First-ever ‘Florida Man Games’ pokes fun at notorious headlines

A one-of-a-kind competition set to hit the Sunshine State next year will pit beer-loving and gator-wrestling-types against one another in what is billed as “the most insane athletic showdown on Earth.”

“The Florida Man Games™ is where the bizarre meets brawn and sanity is optional! This isn’t just a competition; it’s a one-of-a-kind Floridian spectacle!” organizers said on the games’ website.

The first-ever Florida Man Games will feature nine bizarre competitions that are inspired by the eponymous headlines involving guns, drugs, crime booze and reptiles — or some combination of the five.

The unique contests include an “evading arrest obstacle course” in which players jump over fences, through backyards and escape from actual police officers, and a “Category 5 Cash Grab” where participants try to yank as much money in a wind-blowing booth.

A “best” mullet contest is also featured in the itinerary, as well as the self-explanatory beer-belly wrestling.

The evening will finish off with police officers and firefighters battling it out in a “911 Fight Night, Brawl of the Badges.”

The fun isn’t limited to participants, however: attendees will have the opportunity to take selfies with alligators, take part in a barbeque contest and experience other “cultural demonstrations.”

The Florida Man Games was dreamt up by Pete Melfi, who owns The 904 Now, a media outlet covering St. Johns County.

Melfi originally envisioned a “0.5K Beer Run” before brainstorming a way to play with the Florida Man headlines that have become a social media phenomenon.

“We thought, ‘How can we really play on these Florida Man headlines that we hear so much about?’ Someone gave me the idea to make it into an athletic competition,” Melfi told the Orlando Sentinel.

“It’s going to be a wild day of mud games and Florida-style obstacle courses. It’s going to really be an opportunity to live that Florida Man life for a day.”

Melfi and his team are in the midst of seeking contestants to represent different cities around Florida.

Interested parties are required to submit a video of themselves for consideration.

“We’re picking whoever has the wildest, craziest Florida Man videos,” Melfi told the outlet.

“We got a guy who sent us a video of him pulling an alligator out of a lake. You don’t have to go that far; please don’t put your life at risk

The first-ever Florida Man Games are slated for Feb. 24 in St. Augustine.

With Post Wires