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.
- 10 Best Since ‘10
Last week I watched The Accountant for the first time. I rarely like “new” movies, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Most of the movies I watch are decades old (and usually rewatches) but every once in a while, Hollywood still gets it right. And I’ll admit, there have certainly been some gems in the last 15 years.
So to kick off this week’s Six Pack, I’m sharing my ten favorite flicks since 2010. And while The Accountant just missed this list, you can tell I still have a soft spot for Ben Affleck.
10. Pitch Perfect (2012)
Please don’t judge me but I love this movie. Good music, funny quotes and endlessly rewatchable. Guilty pleasure with no guilt.
9. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
The Swedish trilogy is better, even with subtitles, but I still love the American version with Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig. Dark, disturbing, and bittersweet, but entertaining throughout.
8. Winter’s Bone (2010)
Bleak and gripping. J-Law broke out for a reason.
7. The Batman (2022)
Moody, dark, and very different than the Bale trilogy. But also very cool. Its kinda like Batman meets Se7en.
6. John Wick (2014)
They killed his dog. Big mistake. Legendary action follows.
5. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
Probably the most heartwarming, and least known, on this list. It’s about a boy with Down syndrome on a journey to find his favorite wrestler. Do yourself a favor and watch this movie.
4. Hell or High Water (2016)
Another one that not many have seen, but I loved it. Its basically a modern Western with heart, twists, and the ever-so-cool Jeff Bridges.
3. The Town (2010)
Boston crime done right. Nun masks. Fenway shootout. Let’s go.
2. Argo (2012)
Fake movie, but a real rescue. Tense and terrific. Probably the one on this list I’ve re-watched the most.
1. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
I thought it was impossible to top the original. But this movie absolutely delivers with insane flying, perfect nostalgia, and of course, Cruise at full throttle.
Sandman Nation, what do you think? What did I get right, wrong, or any classics I missed?
2. What a Giant Mess
Everyone loves to give the Cowboys grief for not being relevant lately (and I’ve launched some daggers too), but let’s take a closer look at one of their NFC East rivals and throw a little shame in that direction too. The New York Giants, one of the league’s proudest franchises with four Super Bowl titles and nearly a century of history, have somehow gone the past 10 years without a single division title. They are the only team in the NFC to accomplish that feat.
And to shine a deeper light on that ineptitude, no team in the NFC East has repeated during that stretch. So, in a division that hands out first place to a new team every year, Big Blue hasn’t managed to sneak in even once. That is hard to do. And in case you’re wondering, the Eagles have four titles during that span, the Cowboys have four, and Washington has two.
Unfortunately, this season does not look like the turnaround either. They have the toughest schedule in the entire league based on last year’s win percentage (.574) and they didn’t do much in the offseason to inspire confidence. Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and rookie Jaxson Dart as your three quarterbacks? Good luck.
I get that the Cowboys are typically vastly overrated and have not been to a Super Bowl in forever. But at least they are in the mix most recent years. The Giants have not even been relevant in January. That is a different kind of failure.
For a team in a massive market with one of the most loyal fanbases in football, this just is not acceptable. Time to get it together, Giants. Your fans deserve better.
3. What the Hell Happened to Dustin Johnson?
Dustin Johnson missed the cut at this weekend’s PGA Championship. Not by a stroke. Not by two. He shot a +12 over two rounds and packed it in early. And it got me thinking… what the hell happened to DJ?
This is a guy who was number one in the world for 130+ weeks, won two majors, and has more World Golf Championship titles than anyone not named Tiger Woods. He led the Tour in driving distance, won at Augusta by 5 shots, and played a major role on U.S. Ryder and Presidents Cup teams. For over a decade, he was a lock to win at least once a season. The talent was undeniable.
And he’s not old. He’s 39. Just a couple years older than Rory, he absolutely should still be competitive. But ever since he left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in 2022, it’s like he vanished.
LIV money aside, Johnson hasn’t been a serious contender in a major in years. He hasn’t cracked a top 10 in a major since the 2021 Masters. He’s missed the cut in back-to-back PGA Championships. This past weekend was a full collapse.
So what’s going on? Is it age? Motivation? Too many zero-pressure 54-hole paydays? Or has he simply faded out of the competitive fire?
Whatever it is, it’s disappointing. Because at his peak, Dustin Johnson was a force. A guy you had to watch on Sunday. Now you’re lucky if he even makes it to Sunday.
And that’s a shame.
4. Bank on It
I wrote last week about trying online ordering because so many people seem to love it, my wife included, but I just don’t like it. I’m old school, and I’m probably not changing anytime soon.
Another example? I still love going into banks. And I don’t mean the drive-through. I mean parking, walking into the lobby, and stepping into a time capsule from the 1980s. And don’t even get me started on scanning checks with a phone to make a deposit. Sure, I’ll use an ATM to grab cash, but when I have checks to deposit, I like walking inside, talking to a real teller, and handling the interaction face to face.
One of our local branches recently closed, probably because not many people share my nostalgic affection for the banking experience. So now I drive a few minutes further, but honestly, I don’t mind. I enjoy the stroll. I enjoy the small talk. And yes, every now and then, I still grab a lollipop on the way out.
Try getting that on your phone.
5. Fail to the Chiefs? Please!
If you’ve listened to the pod, you already know I can’t stand the Chiefs. And yes, part of it is personal. They have been the roadblock for my Bengals more than once. But it is also Mahomes, Kelce, Andy Reid, and the constant smugness that follows them around. They are easily my least favorite team in all of sports right now. It’s not that I just want them to lose, I don’t even want to see them play.
So imagine my reaction when I saw the NFL schedule and realized the Chiefs are once again everywhere. Seven prime-time games. That ties an NFL record. They also have standalone national games against the Eagles and Bills, and they are playing on Thanksgiving. So basically, the entire country will be watching the Chiefs every other week.
I get that they are good and have won several recent Super Bowls. I get that Mahomes is a Hall-of-Fame quarterback and that Kelce is dating the most famous woman in the universe. But it is exhausting to see that ugly red uniform every time I turn on the television set during football season.
Meanwhile, teams like the Browns, Titans, and Saints did not get a single prime-time game. Not one.
Apparently it’s the NFL’s world and the Chiefs are running it. I’ll just be over here watching Canadian curling highlights in peace.
6. Buying a Car to the Max
My 20-year-old son had been driving my old Ford Taurus for years, and we were all just hoping to keep squeezing out safe miles. But that hope officially ran out a few weeks ago when the car basically died.
And with that came one of my least favorite things on earth: car shopping. I cannot stand it, so I put it off as long as I could. Huge thanks to my father-in-law, who let Brady borrow his older truck while we figured things out.
Eventually, I had to bite the bullet and start the search. Somewhere along the way, someone suggested we check out CarMax since we knew we wanted a used car. And I have to say, I was genuinely surprised by how easy the whole process was.
The website is simple to use, there is no haggling on price, and you can reserve a car for a few days before going to test drive it. You can even find a car in a different state and have it shipped to your local store. We went in for a test drive, and while my son was ready to buy it on the spot, I wanted to sleep on it.
There was zero pressure from the salesperson. He actually told us he would not be there the next day, but he put a hold on the car and introduced us to another rep who was just as helpful. We came back the next day, signed the paperwork, and within an hour Brady had a new used car.
I would definitely use CarMax again and recommend it to anyone. It was simple and stress-free. Did I enjoy the experience? Yes. Do I like buying cars now? Still no. Hopefully we’re good for another ten years.
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 one, here are some other recent Six Packs to check out:
Bierman’s Six Pack: Issue #17
Bierman’s Six Pack: Issue #16
Bierman’s Six Pack: Issue #15
Bierman’s Six Pack: Issue #14
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