As mentioned earlier this week, we are just about to enter my favorite time of the year — the three weeks of agony, ecstasy and glory called March Madness, which is a nickname for the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament.
Last year my roommate and I traveled to Las Vegas to bet on games and watch them in the MGM Grand sports book. It was fun even though I felt like the only guy in the massive crowd who didn't own the entire series of "Entourage" on DVD.
Two years ago, I pretty much camped out at a seat at the bar at the Dancing Bear Pub, which in retrospect was maybe more fun than watching the games in Vegas. And I certainly lost less money.
I learned something from all of that. When a thing is as much fun as the tourney, it's not necessary to dress it up with a bunch of other stuff. Give me a pint of beer and some friends and some basketball and perhaps an upset or two and that'll do me.
I'm sure everyone is aware that the Baylor Bears will open the tournament against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits tomorrow night at 6:30. That's right in the happy hour wheelhouse, folks.
My friends at the Dancing Bear have informed me that they will have the game in great big high-definition living color as they HD project it on their new screen in the pub. I happened in there last week during the Big 12 tournament and the picture is huge and sharp. There's likely to be a beer special like dollar off Texas beers, but I don't think that's been decided yet.
Shorty's Pizza Shack will have its usual Thursday night special going — $3 half pitchers — and 50 cents off pizza slices from 5 to 6 p.m., so showing up early to get a table before the game is double worth it.
Hooters properly celebrates the tournament with a National Hooky Days promotion going on through April 2. It includes a "doctor's note" (available on the Hooters website) that entitles the holder to a free appetizer during selected tournament games. BTW, I just discovered no one has ever reviewed Hooters on our site. I don't know whether to be proud or ashamed of you.
Buffalo Wild Wings has some sort of contest in which participants text in a daily code word to win "thousands of prizes" including dinner with Clark Kellogg. B-dubs also has a promotion called "More March," but as far as I can tell there's nothing involving free or discounted food or drinks.
And, as mentioned previously, the start of the Baylor game falls right during happy hour, so check our happy hour page for more ideas.
Honor the tournament by having fun.
Two more bites:Cafe Homestead sent us a reminder that there's three days left to register for their Italian Cuisine farm to table dinner coming up on Saturday. Click here for more information. ... There's still time to sign up for our WacoFork Bracket Challenge. Click here to go to the page. The password is whereyouwannaeat.
