Kings of Pong: Olivet students become Internet sensations

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

What would you do with 15 hours of free time, a ping pong ball, and a Taco Bell cup?

For a group of Olivet Nazarene University students, the answer was simple: create a three-and-a-half minute video that would make them overnight Internet sensations.

OK, maybe the guys - juniors David Anderson, Matt Compton, Steve "Steve O" Olson and Michael Schimp - didn't know how popular they would become. After all, the video was simply a series of shots of them throwing a ping pong ball into various cups.

And bouncing it off of furniture into a cup. And throwing it over bathroom stalls into a cup. And, well, you really should just watch the video.

Going viral
Already, the video has more than 310,000 views on YouTube alone.

Internet-wide, the group estimates their work has been viewed more than half a million times. It's been featured on web sites and blogs worldwide, including the New York Times web site, ESPN.com, and as a "Hot Click" on Sports Illustrated's web site.

"The number of views the video has produced is way past our expectations," Compton says. "Jokingly, when we put the video on YouTube we had stated that anywhere close to 10,000 views would just be outstanding."

They surpassed that previously daunting goal within two days.

Even though they now have fans across the world, some naysayers have questioned the authenticity of the tricks - claiming some of their shots must have been edited to go in the cup.

"I've found a good way to silence some critics is to tell them to click on HQ on the video and watch it in full screen - then it's tough to deny that it's real," says Olson.

"But some are just set on never believing you, no matter what you tell them, how many eyewitnesses they hear from, or how many original clips they see."

Wasted time
While some have questions about the video's authenticity, others wonder if maybe, just maybe, the guys should be a little more concerned with their schoolwork.

"All of us are good students," Olson assures. "Just speaking for myself, I got all A's and B's this semester."

And let's face it, wasting time during the late-night hours is a time-honored college tradition.

"Most of this footage was done late into the night after we had done our studying," Compton says. "While other kids were playing video games, we just happened to be filming our video."

Adds Olson, "Making the video was one of the most fun things we did all year. How could that be a waste of time?"

The guys have formed a tight-knit group since their freshman year with all of their extracurricular efforts, participating in a Bible study, competing in intramural sports, and taking canoeing and camping trips together.

As they've stepped out together recently, on campus and around town - the group has started to become recognized as "the pong guys."

"While it's nothing like being in a band or an actor, just those small recognitions make you feel like a celebrity," Compton says.

Even as they've enjoyed their new-found celebrity, they'll be back hitting the books - and perhaps a few more amazing pong shots - next fall.
--ONU
 

 

< back to Collegiate

next article >