NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

ONE OF THE RIGHTS OF SPRING, LIKE THE FIRST ROBIN YOU SEE, IS THE NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT. 64 COLLEGE TEAMS DOWN TO ONE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. OF COURSE THE MONEY GRUBBING BASTARDS NOW START WITH 68 TEAMS AND ANOTHER DAY OF TV CALLED THE FIRST FOUR.

FOR ME THIS ANNUAL SPRING EVENT MEANS TWO THINGS. MY BUDDY MIKEY COMES FROM PRAIRE DU CHEIN TO VACATION IN SUNNY AND 80 NEVADA, AND MY FAVORITE X-COUSIN-IN-LAW TERESA CALLS ME TO BET ON IOWA STATE.

FIRST TERESA, EVEN THOUGH YOU DIDN’T CALL ME THIS SPRING, DON’T WORRY I GOT YOUR BACK, AND WHEN ISU BEATS NUMBER 1 VIRGINA THIS WEEK-END YOU WIN $42.00. SO DRINK AND CHEER A LITTLE HARDER WITH YOUR LAS VEGAS BET. IT’S A STRAIGHT BET (NO POINTS) SO ISU HAS TO WIN!!!

NOW MIKEY, WE SPENT THE FIRST FEW DAYS IN LAUGHLIN WHERE GRANDMA JACK MADE US HOME MADE PIZZA ON THE DEVIL’S EGG CHARCOAL GRILL,WE DID A COLORADO RIVER BOAT TOUR, AND WE SAW THE BUDDY HOLLY SHOW. YES, I KNOW THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED IN CLEAR LAKE IOWA, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE AND SOUNDED LIKE BUDDY HOLLY, THE BIG BOPPER, AND RICHIE VALANCE. “RING…..RING…. HELLO BAAAABY” CHANTILLE LACE, RIOBAMBA, AND PEGGY SUE ALL SOUNDS FROM THE PAST.

WE ALSO HAD COCKTAILS IN THE SAME BAR AS DON LAUGHLIN AT THE SAME TIME. HE’S NOW 86 YEARS OLD AND SITS ON HIS ELEVATED BAR STOOL IN HIS BALLROOM ON THE SECOND FLOOR. THE NIGHT BEFORE WE DRANK SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 2 AND 20 $3 MAKERS MARK DRINKS AT BOURBON NIGHT IN LOSER’S LOUNGE JUST OFF THE CASINO FLOOR AT THE RIVERSIDE. DID WE VISIT THE CRAPS GAME? …….. IS THE POPE CATHOLIC?

ON TO VEGAS-BABY! WE STAYED DOWNTOWN ON FREEMONT STREET. SOME OF THE HIGHLITES INCLUDED THE MIKE HAMMER SHOW, CRAZY GIRLS SHOW, DIRTY AT 12:30 SHOW, ST. PATTY’S DAY PUB CRAWL, THE WISCONSIN GAME AT THE NEW OUTDOOR BEER PARK AT THE PARIS CASINO, AND THE MONSTER JAM CHAMPIONSHIPS. THESE MUTHERS ARE CRAZY, AND BEING THE FINAL SHOW OF THE SEASON DID THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS DAMAGE TO THEIR MONSTER TRUCKS. OUT OF TWENTY OR SO TRUCKS, THERE WERE ONLY TWO THAT DROVE OFF THE FIELD UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. THE REST WERE FLIPPED BACK UP ON THEIR FOUR WHEELS AND DRUG OFF ON THE HOOK.

WE DID A ROADTRIP TO THE VALLEY OF FIRE AND MESQUITE, NV. THE SCENERY IS SPECTACULAR AND I’LL PUBLISH PICTURES IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS WHEN MARY AND I GO THERE ON A SCOOTER TRIP.

WE SPENT OUR SHARE OF TIME GAMBLING AND DRINKING WITH BOTH HANDS, EATING PRIME RIB DINNERS, AND 4AM BREAKFAST BEFORE BED. I’M NOW 67 YEARS OLD AND STILL HAVEN’T LEARNED WHAT UNCLE AMBROSE TOLD ME 45 YEARS AGO, “NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER MIDNIGHT….”

I DIDN’T TAKE MY CAMERA THIS YEAR, BUT YOU CAN REVIEW HERE AND HERE. I SUSPECT MIKEY WILL HAVE A FEW PICS ON FACEBOOK AFTER HE RETURNS TO SNOWY WISCONSIN.