If you are serious about the sport of beer pong you already know the name Mike “Pops” Popielarski. He’s one half of Smashing Time, better known as the team that has won $50,000 at the WSOBP in back to back years. We sat down with Mike earlier this week to find out what’s on his mind after winning beer pong richest tournament. Here’s what he had to say…

BPN - Without winning back-to-back WSOBP’s what would Mike Popielarski be doing today?

Pops - I am pretty sure I would be working some dead end job if any since the economy is so terrible right now. So winning these major tournaments came at a good time.

BPN - Other than Smashing Time, who is the best beer pong team in the nation, in your opinion?

Pops - In my honest opinion I see quite a few newly formed teams like Kessler and Deep, Foster and Austin, and a few Cali teams that all are great teams. They just need to play together more or play more big tourneys to fully gel and find that game winning format. As far as another team with big tourney experience and playing together efficiently as of right now I’d say Twig and Radesco, if they only lived in the same state they’d be that much harder to beat. There should be more great teams that play together over the years, but I see a lot of best players in there state not playing together for whatever reason.

BPN - Who is the better beer pong player, you or Ron?

Pops - I think after all the tournaments we have played we have come to realize who plays what role. In terms of consistency, that’s where I have the edge, I hit at a high percentage and give Ron those big shots. Ron’s a big shot maker, set him up and watch him shine. Ron’s edge is also in defense, getting in people’s heads or making it just a little bit harder to hit that cup. Nobody does it better than Ron does and with all the competition you need that little edge because everyone at these events can smash cups.

BPN - What does your 2010 tournament schedule look like? Anything you are looking forward to?

Pops - I always look forward to touring parts of the world and playing all different people, challenging myself. It’s crazy that beer pong enables me to go all over the place for free basically meet new people, see new places I wouldn’t be without beer pong. I enjoy that I get the privilege to play with some of the best players in the world at all different events. Beast of the East is coming up always a fun time, and apparently I gotta go back to SCBP open and place higher.

BPN - What does the future hold for the sport of beer pong?

Pops - Hopefully television, endorsements, movies, and ESPN. Some of the games I see like pool, bowling, darts, and scrabble are all on ESPN and there not nearly as entertaining or intense as the way we play beer pong.

BPN - In 10yrs how big should the WSOBP grand prize be? And will you still be playing?

Pops - In 10 years I would say the pot could be around $250, 000 (a million would be nice if we ever fix our economy). I can’t exactly say where my life will take me in 10 years, but I will say the H.O.G.S aka hot old guys from Maryland definitely give me a little drive to be playing when I get older. They go out have fun with it and I respect that.

BPN - What is the coolest thing that winning back-to-back championships at the WSOBP has enabled you to do?

Pops - I would say just getting my “15 minutes of fame” and extending it just a little longer. Doing interviews, radio shows like Jay Thomas and DJ Whoo Kid’s shade 45 show. I mean we made ESPN the Magazine and TIME Magazine how many people can say they have done that. It’s nice going out having people recognize and congratulating you.

BPN - Anything you would change about the WSOBP or their rules?

Pops - That only smashing time gets shoot till you miss, but we know that won’t happen. I am still really impressed that Billy, Duncan, and Skinny were able to put together such well thought out rules before beer pong was anything and I was still playing elbow rules on a 6 foot tables.

BPN - Do you believe in the theory that you are better at beer pong when you are drunk?

Pops - I am totally against that theory. Being drunk impairs everything that you can do. I think that statement is totally misused. Drinking can calm peoples nerves, make them think less about how big of a game they are playing, but it no way does it make you shoot better. I can play dead sober if I drive myself to a tournament or drunk it shouldn’t matter.

BPN - Is beer pong a sport?

Pops - I would say now that you can see a team win 3 major tournaments with so much competition and teams, that this should definitely be considered a sport. The outside world just thinks it’s a bunch of drunks throwing a ball around, but when you see same teams doing well u know there has to be some talent involved.

BPN - What is your take on the “elbow rule?” Do you play in tournaments that use it?

Pops - I think everyone in my age bracket started with elbow rules. I do just as well and hit the same cups as if I were allowed to lean. When you can shoot you can shoot. The house party kids that complain they are more talented than me because I lean can test me anytime, all I see from these kinds of people is them just chucking up the ball hitting all random cups. They lose to me and still complain I’m taller so I’m done with those kids, always causes a fight. If the money is there I will play any rules. When I was a new player starting from elbow rules I heard about the WSOBP and there $20k prize and I said ok let me go learn those rules also.

BPN - So what exactly went down with you and Ron in the months leading up to the 2010 WSOBP? You guys were partners, then not, and then partners again…. What was up with that?

Pops - I personally was not happy with Ron’s decision to not play beer pong at all since we won the AC tournament. He left me playing with different people all year long and if he heard about something with a big prize he’d want to just step in after not playing for all that time. I took that as greed, not willing to put the hours in for us to be in a position to win but wanting the rewards of the game. I suggested he play in some tourneys with a partner were he can shoot all shots as I was doing and we’d be our own competition, which is what we were when I started playing. I figured who’s our best competition but ourselves, but Ron just wanted the money. Aside from the money I enjoy being a recognized champion and did not want to play with someone who didn’t have the same goals.

BPN - If you had to guess, how much money have you made off the game of beer pong?

Pops - Well we already know between WSOBP IV, WBPT, and WSOBP V, that’s $125k to split. And the rest is a mystery but we have done quite well in the 4 years I have been playing.

BPN - How much have you lost?

Pops - I can’t say I’ve lost anything. I haven’t lost any big cash games that I haven’t won back. And if I lose and tourney on a 10 or 25 dollar buy in I can always win the following week. So for me and a lot of the elite players it’s all profit since we win more than we lose.

BPN - Any announcements you’d like to make? Any big things in the works for 2010?

Pops - Well smashing time just started a Facebook fan page and will be editing the website that Ron made with his feet. And I would hopefully like to put out some beer pong t-shirt ideas with phrases that have become popular from playing these big events. And I hope 2010 brings some more TV and publicity through us to get beer pong out there and viewed as a sport. (So I promise I won’t let Ron speak).

Quick Fire Questions:

BPN - $50k per year Job or $50k per year playing beer pong?

Pops - The saying goes money won is sweeter than money earned, and it is 100% true. But some stability especially in today’s world would be best.

BPN - Tournaments or Cash Games?

Pops - Tournaments I haven’t seen a real cash game since 2006

BPN - Beer Pong or Beirut?

Pops - Beer pong

BPN - Best Beer for Beer Pong?

Pops - Natty would be fantastic, but I’ll stay with Bud Light.

BPN - Dream Job?

Pops - Now with me saying how some of the behind the scenes things work, some kind of sports agent or TV announcer.

BPN - Have you ever taken performance enhancing drugs?

Pops - If there is one that make you grow taller than I must have, I mean have you seen me. Ron might have though.

BPN - Worst Fear?

Pops - Most people think I would say Ron but definitely not. Breaking my right arm before the finals for a large prize. But I can play lefty so I’m prepared

BPN - Offense or Defense?

Pops - Offense

Enjoyed our interview with Pops? Then you’ll love the Ron Hamilton Interview.