NCAA Tournament Day 2 Blog

Day 2 cannot be nearly as rowdy as day 1, but I’ll give it a go. Wake up is waaay too early. About 1130, right when the games begin. Instead of a nice hearty breakfast or thirst quenching bottle of water, I grab a beer, anticipating the pilgrimage of my cohorts to the apartment as the day progresses.

High noon, and the first pilgrim has arrived. He mixes a Jack and Coke, so I feel a need to kick it up a notch as we watch Tennessee struggle to figure out American. Only a 7 point lead at half, turns into a 1 point game with just under 6minutes left in the game. Tennessee gets their act together just enough to survive. Not very comforting for the millions that picked them in the Final Four.

We spend nearly 30 minutes explaining to Eric why Wayne Chism’s last name is funny when the first consonant sound is replaced with a “j”, and why he deserved to be on the All-Porn Name Team. He just doesn’t get it. The conversation ends in frustration on his part and laughter on our side.

One of my upset picks is already looking good. Davidson is beating Gonzaga. Dale Curry’s son Stephen has been a star. I wouldn’t be surprised if he drops 40 on some team in the tourney.

I feel the need to hydrate, so I grab a Gatorade, but slide a few shots of vodka in there to keep up with the gang. This makes Stephen Curry that much more of a superstar in my eyes. Sweet stroke on his jumper. He’s got a baby face, but a sweet stroke.

HOLY TRASH STASH, BATMAN! Adam Morrison pops up on the screen looking like a child-molesting homeless man. No one can control their laughter for 5 minutes, as Davidson finishes off Gonzaga.

My 12-5 upset pick, Western Kentucky over Drake, is starting to take shape quite nicely. As is my rivalry with one of my roommates. I’d swear we picked every game opposite for the tournament. Things are getting heated. I think I need another beer.

Texas vs Austin Peay time, and I’m not the least bit worried. Texas comes out on fire, while Peay misses 12 of their first 13 shots. AJ Abrams seems to be on track. The crowd is obviously anti-Texas. Arkansas is not the most hospitable place, but Texas makes it happens and wins easily.

The Eric jokes hit full stride as he prepares to go watch some of the later games at the house of his all-male service organization. I must add that he dresses like a 37 year old. We are distracted from the games. This, without a doubt, is our favorite past-time.

And the first big upset of the tournament screws my bracket royally. Way to go Connecticut. Thanks for being a bunch of chumps. We all flip off the TV except for the 1 guy who picked that upset and finish our drinks in frustration. North Carolina drops 113 on Mount St. Mary’s, but that’s normal. Carolina always comes into the tournament smoking hot offensively, then gets bogged down in the later rounds. Just wait.

My nemesis and I square off in yet another game, OU/St. Joe’s. I’ve got OU, and they prevail. I give him my smirk. He responds with squinted eyes. He wins 2 of the next 3. Damn. That deserves another beer.

I escape day 2 with only minor bumps to my bracket, having lost no Final 4 teams and only a couple from my Sweet 16. Another round of drinks before heading off to Riverside for a party. After a drinking game, we take the Bostonians downtown to sixth street to experience some Texas night life.

We get there shortly before closing time, so the Bostonians entertain themselves by calling everyone “David” and jumping in every posed photo along the sidewalk. Having decided our hunger was too much to bear, we head to Kerby Lane, another must visit whilst in the Austin area for the first time.

We are seated as 5 Davids, and introduce our waitress as another David. We catch some tournament highlights on the TV, and just when I am about to pose the question of whether or not the Bostonians enjoyed their food, I glance at their plates. Immaculate. Not even a crumb.

So we adjourn for the night after having yelled out at pedestrians that their names are now in fact, David. Another 3 am lights out, but there won’t be an 11 am wake up this time…sleep is a necessity…I’M OUT.