/csb...attended that Final Four with my best friend (who was going through a hypochondriac phase at the time). Midway through the KU/UNC game, he announces he's sick and has to go back to the hotel. I say "WTF", can't talk him out of it, and tell him to take a cab, as I'm taking the car. Duke/UNLV game ends, and I go over to the Purple Parrot and proceed to get hammered with the raucous crowd. Two cutie Kentucky fans chatted me up and things were going swimmingly until I told them my buddy went home sick and I made him take a cab. They cooled considerably after that. We made plans to meet up the next day, but of course they never showed.
Walking to the car late night on a desolate street when across the way five black youths, who were not happy, yelled "I'm going kick the ass of the first white person I see". Being drunk, I said, "whoa, whoa, now" and they jogged across the street to greet me. One asked, "Who did you go for" and I honestly replied with conviction, "UNLV", which was true. Anyway we walked and chatted a bit, they asked me how the fuck UNLV lost and I had no clue, and parted amigos. My parting words were, "be careful". With the wisdom of age, I've sometimes wondered how lucky I was that night.../csb