In the first (and quite possibly last) installment of a continuing (maybe) series of undiscovered bar games, we present a new game for the watering hole sportsman:

Name: Punch Polo.
Creators: Creative Loafing Account Execs Anthony Carbone and Allison Currey.
Moniker Engineer: Sales Manager James Howard.
Punch_polo_1Inspiration: “Punch Buggy” (aka "Slug Bug").
Prerequisites: Several alcoholic beverages; the willingness to mock others (loudly) in public.
The Objective: Spot people wearing ubiquitous “Polo”-style collared shirts; announce the presence of said outerwear to the group before it’s spotted by a fellow competitor.

Rules of Play: Once the fashion maven is in your sights, yell as loudly as possible (without getting your ass kicked): “Punch Polo Blue on that fat middle-aged bastard!”

If the winner: Gently punch someone else at the table in the arm, hoot and holler, exchange high-fives. If the loser: Act excited for the winner while scanning the room for an as-yet-unseen Polo.
Alternate Playing Style: Rather than point out everyone in a Polo-style colored shirt, only point out truly garish offenders. “Punch Polo Salmon!” “Punch Polo Izod Green with Blue Dots!” “Punch Polo Aqua With No Sleeves!”
Winning The Game: As in life, there is (as of yet) no foolproof way to judge the winner from the losers. You could keep an official tally, but the alcohol (see: Prerequisites) should have impaired your ability to count accurately. The good sportsman knows it’s not about winning and losing; it’s about how you play the game.

Cross-posted to The Smorg.

This article appears in Jan 10-16, 2007.