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. Surgery-VersarY
Saturday marked an important two-year anniversary in the Bierman household. It wasn’t a birthday or a marriage, and thankfully not a death. But it was a sober reminder of how fragile life can be, and how quickly things can sneak up on us.
In January 2023, just a month after turning 50, I started noticing worse hearing in my left ear, balance issues, and more frequent headaches. I joked about getting old, but a few months later it got serious enough that I finally went to see a doctor. Sure enough, after some tests and an MRI, they told me I had a brain tumor, something called a vestibular schwannoma. Nobody ever wants to hear they have a brain tumor, but at least thankfully it was benign.
While my doctors laid out a few options, surgery was really the only choice. While the tumor wasn’t cancerous, it still could pose some serious issues. Namely, the longer the tumor pressed against my brain, the higher the risk of paralysis and other major complications that would severely impact my life going forward. We had time to get our affairs in order just in case the unthinkable happened, but those weeks leading up to surgery were pretty anxiety filled.
The big day came on Wednesday, November 15th. I remember getting there early with my wife and father-in-law, feeling oddly calm and peaceful as I was rolled into the operating room, knowing I was in good hands. The surgery lasted more than eight hours, and when I finally woke up, I saw my wife and immediately made an inappropriate joke about sex. That was all she needed to know I was going to be just fine.
Unfortunately, the tumor was wrapped around the hearing nerve in my left ear, and they had to cut it, leaving me completely deaf on that side. Adjusting to that was honestly pretty difficult and, for a while, made me not want to engage in many social situations. But I’ve made peace with it and know things could have turned out much worse. I still get headaches when the weather changes, and oddly enough, I can’t golf much anymore because the swing throws off my balance and also gives me a headache. I also have to get an MRI every year for the rest of my life to make sure it doesn’t come back. But beyond that, life has gone on, and I’m healthy.
As I “celebrated” the two-year anniversary and reflected back on that day, two thoughts came to mind:
- Please don’t ignore your health. If something doesn’t feel right, go see your doctor. If I had waited another six or nine months, my story could have ended very differently.
- Thank you to my wife, my family, and all of my friends who supported me and helped me through it all. You reminded me what really matters and how truly loved and lucky I am.
Two years later, I’m just grateful for life, for family, and yes, for another weekend of football.
2. Why Can’t Coaches Tell Time?
Speaking of football, I had a nice little Saturday, tucked on the couch from noon until 10 pm watching almost every college football game I could find. Thankfully, YouTube TV’s dispute with Disney was settled Friday, so all the ESPN and ABC games were back and I didn’t miss much.
It wasn’t the most thrilling slate of the year, but there was still plenty to enjoy. Oklahoma went into Tuscaloosa and took down Alabama, Notre Dame rolled Pittsburgh on the road, and USC kept its playoff hopes alive with a nice comeback win after trailing Iowa by 14. And in Athens, the Georgia Bulldogs took care of Texas in convincing fashion, hammering the Longhorns 35-10 and putting an end to their playoff dreams.
But the biggest story of the day was Texas A&M’s miracle comeback. Down 30-3 at halftime, the Aggies somehow rallied to beat South Carolina 31-30 in College Station, which was their largest comeback in school history and the biggest by any team this season. Great news for Mike Elko, QB Marcel Reed, and all those Aggie fans, but a brutal collapse for Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks, who completely fell apart in the second half.
Still, what stuck with me most on Saturday was something that frequently irritates me and I got to see it firsthand again while watching the end of the Georgia Tech–Boston College game. I just can’t understand how head coaches, who make millions of dollars and are presumably well-educated men, continue to mismanage the clock in critical moments. I feel like I see some version of this mistake almost every weekend, and it just amazes me. Here’s how it unfolded on Saturday in Chestnut Hill.
BC, sitting at 1-9, was scrappy and led 34-33 with less than two minutes left. Georgia Tech was driving, and with the Eagles out of timeouts, they picked up a first down at the BC seven. All they had to do was drain the clock and kick the game-winning field goal as time expired. Instead, head coach Brent Key called a timeout with fourteen seconds left. Fourteen! They hit the field goal to go up by two, but that still left Boston College enough time for two plays. The first was a long pass that got them to the GT 45 yard line and put them within striking distance for a Hail Mary.
We all know what Boston College can do with a Hail Mary, so I’m sure the entire Georgia Tech fanbase was holding its breath and cursing their coach. The pass fell incomplete, and Georgia Tech escaped with the win, but it never should have come to that.
There’s just no excuse for that kind of time mismanagement from a head coach. It didn’t cost them the game this time, but it easily could have, and honestly, I kind of wish it did. For me, it’s one of the most maddening parts of watching football and completely unacceptable.
3. Five Was Enough
I don’t write much about women’s basketball, but every once in a while a story grabs my attention. And that is certainly what unfolded Friday night at the Greenbrier Classic in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
Unranked West Virginia was playing No. 15 Duke and came back from a halftime deficit to upset the Blue Devils, winning 57-49. But that is not the interesting part.
Late in the first half, a block as time expired led to some shoving between players, and six West Virginia players were ejected. That left only five available for the rest of the game. The six booted had scored every one of the team’s points in the first half.
So the five who were left, none of whom had scored yet, had to play the entire second half. Knowing they’d have to manage fatigue, avoid foul trouble, and still try to beat a very good team, these five players rose to the challenge.
I don’t love that part of the story started with a fight and ejections, but I do love how it ended. Those five players, all juniors or seniors, showed exactly why experience matters. Their maturity and leadership kept them steady when things could have easily unraveled. They stayed calm, played hard, and knocked off a ranked team that nobody would have thought they could beat given the circumstances.
Another reminder that sports are special for so many reasons, but especially for their unpredictability and stories of grit and resilience. Congrats to those five West Virginia players for finding a way to win when the odds were stacked against them. Well done ladies!
4. Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
For years, I had a Discover credit card. Not sure exactly why, but probably because that’s what my mom always had. When I first got it back in the early 2000s, there weren’t many “perks” cards, so getting 1% cash back seemed fine.
About five years ago, we were out to dinner with friends and one of them paid with a Platinum American Express. It caught my eye, so I asked him about it. The benefits sounded great, and after a little digging, I realized there were several versions. Since Jamie and I were planning a big Caribbean trip and hoping to travel more overall, we decided the Delta SkyMiles Amex might be the smart move. And it absolutely was for us.
It is definitely not cheap with a $600 annual fee, and I had never paid for a credit card before. But the benefits have easily covered the cost, including free checked bags, Sky Club access, and a free companion ticket anywhere in the U.S., Mexico, or Canada (including first class). We use that every year and have definitely gotten our money’s worth. Plus, since we put nearly everything on the card and pay it off monthly, we have earned Delta Platinum status. That means automatic Comfort+ seats and frequent first-class upgrades.
The only downside is that Amex is not accepted at Costco. And since we frequent that place often, we picked up a Marriott Bonvoy card to use there, especially for gas. That one costs $199 per year, but it came with five free nights when we signed up, one free night every year, and regular room upgrades when available.
If you have been resistant to paying annual fees for a credit card, I get it. It feels counterintuitive. But for us, both of these cards have more than paid for themselves, not just financially but in the comfort and convenience they add when we travel.
So if you are on the fence, it might be worth exploring. Whether you travel a lot or not, there are plenty of cards that can actually work for you and might be worth the initial investment.
5. Heating Up in Foxboro
For years, the question was whether the Patriots dynasty was because of Tom Brady or Bill Belichick. Brady’s move to Tampa and another Super Bowl ring, combined with Belichick’s struggles after he left and even this season during his college stint at UNC, have led most people to believe it was probably Brady.
But could a similar debate be brewing again in Foxboro?
Last year, in Drake Maye’s rookie season, the Patriots were a mess under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, finishing 4-13. This year, with Mike Vrabel taking over and Maye in year two, the team looks completely different. The Patriots have gone from doormat to legitimate AFC contender.
So who gets the credit? For now, we’ll take the easy answer and say both.
Vrabel has changed everything about this team. He’s brought toughness, discipline, and a culture that clearly fits New England. He owns a 65-50 career record, had four winning seasons in Tennessee, made three straight playoff appearances, reached an AFC title game in 2019, and won Coach of the Year in 2021. After two down years with the Titans, he was let go, and it already looks like one of the worst decisions that franchise has ever made.
As for Maye, he has been spectacular. In just his second season, he leads the league in passing yards and touchdown passes, ranks fifth in QB rating, and has thrown only five interceptions in 11 games. He’s shown poise, athleticism, and leadership that so many other franchises wish they had in their quarterback.
Now, before New England fans book their Super Bowl tickets, I think it is important to call out that their schedule hasn’t exactly been impressive. Only two of their wins have come against teams with winning records (the Bills and Bucs), so they’ve mostly been beating up on the bottom feeders and taking advantage of a last-place schedule. Still, this is a much better and very different team than it was in 2024, and regardless of how this season ends, Vrabel and Maye have the Patriots positioned for another run, so get ready.
6. Are Puzzles Still A Thing?
The other day, our 12-year-old Cooper was bored and sulking, and rather than play a video game for the millionth time, I suggested things like solitaire and puzzles. He had no idea what solitaire was and had zero interest in trying to learn, which really made me shake my head. I used to play that often as a kid and found it to be a fun way to pass the time when I was bored. But he didn’t bite, so I moved on to jigsaw puzzles.
He was a little more intrigued by that, especially when I told him his older brother Brady used to do some. I thought I had him, and I think I did, but when I went upstairs to our “game closet,” there wasn’t a single puzzle to be found. So that dream was dead, at least for the time being.
But it got me thinking. Like solitaire, puzzles were something I did a ton of as a kid, and I never hear or see anyone doing them anymore. Is that still a thing? Do kids, or even adults, still find enjoyment in putting those together?
I used to love it, mostly because of the little jolt of satisfaction you’d get every time a piece fit perfectly. It made you feel smart, like you had figured something out. And as the puzzles went on, especially the long, intricate ones, finishing them gave me a real sense of accomplishment. I also think it challenged my brain in ways that probably helped me without even realizing it.
Anyway, I’d love to hear from you, Sandman Nation. Are puzzles still a thing in your house? Do you or your kids still do them? I’m super busy these days and don’t have a lot of extra “puzzle time,” but honestly, I might ask for one for Christmas and give it a shot over the holidays. Who knows, maybe I’ll hate it and it’ll only seem fun in my nostalgic brain, but we’ll see. And I’ll be sure to report back here.
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.
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