Final Four Chronicles - The Arrival

Friday, April 5

Yes, another travel entry.  Yes, your boys from WeMakeItRain are in for another fun-filled adventure at the Final Four.  Travelling with us are 3/4 of the usual suspects, Keyser Soze, Verbal Kint .... oh wait, wrong group.  Its Pepster, Sinickal and Tony.  We are without Hopps this year, and Allison and Racecar also decided to sit this one out.  We are not sure if Allison and Racecar just didn't find Minneapolis appealing, or if its us.  Probably both.  Joining us is Tony's friend Dr. Pepper from Providence by way of Boston.  Oh no, we have two people from Providence with us; there is no way that doesn't go wrong.  We will also have some guest appearances from friends and acquaintances, and likely new friends and acquaintances as well - as we are wont to do.  Unfortunately for you - the reader - the first full moon after the vernal equinox occurs late this year - so no really good puns about that.  As usual, all times are local.

April 4

20:32 - In Uber to airport, driver engages Pepster in conversation about where he is going.  When he says he is going to Minneapolis for the Final Four, she asks him if that is anything like the basketball league started by Ice Cube.  And then she follows with ... "I didn't really know much about him.  My mom listens to Ice Cube.  Yeah, apparently we are old.

21:59  Pepster wheels up to Minneapolis.  Only 2 obvious Final Four fans on the plane - one Michigan State and one Virginia - and they are sitting next to each other exactly one row behind Pepster.  This is going to be fun.

00:46 - Pepster arrives.

April 5

7:35 - Sinickal is in Denver awaiting his flight. Woman restocking Miller Lite in the Sky Club drops a six pack and breaks several bottles.  A guy walks over looking like he is going to help, picks a bottle off the floor that didn't break and starts drinking.

07:55 - Older Chatty Kathy sits next to Sinickal.  It's her first Final Four.  She asks Sinickal if he is a player, then a coach, then if he is going to the Final Four.  She figures out that this is not Sinickal's first Final Four.  Sinickal tells her, "This isn't even my first Final Four .... in Minneapolis."

8:12 - A lot of Texas Tech on Sinickal's flight out of Denver.

09:35 - Dr. Pepper at Logan, drinking coffee and watching the parade of yoga pants at the airport.  Tony notes that yoga pants are the greatest invention since, well ever.

09:46 - Dr. Pepper while still at Logan - and whom Pepster and Sinickal and have never met - texts the group about his arrival at 2.  "I'll be headed to the W Foshay.  Introductory drinks on me at 3?"

11:15 - Sinickal now in Minneapolis.  Walks to meet Pepster at the Intercontinental Hotel attached to the airport.

11:37 - We have a quorum.  Sinickal and Pepster sit down for lunch.

11:40 - Young woman sits near us at the bar wearing a UVA shirt.  Sinickal and Pepster congratulate her on the bounce back year after the biggest, well really 2 biggest, basketball upsets of all time.  She immediately questions her choice of seats, restaurants, and maybe even cities.  Then she begins at least pretending to do work so she can ignore us for the rest of lunch.  [Ed. Note - she was doing work.  Turns out she is a Professor at the University of Richmond]

11:45 - Dr Pepper wheels up to Minneapolis.

11:42  - Bartender Leah recommends a local craft beer for Pepster. Sinickal notes that he shouldn't start drinking yet, so he has a Bud Light.

13:25 -  Sinickal receives notice from Mike and Pete, the proprietors of the Best Dive Bar in America - The Elliott Street Pub in Downtown Atlanta - that they are painting beer cans for the EASTER BEER HUNT!!!  Sinickal remarks - despite Tony's previous assertion - this might be the greatest invention of all time.  Pepster is now mad that every other bar hasn't done this.

13:27 - We decide the the UVA young lady has done enough work, and Sinickal re-engages her in conversation by showing her the post of the painted beer cans.  She might just forgive our previous transgression - if only we could refrain from other UVA upset comments.

13:31 - Sinickal asks her if she was prepared for Virginia to underperform.

13:35 - She pretends to ignore us again.

13:37 - Pepster asks her if she follows UMBC on Twitter.

13:38 - She decides to actually join the conversation.  We introduce ourselves.  Her name is Lauren, she graduated from UVA and is waiting for her father to arrive - he is a UVA alumnus.

13:39 - Rest of the bar decides to join in our conversation.  Older guy who is in town for the Final Four because he thought North Carolina was going to be here - they aren't.  Other kid rooting for Auburn.  That's it.  We are now running this bar. 

13:48 - Leah, who lives downtown, gives us the run of her recommendations for food and drink downtown.  We are going to eat and drink like locals.

14:00 - Dr. Pepper joins the group at the Intercontinental at the airport - so much for the plans to meet at the W Foshay.

14:12 - Lauren - after hours of discussion about our respective alma maters and about 2 hours after Pepster pontificates about how Harvard would be in the Sweet Sixteen next year - and they will - decides to join our conversation on great college rivalries - casually throws out that she has a Masters and a Ph.D. from Yale.  Sinickal erupts ... "You just got GOT".  Dr. Pepper almost falls out of his chair.  Others in the bar laughing hysterically. Pepster could only applaud and gave her a hug.

14:17 - Lauren "Thanks for the Beer."

16:11 - Auburn guy - apparently embracing his Southern roots - talks about how he lived in a trailer park at Auburn, and that all the students do.

16:32 - Lauren - now fully engaged in the trash talk - mentions that we all went to amazing schools.  Turns to Auburn guy - "except for yours!"

16:30 - Lauren now talking more trash that the rest of us turns to Auburn guy - "Is it like a shit show on weekends?"

16:35 - Turns out  Lauren is going to the UVA party tonight at Mansion - which we are also.  We tell her we will see her and hope to meet her dad.

16:45 - Uber to the house.

16:54 - Dr. Pepper, on the phone with his friend taking roll call, "He's three dollars away from two dollars!"

17:30 - Cleaning up to go out for the night.  We feel it is a Southwestern Central type of night.  Stick 'em Scorpions.

18:30 - Tony wheels up to Minneapolis from JFK.

19:13 - While waiting for the Uber, Pepster enjoys the single swing hanging from the tree in the front yard.

19:44 - Dinner and drinks at Runyons, the dive/sports bar recommended by Leah.  Wings are good.

21:09 - Tony lands.

21:10 - Heading to Mansion - the UVA party.

21:14 - Meet up with Christian, Pepe's friend from North Palm Beach and a Virginia alumnus who was not going to miss this Final Four and is our host for the UVA party tonight.  Turns out this was a GREAT party!

21:27 - Run into Lauren and her father.  As her father introduces himself to us, he looks at Pepster and says, "So your the Harvard guy".

22:08 - Not surprisingly, nobody at the UVA party dances to the Wobble.

22:30 - Tony arrives at Mansion - WE ARE WHOLE!

22:58 - Last call at the bar - Christian triples everybody up (he really doubled everyone up but it looked like a lot on the table).  Dr. Pepper realizes Christian is a really good due.

00:40 - Uber back to the house - time to call it a night.