The 2024 Adventures of Drago and Co. – Degen Gambooool with Bourbon and + EV on Sigma Derby

Prologue

Konichiwa B&%ches!

Gents. Comrades. Fellow Degens and Vegas trip goers. We are back. Exactly 11 years later to the day. I know. I know. It’s been a while. Well, sometimes you must grow up. The transition into being awesome parents with numerous kids, great spouses, focusing on work and in my case running a company and handling a significant litigation desk has quite frankly made me avoid complete debauchery. But we all know that we don’t lose this “feeling” and that it’s deep in our core. Degeneracy, debauchery and overall stupidity is ready to rip out of our guts like the creature in Alien. It’s time and what better time than celebrating my niece’s 21st birthday weekend and a trip with many of my family members. This will be another live trip report with some familiar characters, lots of newbies and even my 70-year-old parents this time. Don’t worry. Parents rage just as hard as their sons.

Drago the Gambling Elf will be alive. All we can say is three words - Strap in Boys! For those new to our debauchery, please find our original trip report here:

https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/108/l...

This previous TR will provide you with some background. However, updated information is needed to provide the proper introduction to this year’s trip.

Most of the group is coming this Thursday (5/30) and staying through Monday (6/2). I will be arriving first thing Thursday morning and playing a round at TPC Summerlin before most everyone arrives Thursday late afternoon and evening. I handful of us will also be playing golf at Cascata on Saturday morning, which is a course I’ve been wanting to play for some time. Can’t wait for that track! Friday and Saturday will also be pool days with cabanas at Mandalay Bay. I also plan on checking out Dead & Co. at the Sphere given that prices have tumbled well below face value. I’m no Deadhead, but I’ve always enjoyed the band and you can’t beat $75 ticket prices to just check out the Sphere experience. Mumph and I will be staying at Delano this trip to be closer to everyone else staying at Mandalay Bay. It’s been a long time since I’ve stayed south strip, so I’m looking forward to a little change away from the Mirage.

Goals for this trip? Who knows? Obviously, lots of gamboooool, lots of boozing beyond what we’ve been able to do in years past. T.I. in his album “Paper Trail” intros with the song 56 bars. We will surpass that number and hopefully hit the Lemieux (66) while drinking a Molson at Bar Canada at the D. We do need to hit Sigma Derby while at the D, along with saying goodbye to an old friend – The Mirage.

For me, much of my focus will be hanging out with my family and mostly my parents during the day. This may be one of the last trips our core family gets to take given my mom suffering from emphysema. Other than golf, there really is no plan other than the general norm consisting of pool days, lots of table games, periodic late-night poker, keno, video poker and lots and lots of pictures for you all.

One quick shoutout before we get started. The title in part is a nod and credit to Golddog, who in our original TR suggested that we take the “Adventures of Drago” to new levels. Golddog, here we F-ING GO!

Here is a breakdown of the crew this trip:

Birthday Niece a/k/a “Trash Panda (TP)- Wow. She’s 21. Man I’m old. But finally I can drink with her legally. She’s not a rookie to Vegas, but now no need to be avoiding the men in suits and actually gamboooool. This is something I’ve been waiting for. I cannot wait to teach her the ways of true Expected Drinking Value (EDV) in Vegas and rage table games with her. Let’s see how long she can last each night. I specifically cannot wait to pound drinks at the Keno lounge and provide her true Vegas debauchery right of passage. Get your tickets in!

Baby Brown (BB) – Younger brother. Update from last report. This idiot decided to finally get married and even worse, have a kid. Life over. Ha. Just kidding. This is all in jest, as this man needs a weekend away more than any of us. He needs tons of booze, tons of gamboooool and quite frankly a weekend to be reminded of what a true hangover in your early 40’s feels like.

The Naked Fish (TNF) – My older brother. A newcomer to this crew. However, he is no rookie when it comes to Vegas. He’s the original degen, mostly with booze more than anything else. TNF is the older brother of both BB and me. He’s the master of drinking in Vegas for 20 hours straight and has been doing it for the past 30 years. I’ve learned everything about true debauchery thanks to him. Call him the grand poobah…..maybe. Or just call him the bottle handler. He’s literally known to duct tape bottles of tequila to his hand while walking the strip. Also, he loves his iPhone so I can only imagine the extra “liveness” he’ll bring to this report. Root for the Fish. Just pray for him too.

Dancing Goalie (DG) – Wife of TNF. She is also a veteran of Vegas debauchery. She drinks quite often, mostly just to keep up with TNF. The problem is that while she magically does not pass out, she falls quite often. Faster than ED-209 going down a staircase in Robocop. She’s awesome and can’t wait to hang out with her in Vegas.

Old Dirty Bastard (ODB) – This is our old man. Also, no rookie to Vegas, but generally a noob when it comes to the amount of alcohol consumption he is about to see and endure. Quite frankly I’m partially scared of him seeing what is about to take place. An education of how his boys’ party may be just what he needs as he approaches full retirement. Brilliant man, nuclear physicist and I’m really looking forward to spending time with him and my brothers. He does have the old man affinity to just “stare.” We’ll capture it in the live feed. Hence the name. You’ll see.

Slot Scooter Mom (SSM) - My mom is adorable. She’s happy with a class of Coke and a slot machine. Degen in a scooter and she’s looking forward to hanging out in air conditioning and with her boys. I plan on spending a substantial increase in slot play this trip, just so I can hang out with my mom. Who knows. Maybe we can get her to hit a jackpot.

The NJ Cousins: MB, EL, DB and RB – More newcomers. For this intro, I’ll group all four of them together, even though each are awesome in their own way. These are cousins from Jersey who are troopers for making the trip out. All have experienced Vegas and we have been there together previously. However, nothing like this type of trip. This too will be an added fun element for ODB, TNF, BB and myself. Love my cousins and can’t wait to show them the real Vegas. Hoping that they will be contributors as well to the live TR.

Mumph – my partner in crime. He’s always my right hand degen and I can’t wait for our drunken stupidity together. Now a man of two kiddos, we often don’t get to party as much as we used to, especially since he now lives in SLC. Really looking forward to our 15 hours a day of gambooool together. Can you say bucket of bud lights? Mumph is on it. Can you say “WAITRESS” at the Keno room at Bally’s? Mumph is completely on it.

Lawzag/Me - While I have been to Vegas numerous times over the past several years, nothing like a trip like this. Sometimes there for work, which totally sucks in my opinion. It’s hard to be a degen when I must be around my clients, vendors, etc. Mumph and I have been lucky enough the past couple of years to come into town to watch the PGA event at the Shriners tournament as well. But again, the limitations of real life have prevented us from going all out. Still married but with three boys now, along with running my own business. So, now is the time to take full advantage of what this weekend is giving us. Drago the Gambling Elf is ready to make a reappearance. Tums will be packed. Pedialyte and Liquid IV packets will be available in gallons. (Of note, I’m happy to be an official sponsor of either of those products if any of you out there have any connections.) Cash officially in hand. Time to go be Ted Stryker and work on my drinking problem. 😀

Lots of pics with short narratives to come. Stay tuned.

Boom goes the Dynamite! You will not be disappointed.