WSJ: Georgetown bans Beer Pong Tables!

[strummer8526]

I just had a convo with a friend. We realized that, because there's no difference between a "Beer Pong Table" and a "Table," the University is going to just have to take everyone's tables. But I know kids will get creative. I imagine the TV stands in Village B's and similar areas will be accessible. We're on a slippery slope to just removing all flat surfaces. This should include floors and stairways. Everything must be at a minimum 30 degree angle to ensure no cups can sit on them. Within 6 months, campus looks like a Tim Burton movie, and the University is trapped in dozens of "broken ankle" lawsuits.

[FormerHoya]

Georgetown University: Finding ways to fight student happiness and decrease potential donations since at least 1996!

[JimmyHoya]

I played beer pong last night and felt more badass than usual. You aren't just defeating the schmucks at the other end of the table, but you're taking down Todd Olsen and by my count, he went 0-3 last night.

[EasyEd]

You poor students! I feel so sorry the administration is making it more difficult for you to get bombed so often. Okay, now I'm a student-basher.

[showcase]

"uninvited guests bringing excess alcohol and removing valuables..."

I remember the Key Deli delivery guy showing up with beer and my paying him in cash - is that what this refers to?

I was a year behind Olson, and I'm pretty sure I have pictures of us playing "high-risk" drinking games back during sophmore and junior year...

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

I blame American society for this:

[FormerHoya]

ed said:

You poor students! I feel so sorry the administration is making it more difficult for you to get bombed so often. Okay, now I'm a student-basher.

[ignore poster]

[FewFAC]

I know I made light of this earlier, but seriously, the University exposes itself to serious liability issues if it does not institute policies such as this. The last thing the University needs is some lightweight getting crushed at beer pong after not having eaten all day, getting drunk, dying, having their parents sue the University and get rewarded with a huge civil judgment in an amount that dwarfs the size of the current endowment.

I suspect that reality is going to play much like it normally has: the rules get tougher, but they aren't actually enforced other than in a superficial way to which the University can point to prove that it isn't liable for not enforcing its own rules.

[PDRHoya99]

I don't think I've ever started a thread that made it past the first page. I feel so proud right now.

In response to something brought up a few pages earlier, I also found it humorous that the WSJ noted in the article that the game of Beruit exists, and was played with similar equipment, but didn't quite seem comfortable enough to define the differences between the two games. Personally, I've always heard the paddle version referred to as Dartmouth Rules Pong, and Beerpong and Beruit used interchangeably.

fewfac said:

I know I made light of this earlier, but seriously, the University exposes itself to serious liability issues if it does not institute policies such as this. The last thing the University needs is some lightweight getting crushed at beer pong after not having eaten all day, getting drunk, dying, having their parents sue the University and get rewarded with a huge civil judgment in an amount that dwarfs the size of the current endowment.

Is that a better or worse scenario than same said lightweight getting zero beruit/beerpong experience as an undergrad, going on to postgraduate studies and getting crushed in said games, thus besmirching not only his good name, but that of all Georgetown alumni when it came to such athletic pursuits? I say no.

[hoyaterp25]

Another part of the new rules that hasnt been mentioned is that the so-called 3 strikes policy, includes former violations. So if you're a senior who was written up twice your freshmen year for an alcohol violation, and then throw a party that gets broken up this year, thats your 3rd violation and you could be suspended for school. Even tho the suspension rule didn't exist when you were written up.

Also, if you are 21, even if you dont have another roommate who is, you should be able to host a party. In the real world, if a married couple w/ 4 kids wanted to host a party, by georgetown rules they wouldnt be able to bc its not a majority over 21. I think registering parties could be a good thing, but the new rules make it much harder to register- last year you could get somebody who didnt live in the apt to register your party. People wont register, and then if things continue like they did last weekend, everythign will get broken up and people will just stand around in healy circle. A couple hundred drunk college kids standing around is a much better way for fights to break out than to have 30 people in a village b.

And then theres the whole things about less beer = more hard alcohol and no campus parties = further off campus, both of which are bad for security. Its not that the rules didnt have good intent, they just werent very thought through

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

hoyagsb99 said:

Is that a better or worse scenario than same said lightweight getting zero beruit/beerpong experience as an undergrad, going on to postgraduate studies and getting crushed in said games, thus besmirching not only his good name, but that of all Georgetown alumni when it came to such athletic pursuits? I say no.

I'd just like to say that the Class of 2006 represents the school well in interscholastic post-graduate beruit competition. So don't look at us on that one.

[FormerHoya]

Let's punish the social aspects of drinking, such as parties and beirut (for real "dangerous games, see Sip, See Bottom Slam, or Suicide Bounce), and encourage furtive, solo drinking. Much healthier.

[joey0403p]

I understand the liability aspect from the law offices, however there has to be a balance between "you can't drink unless you have turned 21, gotten lucky enough to have an apt, gone to a class about how to party, planned ahead enough to know you are having a party multiple days in advance, registered the party, checked go cards and IDs at the door, purchased 1 keg, locked up your kitchen table (it is specifically designed for beirut, flip cup, quarters, boxing, baseball, speed quarters and a host of other games I can't think of or remember), created an evite with ONLY 25 people on the list, policed your friends and told them they CAN NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE bring the young lady or gentleman they met the previous night, and purchased cheese and crackers.

Besides - we may not think that these policies will be enforced but lets be honest DPS will do whatever, whenever, wherever it wants in regards to enforcement. And once you are in the system the "courts" usually in my experience hide behind...well this is the policy we can't change it.

[rudzy]

At Homecoming, could the alums returning partake in some "high-risk" drinking games please. Unless of course you are afraid that DPS might come and break up the party and tackle a few old women. You could stage a bring back the good old days rally and show the school whose boss by getting really drunk

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

rudzy said:

At Homecoming, could the alums returning partake in some "high-risk" drinking games please.

Consider it done.

I think that this whole thing could lead to the best protest ever - a drink-in held in Leavey, with Beruit being played in Carrol Parlor.

[PhillyHoya]

stpetersburghoya said:

rudzy said:

At Homecoming, could the alums returning partake in some "high-risk" drinking games please.

Consider it done.

I think that this whole thing could lead to the best protest ever - a drink-in held in Leavey, with Beruit being played in Carrol Parlor.

I was personally rooting for a keg party in Gaston with beer pong on DeGioia's desk.

[strummer8526]

I think we should use every single table they set up at Homecoming to play Flip Cup or some such game. Once that's done, we should find another table and bring it to Healey Circle. I'm sure they'll take that table immediately, so we should set up Beer Pong on the ground. If you're sitting, the ground is close enough to standing with a table.

[Cambridge]

And so continues the narcissistic march of self-righteousness that is the baby boomers.

In every era, the rest of the nation must cater to their whims and fancies. When they are teenagers, everything is groovy. When the war in vietnam threatens to harsh their mellow, its time to protest. When they get the first taste of an income, we become a materialistic, coke driven greed based culture. When they have kids, all fun is regulated so as to protect their precious bundles of joy. Now that they are the aging, all youth activity must be heavily regulated so as to prevent lawsuits. Not in my backyard is their mating call.

Congrats boomers, you are now even more reactionary than your parents.

I miss the days when the "greatest generation" was in charge. At least they had a sense of humor, drank at work and had much more interesting stories to tell.

[bubbrubbhoya]

ed said:

You poor students! I feel so sorry the administration is making it more difficult for you to get bombed so often. Okay, now I'm a student-basher.

I'm often appreciative of your conservative bent, ed, but you might want to recuse yourself from this one. The days of exciting brother/sister-school mixers and "three-feet-on-the-floor" rules are long gone. You're not risking sounding like a student basher, but you're risking sounding pretty stale and old.

EDIT: And besides, drinking or not, you'd have a hard time arguing that Georgetown isn't a much better school now than it was in your day.

Zing.

[joey0403p]

I would love to engage in some high risk beer playing games during homecoming. What would DPS do? Can we organize something with Board members?