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. Hard Pass On The Ice Plunges
Several years ago, Jamie and I went to an all inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic. We both love massages and spa treatments, so that was definitely a part of our stay. One of their “specialties” included in the spa package was something called an ice burst that we were told would cleanse and refresh us. That sounded great on paper, until I realized it was basically a giant bucket of ice water getting dumped over your head for about ten seconds. Which felt like ten minutes. It was absolutely freezing. It was not relaxing, not enjoyable, and definitely not refreshing.
Fast forward a few years, and over the past several months I’ve had multiple friends either tell me, or post on social media, that they now have full ice plunge setups at their homes and are using them every day. Apparently cold plunging is a real thing now. It seems like it started gaining traction a few years ago with athletes, and then really went mainstream with podcasts, influencers, and general wellness trends. The benefits people talk about include reduced inflammation, faster muscle recovery, better circulation, improved mood, mental toughness, and even immune system support. I’m told there are studies out there that back a lot of this up, and if that is true, I get why people are all in on it.
But not me.
Call me a wimp. Call me someone who doesn’t enjoy unnecessary discomfort. That’s fine. This trend is just not for me. I am all for pushing myself in plenty of other ways. One more set in the gym, check. Another two minutes on the treadmill, no problem.
But voluntarily sitting in a tub of freezing cold ice water every day? Big, fat nope.
Obviously, to each their own, and I’m glad it works for a lot of people. But I’ll stick with stretching, my normal workouts, and of course, a hot shower.
2. Not a NASCAR Guy, But….
Staying with the whole “to each their own” theme, I’ve just never been a NASCAR guy. Give me football, basketball, baseball, golf, even hockey, but auto racing has never been near the top of my list. Which is a little surprising considering my dad worked for Ford, loved cars, and had races on TV most weekends. I watched plenty with him growing up, I just never got hooked.
That said, I have a ton of respect for the sport, the teams, and especially the drivers. It is not just getting behind the wheel and going fast. There is serious strategy, precision, teamwork, and skill involved.
And while I rarely watch it, I am in the minority. Believe it or not, NASCAR is the second most-watched sport in America behind only the NFL, so there clearly is something there.
The season kicked off this weekend with the Daytona 500, essentially the sport’s Super Bowl. One of the most prestigious races in motorsports, it has been around since 1959 and always draws huge audiences. This year Tyler Reddick picked up his first Daytona 500 win in a tight finish, delivering a win for Michael Jordan’s ownership group as well.
I have always found it interesting that NASCAR starts with its biggest event, but it works. All the stars and storylines right out of the gate to build momentum for the season.
And the history is undeniable. Richard Petty, with 200 wins, seven Daytona 500 victories, and seven Cup championships, is truly “The King” of the sport. But, so many other legendary names have shaped NASCAR over the years as well, including Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Denny Hamlin, with the newer generation of stars like Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott now carrying the torch. It is a legacy that stacks up with any sport.
It will probably never be must-watch viewing for me, but I can appreciate what the sport is and what it means to so many fans. The passion is real, and the history runs deep. So here’s to the start of the 2026 season. Enjoy the ride.
3. 21 Seasons of CP3
Tied for third all time in NBA history with 21 seasons played, behind only LeBron James (23) and Vince Carter (22), few players have had the longevity and sustained excellence of Chris Paul. And now, after more than two decades in the league, CP3 has officially announced his retirement.
So let’s give him and his tremendous career some well deserved love.
“The Point God” retires as one of the greatest point guards the game has ever seen. Rookie of the Year. 12-time All-Star. 11-time All-NBA. 9-time All-Defensive Team. Five-time assists leader. An NBA record six-time steals leader. Two Olympic gold medals. A member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. And one of the most respected leaders and floor generals of his era.
From New Orleans to the Lob City Clippers, to Houston’s 65-win juggernaut, to leading Phoenix to the Finals, to mentoring young teams late in his career, Paul elevated every franchise he touched. He finishes his career second all-time in assists and steals, and as one of the smartest, and most efficient players to ever run an offense.
Unfortunately, Paul never got that elusive ring, but his impact on the game, his consistency, his leadership, and his command of the point guard position are undeniable.
He certainly will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer and is quite simply one of the best point guards in the history of the sport.
So thank you CP3 for all you’ve given to the game, and enjoy that retirement.
4. From Doubter to Believer
I’ve written here before about how my wife, my two adult kids, and I all attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. I also wrote a month ago that I didn’t have much faith in this basketball team, given the lack of Power Five opponents and the belief that eventually they would get picked off.
Well, my wife and I made the 40-minute trek up to Oxford on Friday night to watch the RedHawks take on rival Ohio at a sold-out Millett Hall, and we were two of the record 10,640 in attendance. And it is time for me to admit that I was wrong. This team is very, very good and they have a real chance to finish the regular season undefeated and become only the sixth team in the past 50 years to accomplish that feat. The others were:
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Indiana State (1978–79)
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UNLV (1990–91)
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Wichita State (2013–14)
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Kentucky (2014–15)
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Gonzaga (2020–21)
Friday night was one of the most fun college basketball experiences I’ve had in quite a while.
A full house, a 9:00 p.m. tip, and the entire town buzzing. Restaurants and bars were packed beforehand, traffic was everywhere, and tickets were reportedly going for as much as $450. Of course we had to stop in the local bookstore to grab some Miami gear, and that place was jammed with people as well.
The entire city and university are fully into this team. They are 25-0 and the only undefeated team left in Division I. The game itself was never really in doubt, with Miami winning 90-74, which isn’t surprising considering they’re the highest-scoring team in the country at roughly 92 points per game.
I have no idea how this will translate to March, but every single game from here on out will have my full attention, whether in person or on TV, as they chase history. This kind of energy and excitement is what every alum and sports fan hopes for, and it doesn’t come around very often.
So yes, as a proud RedHawks alum, I’m officially on the bandwagon and I’m going to enjoy this ride for as long as it lasts.
Love and Honor. Go RedHawks!
5. Gone But Not Forgotten: Restaurant Edition
I drove past an old office building the other day where I used to work and noticed a run-down spot we went to all the time for lunches and happy hours. It was a Bennigan’s, and at one point there were more than 300 of them nationwide. Now there are only a handful left.
Thus, that got me thinking about all the restaurant chains that used to be staples and are now gone. Around Black Friday I wrote about retail stores I miss. So today, I’m going to do my food version, as I list my top five restaurants and food spots from years past that I wish were still around.
5) Howard Johnson’s
The iconic orange roof, the combo of restaurant and hotel, and those famous clam strips. This one is personal for me because my grandma worked there for years as a waitress. The hotel brand still technically exists under Wyndham, but the restaurants are long gone, and so is a true piece of Americana.
4) Kenny Rogers Roasters
Yes, the Seinfeld episode helped make this place legendary, but the food was pretty darn good too. Founded in 1991 by Kenny Rogers himself, the chain was very popular for a while, then faded and eventually disappeared from the U.S.
Ironically, it is still thriving in other parts of the world, especially in Asia. Just not here, which is a shame.
3) Burger Chef
Once the second-largest burger chain in America behind McDonald’s, and a place I remember liking as a kid. Founded in Indianapolis in 1954, it grew to more than 1,000 locations at its peak and had its own signature burgers like the Big Shef. The brand was eventually sold off and phased out, with the last true Burger Chef closing in 1996. A few remnants still serve similar items, but the name is gone.
2) Hot Sam Pretzels
If you went to a mall in the 80s or 90s, you remember Hot Sam. Long before Auntie Anne’s, this was the pretzel spot to be. Many childhood mall trips ended with one of these as my reward after being dragged along on my mom’s shopping runs. They were often paired with Orange Julius, which is also gone and still gets plenty of love, but for me Hot Sam was the king and I miss ‘em.
1) ShowBiz Pizza
You can keep your big, goofy animatronic mouse, I was always on Team Showbiz. I even had my 11th birthday party there. The pizza was better, there were more arcade games, and it just seemed cooler. The chain only lasted about 14 years, from 1980 to 1994, making it the shortest-lived spot on this list. But for kids of that era, it was a staple and still lives on in plenty of great childhood memories.
What about you, Sandman Nation? Any other great food spots from years gone by you wish were still around? Drop them in the comments and let us know.
6. A Tribute and a Reminder
I was a devoted fan of Beverly Hills 90210 from the day it premiered in 1990 when I was a senior in high school, and I kept watching through my college years. I later became a Melrose Place junkie too (oh, that nasty Amanda). But by the time Dawson’s Creek rolled around in 1998, I was pretty much over the young adult drama phase. I watched a few episodes but Dawson, Pacey, Joey, and the rest of the crew just weren’t for me at that stage of my life.
That said, I always liked James Van Der Beek. Varsity Blues will never be confused with an Oscar winner, but it was a fun movie about high school football. (And let’s be honest, as a young guy at the time, the Ali Larter scene is iconic). Van Der Beek made that movie work as a kid who cared more about school than football and just wanted out of his small Texas town, eventually standing up to his overbearing and mean spirited coach.
Years later, he played a parody of himself in the short lived but outstanding show Don’t Trust the B* in Apartment 23, and he was downright hilarious in that. He always came across to me as one of those rare child actors who never took himself too seriously, stayed grounded, and still found success as an adult.
So when I heard he passed away last week from colon cancer at just 48, it saddened me. Of course I didn’t know him personally, but I respected how open and honest he was once he learned of his diagnosis. He used his platform to encourage people to get tested. Anyone over 45 can now get a colonoscopy, even without symptoms.
I had my first one at 35 because of some other health issues, and they found polyps. Since then I have had them done every five years, and they have found polyps again twice. That process could have very likely prevented something much worse down the road.
So yes, I’m sad for Van Der Beek, his wife, and his family. He will be missed by many. But I am also grateful for the awareness he helped raise around something that too many people ignore until it is too late.
If you are over 45 and have not had a colonoscopy, I would strongly encourage you to do it. It is one of the simplest ways to take care of your health and potentially save your own life.
Take care of yourselves, Sandman Nation. Rest in peace, James.
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. And don't forget to sign up for The Sandman Ticket, our free, weekly newsletter with picks, insights, and a little bit of everything we love about sports and more.
