Kickball Seattle-style

Yesterday I attended one of the nuttiest events I have ever witnessed in person. A park + body paint + a dunk tank filled with tang + silver hot pants can only = West Coast Kickball League's final games. The picture above is a team, Bartertown, that includes a couple of guys from my trivia team (Zach & Nate). Really? Fake mohawk? Fishnets with cut off jeans? ... why the fuck not?

Steph, Meg, Chad and I showed up during, what I think, was the first game. They play 5 innings and, from what I can tell, it's common courtesy to start drinking (and playing with said drink in your hard) if you're kicking the other team's ass.

I could have people watched all day. That's right, that guy is walking around in silver hot pants and a sequined fanny pack. People were BBQing, drinking openly in public, dogs were running without leashes and there was a giant orange yoga ball (seriously, it was about 5 feet tall). I don't think I have ever seen this many people (outside of Vegas, of course) so casually walking around in public in the most random and very interesting outfits.

Then there was the taunting...

So, I guess, protocol is to have a taunt preplanned and it somehow evolved into actual taunt wars where people had skits and props, spending thousands a year. There was one team that had a stereo system going announcing the "tauntanic" that was coming soon and was supposed to end all taunts. We heard this announcement every 15 minutes or so... It was either going to be awesome or stupid.

There was only one other skit, which somehow ended with a slip 'n slide and a kiddie pool (pictured). The tauntanic was next. It involved a secret tent that we all assumed would be the awesome ending (or at least punchline) to the skit, but it turned out to just have a disco ball and a bunch of people dancing. Looked expensive, but extremely disappointing.

Really, I couldn't have done any better. The most I have ever taunted is in Mario Party 7 where you can make your character taunt the others while it's their turn. I always play Toadette and she just says "mushroom" over and over again.