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MENSCH madness
Five friends. Seven cities. Twenty-five NCAA March Madness trips.
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escharf9
Jan 11, 202411 min read
2024 - Las Vegas (The Westgate Hotel)
Las Vegas 2024 This year it’s back to just me, Mark and Ezra and we’re back in Las Vegas for the first time since 2018 - the year I tore...
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escharf9
Jan 11, 20234 min read
2023 - New Orleans
Just got back from the latest - and I think one of the best - March Madness trips. This one was in New Orleans, and only the fourth time...
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escharf9
Jan 11, 20223 min read
2022 - Philadelphia
March Madness weekend in Philly. Mark picked up Ezra, then me at the airport and we drove in to our AirBnB on South Street. We walked up...
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escharf9
Jan 12, 20214 min read
2021 - Indianapolis
A bit stranger than usual - not only due to COVID, but I came up to Indy a few days early for Margo's YAGP (Young American Grand Prix)...
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escharf9
Jan 12, 20194 min read
2019 - Philadelphia
Another March Madness trip in the books. This one started a bit unconventionally for me - flew into LGA from Canada after two days of...
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escharf9
Jan 13, 20183 min read
2018 - Las Vegas (Caesar's Palace)
Okay, so somehow I don't have a record of this year in my journals, so I'm pulling this from memory. Unfortunately for me, this was one...
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escharf9
Jan 12, 20175 min read
2017 - Memphis
…Now I’m in Memphis chronicling our last March Madness trip. The drive down started slow, but the five hours flew by, especially after I...
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escharf9
Jan 22, 20163 min read
2016 - Louisville
Picked Mark up at the airport Thursday around noon and checked in at our hotel - Hampton Inn. We drove over to get some lunch at Troll...
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escharf9
Feb 16, 20154 min read
2015 - Las Vegas (Caeser's Palace)
Flying back from Vegas to Nashville after another great NCAA trip. We figured out that thi is the 17th year since we started. Does that...
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escharf9
Jan 20, 20144 min read
2014 - Las Vegas (Bellagio)
Just landed in Vegas and eagerly awaiting Mark’s arrival. Ezra comes in a few hours and we’ll kick off “Ezra’s Retirement Party Weekend”...
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escharf9
Feb 7, 20131 min read
2013 - Hmmmm.
This is another confounding one. I've always thought we only missed two year (2001 and 2004) due to personal conflicts, however, I have...
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escharf9
Feb 7, 20121 min read
2012 - Las Vegas ?
I have not found any record, photos or distinct memories of this trip, but I'm pretty sure it happened.
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escharf9
Jan 20, 20112 min read
2011 - New Orleans
I’m waiting to go to Baltimore for work and I realize I never wrote down the details of my New Orleans trip. It started with Ezra’s story...
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escharf9
Jan 20, 20104 min read
2010 - Uncasville (CT)
Flying home from another March Madness trip - only this time we didn’t go to Vegas. I flew into New York City on Thursday (I got up at...
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escharf9
Jan 19, 20093 min read
2009 - Indianapolis
Just got back from my weekend in Indy with Mark. The usual Vegas trip didn’t happen this year - Vegas burnout + no money + Ezra going to...
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escharf9
Jan 19, 20084 min read
2008 - Las Vegas (Flamingo)
Wow, what a trip! In all the years we’ve been doing this, we’ve never done as well as we did yesterday - we didn’t miss one bet - and...
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escharf9
Jan 19, 20073 min read
2007 - Las Vegas (Flamingo)
Got in late last night. Mark’s plane was delayed an hour so I sat and read and watched the crowds. We took a cab to the Flamingo and were...
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escharf9
Jan 19, 20063 min read
2006 - Las Vegas (The Stardust)
This year it’s me, Mark and Ezra. We’re staying at The Stardust, which is pretty much a pit (they’re tearing it down next year), but it...
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escharf9
Feb 2, 20035 min read
2000 - 2005
Ok, let me just start by saying this whole exercise of trying to remember each of these trips has been a struggle - and, in many ways, a...
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