By: Jeff Barnes
It’s the morning after Saint Patrick’s Day and if you’re anything like me, you’ve already sworn to yourself you’re never drinking again. But it’s also Friday, which means by the end of the day the pong table will be calling your name and you’ll be back on the horse in no time. Not to mention, today also marks the first edition of the “Friday Rebuttal” and March Madness is in full swing. Things could be worse.
But if your name is Brian “Lucky the Leprechaun” Thomas, things couldn’t be better. You may remember Lucky from his exhibition match against former Playmate of the Month, Laura Croft, at this past year’s World Series of Beer Pong®. In a rematch from last Saint Patrick’s Day, this time he faced off against the gorgeous Holly Madison yesterday at O’Sheas Casino. In case you didn’t know, Holly is the star of her own reality show Holly’s World, as well as Planet Hollywood’s Peepshow. Lucky may have lost the game, but still came out on top by dragging it out for 30 minutes. I guess some guys have all the luck. Holly, I’m not sure if you are looking for a partner for this year’s WSOBP, but if so I will gladly play with you. Let me know.
Since most of us weren’t fortunate enough to spend yesterday hanging out with Playboy models, we had to settle for the next best thing: the first day of March Madness. Most people consider March Madness the greatest spectacle in all of sports, and it’s hard to argue. Have you ever noticed, though, how many things March Madness and The World Series of Beer Pong have in common? For one, you’ve got players from all over the country (and the world) competing for the chance to be crowned the champion at the end of a grueling tournament. You’ve got your proven teams and your Cinderella stories, your fan favorites and the teams that people love to cheer against. You’ve also got the teams there to win it, and the others just happy to be there. One big difference, however, is that the Duke players actually fit into their jerseys. Sorry Kessler.
And just like in the NCAA tournament, The World Series of Beer Pong marks the first time that many of the players have experienced the feeling of playing in the spotlight on the grand stage. But things are definitely changing. Once upon a time, the annual meeting in Vegas was the only chance that a lot of players had to see talent from all across the country. But with lucrative tournaments and large cash prizes now popping up almost every other week, more and more players now travel throughout the year to play in tournaments around the country.
Now, with advances in technology, beer pong players don’t need to wait for major tournaments to square off against the world’s best. Thanks to Skype, all someone needs is a free account and a webcam and games can be had any time of day or night. Although its origin is unknown, beer pong scholars maintain the concept was popularized by Nick “The guy who won the first World Series of Beer Pong” Velissaris. Intended as a way to practice for The World Series of Beer Pong this past December, the concept grew from a 16-person tournament to an international chat room with dozens of players from around the world. I’m not sure if there have been any “strip beer pong” games via Skype yet, but when it happens I am calling dibs on first game against Haydée Djinn.
Another big difference is that while March Madness symbolizes the end of the college basketball season, spring marks the beginning of the competitive pong season. Although The WSOBP may be the main event, plenty of major tournaments are already on the horizon to tide us over until. The Best of the West and the Beast of the East are happening the same weekend in May, with the NorCal team looking to defend its title in Arizona and Mike Farley’s New Jersey War Machine looking to defend its title in New Jersey. Let’s hope for his team’s sake he improves on his 4/17 shooting at a recent tournament.
For the other folks in the middle, the Drunken Bear $10K next month will be the largest tournament ever held in the Midwest. Not only will this tournament showcase some of the best players in the Midwest, including the reigning WSOBP champions, but many of the country’s top players will also be in attendance, not to mention a few surprising and unlikely pairings.
After those well known events and in the midst of many Satellite™ tournaments, there's the first-ever Ron Hamilton $10K tournament. Unfortunately, Ron was too busy counting down his remaining hours at work and was unable to provide the specifics of his tournament. But I can assure you, it will be amazing. [Editor's note: BPONG.COM™ does not have any information that suggests (if and) when this tournament will take place and whether it will be good or bad.]
As the field of 64 starts to dwindle down this weekend, beer pong players from around the world will be looking to punch their ticket to the Big Dance. With at least two dozen WSOBP VII™ Satellite™ Tournament Winners already on the books (including some females, too) it’s never too early to get started. Whether you’re a basketball fan, a beer pong fan, Lucky the Leprechaun, or all three, there’s nothing like March Madness and nothing as exciting as The World Series of Beer Pong.
