Press

10/13/08: www.ILoveBeerPong.net talks about UMDBeerPong.com's WSOBP Satellite Tournament:

Beer pong is back in season at UMD

October 13th, 2008 Posted in beer pong, college, tournaments

undefined The University of Maryland pongs hard.

Over 100 contestants showed up to compete in a World Series of Beer Pong qualifying tournament, sponsored by UMDBeerPong.com and held at Thirsty Turtle in College Park, MD.

Eventual winners Sean Foster and Shawn O’Hare won an all expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas to compete in the World Series of Beer Pong in January. At the WSOBP, the two will have a chance at winning $50,000.

Read the complete coverage from its source here.

10/13/08: College OTR blog discusses the WSOBP tournament.

UMD's Thirsty Turtle Holds World Series Qualifying Tourny

Posted by broseph 10/13/2008 2:05 PM

Tags: college park, pong, tournament, drinking, beer pong, thirsty turtle las vegas world series

And we're not talkin' baseball here. This is college, we're talking beer pong. I've heard of the World Series of Beer Pong before, but this year it really seems to be expanding. According to an article by the Diamondback, there were over 100 poeple, making up 54 teams, at Turtle this past Saturday to participate in the qualifying tournament.

Now what is this World Series all about? Well, it is held in Las Vegas in January. Last year there were almost 300 entries in the World Series and this year more are expected. Winner takes home a $50,000 prize.

Pretty sweet. The winning duo, dubbed Shawn2, took home the $1000 prize (paid entry to the World Series plus hotel reservations) for Thirsty Turtle's qualifying tournament. What I'd like to know is what exactly they mean when they say "we have been playing together on and off for about three years now." Does that translate to - we play beer pong most weekends like every other college student and we're usually partners except for the occasion when one of us is playing flip cup, doing a keg stand, or hitting on some girl which, in turn, forces the other one to play with a different partner or by himself?

Also, I think the option of playing with water instead of alcohol really compromises the integrity of the game. Half of the battle is being able to endure the dizzy, drunken doldrums of alcoholic embibement. Letting players use water as an option drowns out half of the challenge.

I do have another question to pose. Say the World Series of Beer Pong really does catch on and blows up like the World Series of Poker, are they going to put an age limit on entrance and if not, at what age does it become sad to enter?

That being said, let's go Shawn2! Bring home that trophy to College Park!

Trying to get in on this action? Look out for more qualifying tournaments here.

Click here for more on UMDBeerPong.

Click here for more on the World Series of Beer Pong... they've got a counter until the WSOBP, 80 days...

10/13/08: The Diamondback has written another article about UMDBeerPong.com and the recent World Series of Beer Pong Satellite Tournament in College Park that was help on October 11, 2008. Here is a glimpse of the article:

Taking drinks and making shots

By: Ben Worsley

Posted: 10/13/08

More than 100 people gathered at Thirsty Turtle Saturday afternoon to participate in a qualifying tournament for the World Series of Beer Pong.

Students and non-students alike played on 16 tables set up throughout the first floor of the bar. While good sportsmanship was on display throughout most of the day, a sense of fierce competition hung in the air as the double-elimination tournament, which started at about 1 p.m. and concluded around 6 p.m., weeded 54 teams down to a final champion.

The College Park World Series of Beer Pong Satellite Tournament, hosted by UMDBeerPong.com, was one of the northeast and mid-Atlantic region's qualifying tournaments for the fourth World Series of Beer Pong, which will be played in Las Vegas in January.

The eventual winners, Shawn2, made up of university alumnus Sean Foster and Anne Arundel Community College student Shawn O'Hare, were awarded with a paid entry and hotel stay for the World Series tournament, valued at $1,000, where they will have a chance to win $50,000.

The teammates have quite a history of playing together, they said, but not in many organized competitions, although they did win a trip to Jamaica for a tournament last year.

"We have been playing together on and off for about three years now," O'Hare said. "This is one of our first tournaments."

Stevenson University senior Cory Ditzel, who said he came from Baltimore to College Park for the tournament, finished in fifth place with his team, Redonkulous.

"I play whenever I can, in leagues and tournaments," he said. "Of course I'm disappointed."

The atmosphere grew noticeably tenser as the day progressed. By the championship game, fists were pumping and players were enthusiastically shouting with each cup hit.

"It definitely gets more heated toward the end," Ditzel remarked.

While it was a beer pong tournament, most of the teams were using water in place of alcohol.

Garrett Lang, a Maryland alumnus and founder of UMDBeerPong.com, said he was very pleased with the turnout for the event and competitive nature of the games.

"It's definitely really intense," he said. "These guys take it seriously."

Lang anchored the day's matches, calling out for teams to play at certain tables and running the music that was playing in the bar throughout the day. He has also started a fall beer pong league that holds its games every Tuesday night at Thirsty Turtle.

Lang mentioned he is happy with the overall progress of the game, which he considers more of a sport than a form of competitive drinking. His fall league is made up of 27 teams, 10 more than the league he hosted last summer.

He said College Park's beer pong events, including the fall league and the World Series satellite tournament, are drawing bigger crowds than ever before.

O'Hare and Foster, who got to keep a giant bracket of the tournament for their winning efforts, said they had a few close calls during their championship run on Saturday. However, they mentioned that they only had one game go into overtime.

They seemed more than ready for the January tournament in Las Vegas, proposing a challenge to any additional opponents. Last year, there were about 300 teams in the World Series, Lang said, and more are anticipated this year.

"We'll welcome more competition," both teammates said.

worsleydbk@gmail.com

For the complete article go to the source HERE

9/22/08: DC Metromix, a site that highlights nightlife in the Washington, DC area is covering the College Park Fall 2008 Beer Pong League. Check out the full article here: Beer Pong League.

Drinking sport is in full swing this season

By Andrew Smith

The saying, “heroes are made one cup at a time” really comes into play in the College Park Beer Pong League at the Thirsty Turtle. Every Tuesday, teams gather in the upstairs bar and test their skills against the most enthusiastic players of the game.

The league was created by Garrett Lang, founder of www.UMDBeerPong.com, and the league follows the official state rules for beer pong. Teams are not forced to drink beer, and most teams actually fill up their ten cups with water. Don’t get the wrong idea; this is not a sober event. Mixed drinks and pitchers of beer line the sides of each table. With the ping pong balls rolling all over the bar floor, teams seem to find it better to drink on the side and not from a cup that the ball has landed in.

For the most part, the league is casual and laid back. Teams walk around and challenge other teams or call for the winners of a certain table. Aside from a few teams that truly live the leagues motto, “It’s not a game, it’s a way of life,” everyone is chill. Most are there to have fun and drink some cheap beer. Of course, as the night goes on, even the most relaxed team can get a little rowdy. But no matter what the outcome of the game, teams always shake hands and congratulate each other on a game well played.

The league is great way to meet new people and enjoy some friendly competition. Whether you’re the future champion of the state, or even if you’re just someone looking to take their game to the next level, beer pong leagues are the next evolution in the classic drinking game. The last day to sign up is Sept. 30, so if you have dreams of becoming a beer pong champ (your mother would be so proud) then get your butt down to Thirsty Turtle.

9/12/08: The Diamondback, University of Maryland's school newspaper write an article on UMDBeerPong.com and the upcoming Fall 2008 College Park Beer Pong Leauge.

"But for those who have hoped to show their skills at a more organized competition, the wait is over. This Tuesday, beer pong takes a step toward sport with the College Park Fall 2008 Beer Pong League, one of several affiliated with the statewide Maryland Beer Pong league.

Garrett Lang, the founder of UMDBeerPong.com and organizer of the upcoming league, ran a 17-team league this past summer in College Park said he's expecting at least 30 teams for the upcoming competition. The entry fee is $35 per person, and teams of two are required. The fee comes to about $4.38 per week, less than typical cover to get into the bars, said Lang, a university alumnus.

The games will run from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. every Tuesday until Nov. 4, when a championship tournament will be held. Depending on the amount of money that comes in from the players, cash prizes will be awarded to the top teams. Lang said the league gave away $500 during the summer, and he is hoping to give out at least $1,000 this fall.

On Oct. 11, the Thirsty Turtle will also play host to a World Series of Beer Pong satellite tournament, one of a few locations on the East Coast. Lang said a 64-team tournament will be organized, and games will run all day. The winner receives a free trip to Las Vegas for the World Series of Beer Pong, which will take place from Jan. 1 to 5."

Click Here to Read the whole Article

9/12/08: MDBeerPong.com does a press release on the Diamondback article:

"Check out this beer pong article in the Diamondback, the University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper. Garrett Lang and Justin Davidson are quoted in the article. Enjoy!"

Click Here to Read the Press Release and other Beer Pong News in the state of Maryland