The venerable game of beer pong is a staple at most college campuses -- a quick ticket to the kind of glory that can only come from drunkenly tossing a ping-pong ball into a red plastic cup. But beer pong could be nearly as dangerous as unprotected sex in terms of spreading diseases, according to a recent article in the University of Massachusetts' student newspaper -- which links the rise of herpes on campus to the popularity of beer pong. Because the game involves multiple people drinking from the same cups, the herpes virus -- which can be transmitted via saliva -- can be spread to everyone who is playing through the course of a game. The virus is up 230 percent since 2007 in people between ages 17 and 21.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends filling the cups with water for the game -- and drinking from non-shared cups -- as a way of decreasing the danger, but a UMass sophomore makes the point that such play "takes away from the spirit of the game."
We're all for purity in sports, but if we're going to drink so much we end up with a sexually transmitted disease, we'd at least like it to be the result of something more fun than swallowing our frat buddy's backwash.
Of course, getting herpes isn't the only consequence of excessive drunkenness. You could also find yourself highlighted in our shamings gallery after the jump.
Shamings
The one positive is that the Scotch tape probably won't hold throughout the night.
boozetime.com
When it comes to partying, some guys just can't hang.
collegehumor.com
The best shamings are the ones where girls help out with tampons, women's underwear and KY.
listoftheday.blogspot.com
When action on the field wanes, passed-out old guys tend to pay the price.
collegehumor.com
All dressed up and nowhere to puke.
waytoomany.com
Karen woke up at the crack of Dawn.
collegehumor.com
The dreads and hemp necklace isn't a good look for you.
collegehumor.com
Jenga! Jenga! Jenga!
flickr.com
If Jonah Hill wants to continue making movies, he's going to have to kick his addiction to 'Quik.
collegehumor.com
Clearly, this guy's not a smoker.
collegehumor.com
Comments:
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Tuesday 24 February
By heidi
its pretty stupid to drink from the same cups,the idiots deserve to get herpes for being so stupid. what happened to common sense not many people have it anymore.
Reply
Tuesday 24 February
By Lonnrot
You sound stupid...idiot!
Tuesday 24 February
By Me
Ha! Good one Lonnrot! No really, you are retarded. Go get herpes off a slobbery cup you imbecile.
Tuesday 24 February
By PoeBoy
Haven't you heard? It is illegal to bring any common sense or inhibitions to college!
Tuesday 24 February
By Lala
you can also get Hep B, Mono and meningitis from sharing cups... but i don't see beer pong dieing off anytime soon. people are going to make their own choices regardless of what the risks are.
Tuesday 24 February
By Lala
but nobody DESERVES to get herpes... that does make you sound kinda stupid
Tuesday 07 April
By Kevin
Beer pong does not spread herpes, it is a hoax. The original article was written as a hoax and the news networks that reported this story recanted and apologized. Herpes is spread by skin to skin contact as it cannot live long outside of a body. You are the imbecile. You over-zealous, uppity bitch.
Tuesday 24 February
By dhssresearcher
Well, more problems for drunken frat boys. When they want to put more financial aid for college, these clowns get some of it. If the universities would shut down the frats and get serious about underaged drinking, you wouldn't have these problems. Lets face it, a lot of people don't deserve to be in college.
Reply
Tuesday 24 February
By Sakku
I'd venture to say that more 'independents' play beer pong than 'frat guys' on the whole. Your comment is like saying there's only a drug problem in the ghetto and not suburbia -or- terrorist are only Muslims and can't be homegrown...
Tuesday 24 February
By Justin
Yeah its all the Frat boys fault. What a douche bag. Does it not occur to you that other people play drinking games as well? Other people at colleges besides "frat boys" know how to have fun too, but apparently you weren't aware of that. Guess you weren't one of either group.
Tuesday 24 February
By jeff
As a member of a fraternity, or as the unpopular people in college on here call it, 'frat guy', I can honestly say beer pong isn't going anywhere. When my Chapter first heard about this study, we just play with new cups every game. As for dhssresearcher's comment, you are retarded! Wow, sorry we party a little. As to say 'some people don't deserve to be in college', why don't you look up the notable alumni (US Senators, Presidents, and Fortune 500 CEO's) of the Greek systems. You're obviously uneducated and probably got made fun of while you were in school. Scratch that,.... I hope you were made fun of in school.
Tuesday 24 February
By deb
fyi
Reply
Tuesday 24 February
By humboldtbambee
I quit passing the joint years ago as well--be careful about swapping spit!
Reply
Tuesday 24 February
By Carol
No, it couldn't possibly be the wi-fi and cell phone towers blanketing college campuses today. Google the Bioinitiative Report. The electromagnetic radiation screws with the immune system.
Reply
Wednesday 25 February
By Earth... have we met?
Yeah the radio waves are killing everyone and are ruining the country... just like telephones have chips in them that will control people's brains.
In this day and age, there are so many precautions taken to avoid law suits to even think about saying that, you should prolly lose internet priveleges.
I'm sure one of your other government conspiracy theories will account for this response and make it seem more real to you... but please get help cuz you need to get a better head on your shoulders.
Tuesday 24 February
By Dave
Having fun and drinking to unconsciousness are two entirely different things. My great nephew recently died as a result of alcohol poisoning at a frat party. I hope my nephew (his father) does not see these all too painful pictures. However, I do hope this note will say to those finding humor here that alcohol obliteration is no laughing matter.
Reply
Tuesday 24 February
By David
Yeahhhh right. This is about as good as "I got syphilis from a toilet seat". Now, it's "I didn't have sex with 57 skanks my freshman year and got herpes, I got it playing a drinking game". Yeah...that's the ticket.
Reply
Thursday 26 February
By riss
yeahhh, did you ever stop to think that they are not talking about genital herpes. unless you and your college buddies go down on one another after your game of beer pong, the herpes that was in your mouth will likely not transition to be the genital kind.
Tuesday 24 February
By Michael
Seems like it is mostly back east and among the good liberals. Keep it up... good to see y'all suffer........next thing will be sucking up to Obummer or tossing darts at his picture when you all learn what you really have.....Like your dark messiah who believes anything goes when it comes to abortion. Keep that up too since 80% of abortions are on women of color and 90% on democrats as a whole. Keep up the good work in killing future democrats.
Reply
Wednesday 25 February
By Northeast
You're an idiot. What the hell are you talking about. And why did you parents think it was a good idea to let you out of the house.