It’s a new year. And sure, “New Year, New Me” is a cliché, but it’s also a pretty good excuse to blow things up and start over.
This year, I’m bringing back the BroBible Things We Want column. My longtime business partner and editor-in-chief, Cass Anderson, ran this franchise for years until the sheer repetitive trauma of rounding up 50 items every single Friday nearly broke his spirit. I don’t blame him. Writing commerce content can sometimes feel like screaming into a void filled with discount codes and affiliate links.
But I think we need to bring it back, because the internet has changed. The algorithms are winning. The only thing separating BroBible (and the humans behind it) from the AI scrapers and content farms is taste.
We do taste a little differently here. We know you are well-rounded individuals who contain multitudes—you like bands like King Gizzard and Lizard Wizard and sports, bourbon and bariatric comedy, vintage jets and new sneakers. We are really good at curating the internet, and this column is going to be the new home for that curation.
I don’t know if this will be a weekly column, a twice-a-week drop, or eventually something that lands in your inbox daily. Transparently, it depends on how much revenue it generates for us. I’m very open to ideas! Just know I’m committed to making it good. I want to use this space to show you wild stuff on Facebook Marketplace or random Bring A Trailer finds, not just another “Everyday Carry” trinket or kitchen appliance you’ll never use. I want you to walk away from this column feeling like you actually learned something, or at least found something cool enough to text your group chat or bring up something you saw a dinner party.
Let’s dive in.
- What I’m listening to: Dogs In A Pile’s Distroid (released in November 2025). This New Jersey-based jam band rips. Track 6, “Thomas Duncan, Pt. 3” is a personal favorite. It’s a 14-minute journey. [Listen on your platform of choice]
- What I’m reading: Sharing in the Groove: The Untold Story of the ’90s Jam Band Explosion and the Scene That Followed by Mike Ayers [Buy on Amazon]
- What I’m watching: The severely underrated and undermarketed Good Fortune, which is Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut and features Aziz, Seth Rogen, and Keanu Reeves [Watch via Prime Video]
- Most recent online purchase: Greater Goods (Austin, Texas) Connection Cold Brew. [Browse + buy Great Goods coffees via Trade]
1. The Absurdity: 1970 Iskra Jet TS-11
(Found on Facebook Marketplace, Hamilton, OH. Sent to me by my cousin, Garrett)
There are a lot of websites out there that debate the merits of buying a tricked-out Toyota 4-Runner versus a tricked-out Ford Bronco. In case you couldn’t tell, we’re not one of those websites.
But for the price of a mid-tier trim package on either of those ($45,000), you could currently buy air superiority over the greater Cincinnati area.
For the history buffs, this is a legitimate piece of Iron Curtain metal. “Iskra” means “Spark,” and this airframe was the first domestic jet Poland ever built. It held four world speed records in the 60s and trained thousands of Warsaw Pact pilots how to dogfight. It was over-engineered enough to mount a 23mm cannon (because in the Cold War, on that side of the Iron Curtain, even the practice jets had to be ready to scrap), and the Indian Air Force kept flying them until 2004. It is built to take a beating.
You’ll probably never get FAA clearance to get it off the ground, but, depending on your HOA situation, you could put it in your backyard and have the ultimate adult treehouse. Or, you play the long game: You drag this chassis out to a cheap plot of land in Joshua Tree. You park it next to a couple of weird alien statues and a vintage Airstream. Boom. You just created the most bookable Airbnb in the high desert. It literally markets itself to annoying Los Angeles influencers that just want to eat mushrooms and stargaze at a place for a cool photo op for $300 a night.
Listed on Facebook Marketplace of all places, this is a Polish military trainer jet that was imported in the early 2000s. Does it fly? Lol, no. The seller notes it’s a “project” that has been sitting in a hangar for 15 years. But it comes with Garmin avionics, a new interior, and the distinct opportunity to be the only guy on your block with a personal warbird as a poolhouse. It is arguably the most irresponsible purchase you can make this week, which is exactly why I want it.
Price: $45,000 (Local Pickup Only, obviously) via Facebook Marketplace.
Okay, since your budget is less “Cold War Relic” and more “End of Year Bonus,” here is the gear you actually need this week.
2. The Splurge: Filson Lined Mackinaw Wool Packer
My ski buddy and I always joke that we must be doing something wrong in life to have made it to middle age without knowing anyone with a ski house we can crash at. So, who is this Filson statement jacket for? Well, it’s for the people who actually own those houses in Aspen or Jackson Hole.
But it’s also for anyone who respects the history. “If a man is going to the North, he should come to us.” That was C.C. Filson’s pitch during the 1897 Klondike Gold Rush, which is one heck of a cocky way to market the durability of your gear.
Based on a 1914 patent originally designed for men on horseback, the Filson Lined Mackinaw Wool Packer Coat is the gold standard of American winter outerwear. It features a caped construction (two layers of wool over the shoulders) and a shearling collar that serves as a fortress against the wind. Think Robert Redford in Jeremiah Johnson surveying his land in the Rockies, levels of cool. It’s also very Yukon Jack-battling-the-abominable-snowman coded.
Respect. Is $1,200 a steep entry fee? Definitely. But it is built to survive the tundra and outlive you. Plus, your cool-as-hell grandkids will fight over who gets to inherit this thing.
Available in two colors: Dark Navy (right) and a beautiful red / cream / blue plaid (left), which would be my choice if you’re considering spending some of that Christmas bonus.
BUY NOW VIA FILSON.COM – $1199
3. The Upgrade: IKEA Esseboda Loveseat (Tallmyra Blue)
via Ikea
Like a lot of tired middle-aged millennials, I’m trying to be a little more “offline” in 2026. The problem is, if you sit on your regular couch in front of your regular TV, muscle memory takes over and you end up doomscrolling for two hours. You need a dedicated “Analog Zone.”
Enter the IKEA Esseboda in Tallmyra Blue. I’ve never seen a color quite like this at IKEA before: it’s a deep, rich teal with a chenille texture that looks like it belongs in a members-only club in London, not a flat-pack box. It features turned wooden legs and deep button tufting, but the real secret is the “pocket spring” interior (the same tech in your mattress), making it arguably the softest thing you can put in your living room.
The Deal: It is currently $250 off (down to $899 from $1,149), and if you have an IKEA Family card, you get an additional 10% off through Jan. 13th. That is an absurd price for a piece of furniture that looks this custom. Put this in a corner, turn off the Wi-Fi, and remember what it feels like to read a physical book. Please.
BUY NOW VIA IKEA – $1149 $899
4. The Outfit: Tecovas X H Bar C Birthday Bolero
I love the concept of “special occasion attire” that isn’t just a stiff suit, and this limited-edition green bolero set from Tecovas and legendary Western brand H Bar C nails that rhinestone-cowboy vibe without the rhinestones. It’s very Gram Parsons, may he rest in peace. I know it’s a little main character-esque, but I kinda dig out-of-the-box dress clothes like this. It’s loud, fun, and exactly what you wear when you want to be the best-dressed guy at the honky tonk or a wedding reception with open-ended attire requirements.
BUY NOW VIA TECOVAS.COM – $250
5. The Kicks: Astorflex Brownflex Chukka
Exclusive to Huckberry, the Astorflex Brownflex Chukka is the platonic ideal of the “desert boot” famously worn by Steve McQueen in Bullitt, but upgraded with premium European leather and cloud-like crepe soles. Handcrafted in Italy by a family of sixth-generation shoemakers, they’re the only shoes you need to pack for a weekend trip because they look as natural with dark denim as they do with a summer suit.
For $250 via Huckberry, they are easily the best value-per-wear item you’ll put in your closet this year.
BUY NOW VIA HUCKBERRY.COM – $250
6. For The Pantry: Hank Sauce (Jason Kelce’s New Investment)
via Hank Sauce
Jason Kelce is still speed-running the “How to Win Retirement” game if you have a gazillion dollars from an NFL career, broadcast career, and podcast deal that’s become appointment listening for Swifties everywhere. Between his Garage Beer with Travis being valued at $200 million and wrangling cattle for his Missouri beef operation, the man is building a CPG empire built entirely on good vibes and tailgating. His latest portfolio investment is in the condiment aisle.
Kelce just announced a major investment in Hank Sauce, a Sea Isle City institution that has been a local secret at the Jersey Shore for over a decade. I bought a bottle a couple of years ago, and it was delicious on my homemade Alaskan Pollack fish tacos. And then I told my dad about it, and he bought a bottle too.
Unlike those gimmicky celebrity sauces designed to melt your esophagus for a YouTube reaction video, Hank Sauce is built for actual human consumption. It was founded by three college roommates who wanted to make a well-balanced hot sauce with lots of flavor. It’s a “utility sauce” you can dump on eggs, pizza, or wings without needing a gallon of milk on standby. If it’s good enough for the King of Delco, it’s good enough for your fridge.
Top Hank Sauce Flavors on Amazon:
- The Original: Herb Infused (Garlic & Basil) – The daily driver.
- Witches Brew (Jalapeño & Cayenne) – For when you want a little kick.
- Honey Habanero – A wing night essential.
- Camouflage – Sweet, tangy and weirdly addictive.
- Cilanktro – Mild, with Heavy garlic and cilantro (obviously).
BUY NOW ON AMAZON – STARTING AT $10
Quick Hits
- Legendary NBA coach Phil Jackson has a new book out with Chicago Tribune sportswriter Sam Smith about the 75 players who changed NBA history. [Buy It On Amazon]
- Huckberry x TIMEX IRONMAN® Flix is a badass, no-frills digital watch for gym days. [Buy it on Huckberry]
- I think I need a pair of Salomon X ULTRA 5 MID GORE-TEX hiking shoes for my winter adventures. I especially dig that they’re lightweight. [Buy it on Salomon]
- My brother brought a screen-free digital camera to our family Christmas. Since we’re embracing less screentime this year, I dig that Camp Snap makes one for “vintage aesthetics” to grab that ’90s look without a trip to the film lab. [Buy it on Huckberry]
- Notice how I’m intentionally keep this maiden voyage THINGS WE WANT free of vices? Yeah, that’s intentional. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably a little liquor-and-beer’ed out. If you’re trying to kick the Zyn habit or just need something to chew on that isn’t your fingernails, Daneson Bourbon No. 16 Toothpicks are the move. They are made from northern white birch and soaked in six-year-old barrel-aged bourbon. They taste like oak and bourbon, and you look 10% more like Ryan Gosling in Drive. [Buy on Amazon]
8. The Ticket: Billy Gardell Live
Go see him. I mean it. I was at the Comedy Store in LA right before Christmas with a Hall of Fame lineup: David Spade, Marc Maron, Tim Dillon, Howie Mandel. All assassins, all doing a casual ten minutes.
But the guy who actually burned the room down was Billy Gardell.
If you haven’t seen the Mike & Molly star lately, you literally might not recognize him. At 56, he’s dropped over 170 pounds and kicked Type 2 diabetes to the curb. He looks like a man who stared down the reaper, won, and is now doing a victory lap for cheating death. Stand-up is usually a cynical game, so seeing someone operate with this level of pure, unadulterated gratitude is a shock to the system.
His “soft 10” spot at The Store was electric. I’m not talking about “sitcom funny,” I’m talking about sharp, energized material carrying the specific gravity of a guy operating with a second lease on life. It is the best kind of refresh.
See Dates + Get Tickets via BillyGardell.com
If you see his name on a marquee, buy the ticket. It was the best stand-up set I’ve seen all year.
See Date + Get Tickets via BillyGardell.com
9. The Read: “Misunderstood” by Allen Iverson
I’m on a mission to be more bookish this year (see: couch above), and I had a blast telling BroBible Nation about Dylan Park-Pettiford tremendous Iraq memoir Roadside the other week.
I’m not sure how this one slipped past me.
Released in October 2025, Misunderstood is the memoir we’ve been waiting for since the 2001 Finals. For a certain generation of NBA fan, Allen Iverson was basketball culture. He was the cornrows, the shooting sleeve, the oversized Reebok fit, the ankle-snapping swagger. Watching his highlights on SportsCenter every night, back when it was appointment TV, was like hoops hiaku. It’s impossible for a certain generation to hear the word “practice” without reciting Iverson’s legendary “practice” rant. He was electric.
He is arguably the most fascinating character of the post-Jordan era: a 6-foot guard who threw his body into the lane against giants every single night.
It sucks he never got that championship ring (thanks, Shaq and Kobe), but this book is the victory lap he deserves. His new memoir, co-written with Ray Beauchamp, is a look at his rise from poverty in Virginia to the bowling alley incident at Georgetown to becoming “The Answer” in Philadelphia.
If you grew up trying to replicate his crossover in your driveway, you need this on your shelf.
Tap To BUY NOW ON AMAZON OR YOUR LOCAL BOOK STORE – $15
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