Florida Man Games Launch, Poke Fun at Sunshine State's Infamous Reputation
The Florida Man Games have finally kicked off in St. Augustine, north of Miami. Its games include "evading arrest obstacle course" and "Florida Sumo." Many have described the games as sort of "like the Olympics" but a lot more... well, Florida.
The Miami Herald described the games as "a sort-of Olympics, except with spectacularly dumb events contested by people who are not athletes but like to drink beer... while competing." The outlet even admitted that the organizers might take that description of theirs as a compliment.
The "athletes" participating in these games are as Florida as they come, with many sporting mullets, and some were even drinking beer while competing. There were also some side events, like an opportunity to take selfie photos with an alligator because Florida, as well as a bingo game decided by two chickens. Just another day in Florida.
Pete Melfi, who owns The 904 Now, a media outlet that covers St. Johns County and a resident of St. Augustine, founded the event as a sort of self-parody of the Sunshine State and its infamous denizens known as Florida Man.
"We thought, 'How can we really play on these Florida Man headlines that we hear so much about?" he told the Miami Herald. "Someone gave me the idea to make it into an athletic competition. It's an opportunity to live that Florida Man life for a day. We understand that Florida is weird. We embrace it."
The most notable games include that infamous obstacle race where competitors have to run and evade actual uniformed cops, as well as a pork butt eating contest, the "weaponized pool noodle mud duel," wind tunnel cash grab, and "Florida Sumo," which is basically sumo wrestling while holding a pitcher of beer. There also seemed to be a contest with men pulling a U-Haul trailer against the clock.
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How Do the Florida Man Games Work?
In the Florida Man Games, competitors are split between different teams, and each event won adds to that team's points. The team with the most points are awarded $5,000.
There were also celebrity guests who participated in the Florida Man Games as referees, including "American Gladiator" alumni like Dan "Nitro" Clark and Lori "Ice" Fetrick. Meanwhile, TikTok star OMGITSWICKS served as the event's host, according to UPI.
Florida Man Games Results
The first event was the Pork Butt eating contest, with James Gordon of DeLand, Florida winning it in a close one before chugging down some beer in celebration.
Another event, the "weaponized pool noodle mud duel," featured a man who trained while riding a bike around the neighborhood with another bike strapped to his back. That man's name was Larry Donnelly, and he won that event.
According to the Associated Press, watching these games was not free, either, as each ticket cost $45. Many traveled miles just to see these games and pay money to do so, with one of them saying that they traveled 180 miles "to watch stupidity occur on the grandest, most spectacular scale."
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Florida Man Games showcases skill in police evasion and mechanical alligators - NBC News
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