, but let’s not forget the incredible rivalries in college basketball. Duke–North Carolina, Louisville–Kentucky, Kansas–Missouri, and Indiana–Purdue (and so many more) are all fantastic and certainly get their fanbases riled up.

Here in Cincinnati, though, we have a rivalry that has flown under the national radar for decades and is one of my personal favorites. The Crosstown Shootout pits the Xavier Musketeers of the Big East against the Cincinnati Bearcats of the Big 12, two schools separated by only three miles and linked by generations of alumni living all over the city. They’ve played every year since 1946, and believe me, this game matters in this city.

I earned my MBA from Xavier in the early 2000s right as the Cintas Center was being built, so I have followed this rivalry closely. UC owns the historical hardware with national titles in 1961 and 1962 and Bob Huggins pushed them back into the national spotlight in the 80s and 90s. Xavier, despite never making a Final Four, has become the more consistent program since 2004, with three Elite Eight runs and a commanding edge in the Shootout. Since 1996, the Musketeers have won 21 of 30 meetings. UC hasn’t won at Xavier since 2001, and the last UC coach with a winning record in the rivalry was Ed Badger from 1978-1983. Hard to believe.

While I obviously enjoy Xavier’s recent surge, what I really appreciate is the rivalry itself. It’s emotional, it’s fun, it splits households and offices, and it gives basketball fans in this city something to circle every December. It doesn’t change the conference races at all, but it absolutely impacts bragging rights for an entire year.

So thank you to the Muskies and Bearcats for giving this city such an awesome basketball rivalry to root for every December. And great job to the Muskies for the recent domination, including their 79-74 triumph this past Friday night. Go X!

5. The Thunder Keep Rolling

I don’t write a ton about the NBA, especially not during football season, but holy moly I have to take a minute and recognize what is happening down in Oklahoma. Last year’s champs, the OKC Thunder, have started this season 23-1 and are dominating virtually every game they play. Their start has put them up there with the 2015–16 Warriors, the 1995–96 Bulls, and the 1967–68 76ers as the only teams ever to begin 23-1 or better.

So the question becomes, is this the start of a real dynasty in the NBA, and could we actually be watching the greatest team in league history? Those Bulls and Warriors teams were phenomenal, but watching this Thunder team every night, they look every bit as impressive. It is still too early to tell, but the all-time best record is 73-9 by the 2015–16 Warriors, and if I had to put money on it right now, I would say the Thunder have a real shot to break that record. There are simply no flaws in this group.

And we cannot ignore how dominant Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been. The Thunder just tied their franchise record with 15 straight wins, and SGA is a big reason why. He has now scored 20 or more points in 95 straight games, which puts him second all-time and within striking distance of Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 126 set in the early 1960s.

The NBA may not be as popular as it once was, and OKC is certainly a small market, but I really hope sports fans everywhere appreciate what is happening in the Sooner state. Something special is brewing, and we may be witnessing not only one of the best players of this era, but also one of the best teams ever assembled.

6. Does Anyone Still Go To Movie Theaters?

The 2020 Covid pandemic changed a lot of things in our lives. Some changes were positive, like more flexibility to work from home. Others, not so much. And one thing that still sticks with me is how completely different the movie world feels now compared to just five years ago.

Going to the movies used to be one of my favorite date nights with Jamie. We would grab a big pop and popcorn, find our seats, relax, and just enjoy a couple hours at the theater. Simple, fun, and something we did pretty regularly. Now it feels like that whole experience has almost disappeared.

So many movies go straight to streaming, and with Netflix on the verge of buying Warner Brothers, that trend is only going to continue. Every theater these days feels half-empty with fewer employees and not much energy. But honestly, the bigger issue is the lack of good movies even being released to theaters. So many times I check the listings and there is nothing that makes me want to leave the house.

All that said, there is finally one movie I am looking forward to. The Housemaid comes out December 23 and both Jamie and Mackenzie are excited about it, as they both read the books, so it looks like we will be doing a family movie night. I am ready for some popcorn with extra butter, recliner seats, and hopefully a great theater experience I do not get nearly as often these days.

And speaking of family, I gave Mac her birthday shoutout earlier, but I also want to celebrate my amazing wife. Jamie had a birthday on Friday. We had a great dinner with friends and I hope she felt as appreciated as she deserves. Happy birthday sweetie. I love you and here is to another great year ahead. And hopefully a few good movies along the way too.

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.

Want more Sandman? Come connect with us here at sandmansports.com/staging/8269/onestopshop