UCLA did not, in fact, call.  They didn't raise, either.  They folded.


Back to the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four in San Antonio: 

Between Saturday's semifinals and Monday night's championship game, a lot went on.  The first issue was tickets - many UCLA and North Carolina fans couldn't stomach sticking around.  Many Kansas and Memphis fans who were shut out of the semis took a shot at seeing the final game.  The buying, selling and trading of seats turned San Antonio into the ticket world equivalent of Hong Kong. 

Despite UCLA's loss in the semis, the thought of not showing up for the finals was never an issue for my associate Craig and I.  March Madness is America at its most gonzo.  In the words of Hunter Thompson, "We'd be fools not to ride this strange torpedo to the end."

Sunday we recharged in Austin.  In the afternoon we did some light shopping then joined our hosts at a youth soccer game.  When we asked young Max if being on the wrong end of a 9-0 thumping provided any epiphanies, he offered, "Don't go into battle tired and shorthanded."   That kind of anti-Rumsfeldian insight will serve him well in life. 

Nothing "Friendly" about 9-0.

Sunday night meant a visit to the Saxon Pub, where The Resentments were playing.  I opened up to the eclectic music and eclectic crowd by drinking an eclectic brew, the Live Oak Pale Ale.  It had a beautiful copper color topped with a thick rich head - much like Rocky Petralia in the summer of '81. 


The Saxon pays homage to Def Leppard's drummer.

Epiphany - If you need to get over the sting of traveling 1500 miles to see your favorite team lose a basketball game, try this recipe:  Warm friends, cold beer and good music.  The world will feel right again.