The Conspiracy, Part 8: Persistence

"Stop staring at me!"

The voice was unmistakable--it was the panic that sounded out of place.

"Tell me", I whispered--admittedly, it was kind of creepy.

"No!"

I persisted, the voice, a little louder.  "Tell me now!"

"No, LEAVE ME ALONE!"

I had never seen or heard Chewy like this.  This was too good to pass up.

The Conspiracy, Part 7: The Bottom Of It

Another loud roar from the living room.

As I tried to get work done on Saturday night, I couldn't concentrate.  For some reason, there were a number of controlled explosions coming from the vicinity of the new television set.  I was jealous that others were getting a chance to enjoy the new fruit of my labors but work had to be done.

Still, I couldn't figure out why everyone was so into whatever was going on.  The Stanley Cup playoffs had not started yet.  No NBA playoffs.  My family isn't into the Minnesota high school scene for basketball or hockey.  Hell, my family could usually care less about sports unless it was Nate and the Golden State Warriors or Danielle and the Twins.

"Go Gonzaga!"

The Conspiracy, Part 6: Leaving Las Vegas

The plane started to rumble again.

Uggh.  I hate flying.

As I squirmed in my seat, my Dad looked over.

"You know, I could fall asleep if you would stop grabbing the seat in front of you."

And I could sleep if the plane would just land.

"Why are you so jumpy today?"

"Today?  I'm always this way on a plane."

The Conspiracy, Part 5: Vegas

Not again.

I looked at the machine.  Then I looked at my beer.  The beer was full.  In fact, it was my first one of the day.  And at my age, you don't start drinking in Vegas until at least lunchtime.

But the machine was my concern.

You wouldn't expect someone to be concerned about a video poker machine that was displaying a royal flush.  But the fact that it was the third one of the weekend, brought me pause.  Like maybe I was passed out in my hotel room and this had all been a dream.

Why Not Gonzaga?

Welcome to the annual exercise that needlessly occupies a lot of people's time, creates frivolous rivalries, and makes otherwise calm individuals start raving lunatics.

Yup, it's Gonzaga-bashing time.

The once perennially-loved Cinderella of the March Madness phenomena has now become a pariah. 

Can't win the big one.  Doesn't play anyone.  Overrated.   In 2013 when Gonzaga received the school's first ever #1 seed in the Big Dance, they were the fashionable pick to be the first #1 seed to lose in the first round.  They fed those naysayers by only beating #16 Southern by 6.