Florida wins again

[Coast2CoastHoya]

hifi must be so proud

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/top_party_schools_list;_ylt=Am6CMWfysY2jAQHvRD4jgi9H2ocA

[The Stig]

They only won because Wisconsin isn't on the list.

WVU is the top Big East school in 4th. The Princeton Review must give lots of party points for couch burning.

[hifigator]

I actually have no problem with that ranking. The article down here pointed out that Florida has not only been in the top 20 each of the past 3 years, but also "improved" its ranking each year. The irony behind the 3 year window is that 3 years ago, UF President Bernie Machen made a big deal out of curbing underage and binge drinking. New policies were adopted and more attention was taken to some existing rules/laws concerning drinking. And it wasn't just the University itself, it involved local (Gainesville Police) law enforcement. What was it Princess Leia said, "the more you tighten your grip, the more the rebels slip through your fingers" ...

[vcjack]

Jul 30, 2008 11:48:11 GMT -5 hifigator said:

I actually have no problem with that ranking. The article down here pointed out that Florida has not only been in the top 20 each of the past 3 years, but also "improved" its ranking each year. The irony behind the 3 year window is that 3 years ago, UF President Bernie Machen made a big deal out of curbing underage and binge drinking. New policies were adopted and more attention was taken to some existing rules/laws concerning drinking. And it wasn't just the University itself, it involved local (Gainesville Police) law enforcement. What was it Princess Leia said, "the more you tighten your grip, the more the rebels slip through your fingers" ...

Actually now you can expect that enforcement to increase, getting on this list seems to be a kiss of death for party scenes at various schools. Wisconsin was #1 several years ago which had the administration scramble to save face, leading to massive riot police presence at the State Street Halloween party and the Mifflin Street Block Party.

[hifigator]

vc, what I was talking about was that there was a dedicated focus on some things, specifically open container policy. In years past, there was an unofficial understanding on gamedays that you could tailgate in the "student ghetto," which was the area just north of University Ave. and so labeled because of the relatively low cost living occupied primarily by students. On game days, they would squeeze as many cars into their yards as possible and there wastn't anywhere for a grill, cooler, throwing the football, tables, chairs, portable TVs etc... So routinely the sidewalks and even first couple of feet of the street would host such items. It had been like that since I sold cokes at the stadium in '79-'82. About 4 years ago, there was a major focus on open container and it was part of a University and City joint effort to curb student drinking. Literally, if you had a foot on a street or a sidewalk, you were risking a ticket and don't even think about carrying an open beer across University Ave towards the stadium. Strangely enough, at this very same time President Machen released a statement concerning tailgating on campus. Campus is "private" property and therefore not subject to City rules concerning open container. However the University has its own police force and enforce their own laws. Basically his statement said that open containers were ok, provided you were at your tailgate or someone else's. BUt you couldn't be on the sidewalks or streets and you couldn't be walking around from one tailgate to another. I honestly think that is a pretty reasonable compromise. But if you weren't on campus, it was just absurd. The worst I ever saw was a guy getting a ticket for retrieving the football that bounced into the street. A group was in their front yard throwing the football and the ball bounced out in the street. An innocent bystander walked out the 3 or 4 feet, picked up the ball and flipped it back to the guys. A cop walked across the street and issued him a ticket. His crime: he had a beer in his other hand while he picked up the football.

In another ironic twist, over this same period of time the state legalized scalping. The University then adopted a policy of not allowing ticket sales on their property. The point in all this is that things are almost exactly backwards, depending on if you are north or south of University Ave.

[hifigator]

Jul 30, 2008 11:56:21 GMT -5 vcjack said:

Jul 30, 2008 11:48:11 GMT -5 hifigator said:

I actually have no problem with that ranking. The article down here pointed out that Florida has not only been in the top 20 each of the past 3 years, but also "improved" its ranking each year. The irony behind the 3 year window is that 3 years ago, UF President Bernie Machen made a big deal out of curbing underage and binge drinking. New policies were adopted and more attention was taken to some existing rules/laws concerning drinking. And it wasn't just the University itself, it involved local (Gainesville Police) law enforcement. What was it Princess Leia said, "the more you tighten your grip, the more the rebels slip through your fingers" ...

Actually now you can expect that enforcement to increase, getting on this list seems to be a kiss of death for party scenes at various schools. Wisconsin was #1 several years ago which had the administration scramble to save face, leading to massive riot police presence at the State Street Halloween party and the Mifflin Street Block Party.

You were right and it sure didn't take long. The University proposed changes to the student conduct code just yesterday. Among these are bans on common source alcohol. They are primarily focusing on kegs, mini-kegs and beer balls, but the language that was in the proposal would technically inculde all bottles of liquor except for the Airport mini sized ones. They also outlaw any activity which encourages rapid drinking -- "keg tipping" and drinking games were specifically mentioned. Now I don't even know what "keg tipping" is, but if kegs are outlawed anyway, I don't even see how that would apply. The proposal was clear to point out that it applies only to on campus activities as well as off campus events sponsored by on campus groups. The main focus obviously seems to be fraternities and sororities. In any case, everything that I have read suggests that these new proposals will go through without a hitch. One issue that I clearly see arising would be the main alumni parking lot. It is directly across the street from the Football stadium and is on the University's private property. It is also the parking lot for the O'Conell Center. For football games, the spots are all reserved for big Gator Boosters, including the biggest boosters called "Bull Gators." I know several groups that routinely have kegs in and around their RV's. It should get really interesting really soon.

[hoyarooter]

Oh, gosh, no keggers? This could be the greatest catastrophe of all time. My sympathies.

[hifigator]

I expect that rule will get broken a time or two during the year.