 "Photo: Photo by Todd Barnes")
 "Photo: Photo by Todd Barnes")
 "Photo: Photo by Todd Barnes")
Red cups and pitchers of beer, coupled with resounding shouts of success or groans of disappointment, followed by a fuzzy haze of a hangover; these are the familiar sights and sounds of one of the most popular drinking games ever conceived, beer pong. The game has grown so much in the past years that now, if you are good enough – and can hold your beer – there is serious cash to be won.
Beer pongers from across the nation are anxiously awaiting the fourth World Series of Beer Pong, which is the largest and longest-running organized beer pong tournament in the world. It will be held at the Flamingo Hotel-Casino, in Las Vegas. According to the WSOBP official Web site, last year’s event attracted nearly 600 participants from 39 U.S. states as well as three Canadian provinces. The 2007 WSOBP had a $50,000 purse, which was the largest payout in beer pong history.
The entry fee to play in the tournament is $1000 per team. However, if potential "pong" players do not want to pay but think they have some decent ponging skills, competitors can win their way into the tournament by competing in any of the satellite tournaments being held throughout Orange County by Southern California Beer Pong and BarFinder.com, according to Tristan Anders, who works for BarFinder.com.
His organization is holding tournaments hoping to bring out the best beer pong players so that this year’s WSOPB championship winners will be from the West Coast. Bob Titchenell, owner of Barfinder.com, said, "We've been doing the tournaments in Southern California for a little over three years, and we've sponsored at least one team in the second, third and fourth WSOBP tournaments."
Aside from getting players into the WSOBP Barfinder also hosts tournaments around Southern California for regional competitions.
"The most recent competition was Thursday at the Players Lounge in Westminster." Official Beer Pong tables, cups, and balls were set up in the bar with teams lining up eager to show their game.
Stephen Saavedra, CSUF alumnus, from BarFinder.com expects the winner of this year’s WSOBP to be from Southern California.
“On the West Coast we have the sun, we have the beach and we drink. Throw beer pong in there and it’s a given,” Saavedra said. “We bring people together of like-minded states and we just have a good time.”
Many talented teams showed up to the tournament at the Players Lounge. Among them were participants from last year's WSOBP, "Team Flippy Biscuit," and members of "Team Kobe." "Team Kobe" has already earned their tickets to Vegas from other satellite tournaments.
Team "Taco or Burrito, What's in your Speedo?" was another one of the contenders in the tournament vying for the golden ticket to the finals. Although they remained competitive they were also there to have a good time. Dave Cheng, a 22-year-old UC Irvine Alumnus on the team said, "We had a lot of fun at the tournament and it was also nice considering there were a lot of cute girls. I like beer pong because you get to meet new people and be with your friends. I think they should make it an Olympic sport."
“The next beer pong tournament will be at Bobby McGee’s (in Brea) on Nov. 15," Saavedra said. "We’re looking at a large team tournament – at least 64 teams, and if you win, BarFinder is going to send you out to Vegas to play in the World Series for five days and four nights.”
Look at bob's form... perfect!! to bad brian handed them a couple hard losses.
see ya all in SD on the 2nd and in brea on the 15th.