Beer pong book, guide for champions

12/11/09 - Who says drinking and learning can't go hand in hand? Ben Applebaum and Dan Disorbo of collegestories.com and getbombed.com, respectively, have dispelled this notion with the publication of "The Book of Beer Pong: The Official Guide to the Sport of Champions."With its gold-leafed pages and faux-leather binding, it's clear from the get-go that Applebaum and Disorbo mean business. As they say in the opening of the book, "In the beginning there was the beer, and the beer was with pong, and the beer was pong. And it was good."

And good it was. This official guide to beer pong covers everything you ever wanted to know about beer pong and more, from the history of the "sport of champions" to how to get involved in leagues and beyond.

The authors even assert that beer pong is the most American of sports, noting that other sports such as lacrosse are missing the national appeal and tradition of drinking necessary for popularity in America. Beer pong, however, is still confined to America and combines entertainment, sport and consumption, the perfect trifecta of "American-ness."

However, even they admit that there are some times when playing beer pong might not be socially appropriate. Birthing process? Probably not the best time to rack up the beer cups. Funerals? Meh- but if they're Irish funerals, it's all good.

As the name implies, the authors of the book have settled the debate between "beirut" and "beer pong," settling on the simpler name for the sport. They cover every variation of this most American of sports known to man, including full-contact pong and strip pong, the latter of which is discouraged due to "[detracting] from the credibility the sport has established."

To show the legitimacy of the sport, Disorbo and Applebaum show readers new ball grip techniques, new flight paths and basic sport etiquette (including proper smack talk techniques, of course). They even include quotes from professional beer pong players. Yes, professional beer pong players do exist (if any of you are looking for a new career path in these tough economic times).

So if you're looking to perfect your game (they suggest the BEEER method), learn how to fix a dented ball using boiling water or a lighter, build your own beer pong table or learn some of the mysterious history surrounding the great game of beer pong, this may be the book for you.