Florida Man Games, a spoof sporting event that pokes fun at the state’s reputation for bizarre stories, took place in St. Augustine with several thousand attendees cheering on a dozen teams. The event featured contests inspired by real events from Florida, such as wrestling sumo-style with pitchers of beer and evading sheriff’s deputies while navigating obstacles.
One participant, Larry Donnelly, expressed his disregard for self-preservation and shared his military experience in alligator wrestling to prepare for the games. Organizer Pete Melfi expected over 5,000 spectators to join the fun, offering them a taste of the Florida Man lifestyle without the risk of ending up in a cop car.
The Florida Man phenomenon, popularized by a Twitter account highlighting outrageous news headlines from the state, has become ingrained in American culture. Florida’s reputation for strangeness is deeply rooted, with author Craig Pittman noting that the state’s first flag bore the motto “Let Us Alone.”
Teams like the Cooter Commandos, who promoted the event on social media and created custom merchandise, embraced the absurdity of the Florida Man Games. Despite the humorous nature of the event, participants like Joshua Barr took their participation seriously, viewing it as an opportunity to be a part of the joke surrounding Florida’s reputation for odd and outlandish behavior.
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Photo credit apnews.com
