BoomTown Gets Ping-Ponged in Seattle by TechFlash

On my trip to Seattle this week to attend Microsoft’s Financial Analyst Meeting, the fine folks at the most excellent tech news site TechFlash dragooned me into a ping-pong tournament they were holding.

The Second Annual TechFlash Summer BBQ and Ping-Pong Tournament, held at the Showbox SoDo, is really a big schmoozefest for techies in the Pacific Northwest.

While a little more laid back–well, less frantic, at least–than the relentless glad-handing of Silicon Valley, it’s still the same promising start-ups, enthusiastic entrepreneurs, aggressive venture capitalists and a dousing of big company types from locals Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN) and RealNetworks (RNWK).

Except they have better coffee.

I made it through one round in the tourney, which is not that bad since I have not played ping pong for any length of time since I had braids.

(Yes, braids–and also matching ribbons. I try to erase the nightmare of it all every day.)

Here’s a video I did of the event, to which I am going back next year after some rigorous training.

I also added TechFlash’s video of the event, in which I convince the gullible editors that Walt Mossberg plays polo rather than ping pong.

Enjoy: