Father and Son

On several occasions in the book I mention how people I have met in Las Vegas have come for March Madness annually for many years. On Saturday I watched nearly all of the games with terrific viewing companions from Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. I found out that four of the thousands who were in Las Vegas for the games this weekend were two father and son tandems. A brother and brother-in law and their respective dads were there for the 11th consecutive year. Sober and cerebral, funny and intelligent, it was a pleasure to watch the games with these folks. For these four, the first weekend of tournament games each year had become an opportunity not only to enjoy a feast of college basketball, but also an opportunity for them to reconnect and enjoy each others company. We discussed old Villanova teams, the nuances of parking at Logan airport, and of course the games we were viewing. As happens in these scenarios, viewing neighbors may find that they have different and sometimes opposing bets, but there is a genuine pulling for the newmade friends as each game winds down.