The weather this week has made me a bit stir crazy, so I’ve decided to buck conventional wisdom and venture out into the polar vortex we are currently suffering. A 4:00 tip at Bowling Green is right in my road trip wheelhouse as it allows me to combine two of my greatest loves: Bobcat Basketball and Crock Pot Cooking.

After a leisurely breakfast of Nabisco Shredded Wheat (continuing my three-decade old boycott of frosted cereals) and black coffee (ground by the nice people at Donkey Coffee) this morning, I headed to the local butcher shop for a nice cut of cheap beef. I’ll drop that in the crock pot, cover with water, a splash of vinegar, a couple bouillon cubes, and a packet of Lipton onion soup. I can’t stress enough that you must use the name brands when it comes to instant onion soups.

And then I’m out the door. And if I’ve said it before, I’ve said it a million times: You got to have sunglasses on a day like this. Bright sun and snow on the ground reflecting the light are a tremendous source of eye fatigue. People make fun of my Blublockers; but I have the last laugh when they’re reaching for the Advil with a headache.

On my way north, I’ll hit Auddino’s Italian bakery, just off I-71 as I pass through the state capital, for some nice crusty bread.

Hopefully, I’ll arrive at Stroh Center early enough to do some scouting on a new era of Falcon hoops. Louis Orr is gone. That jerk assistant coach of his is gone. Jordan Crawford is gone. Bill Frack has gone to a different kind of sky box. I don’t know a gosh darn thing about these guys except Chris Jans looks like Dan Dakich and Ed Orgeron had a love child.

After the game, it’s going to be a race home to get that delicious bread around some crock pot beef. No matter what happens on the court, that’s a good day.

While a "non-name brand" onion soup mix does seem to offer financial savings, you are correct in that it does not compare to the original. Just like Miracle Whip, Jif (choosy moms choose it too), and Kraft Mac and Cheese.

You people are in the stone age with your peanut butter preferences.

I m a trader Joes kind of guy. Natural, lightly salted and for a treat I do the Almond butter.

This nearly made coffee come out my nose. I needed that.

Well, you can order it on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Creamy-Peanut-Butter-28oz/d...

Your tastes are very much like those of my two daughter's. My son's are more like mine.

Kroger 100% whole wheat. I prefer Cascadian Farm strawberry jam, but it's pricey.

It tastes like rubbing alcohol, man.

I officially declare this a drifted thread. It's not of Siberia-ready quality, or anything, but it's hard to find a good connection between peanut butter preferences and BGSU basketball. ;-)

I really hope I can continue to not give a crap about the brand of my peanut butter forever.