Welcome back to The Rival Rundown! If you’ve always wanted to give props to your school on CC, now’s your chance! Shoot us an email explaining what’s awesome and unique about your school (or what stinks about Rival U) at rivalrundown@collegecandy.com!

This week we hit up the West Coast as we examine the two hottest schools in Los Angeles- the University of Southern California and the University of California- Los Angeles. Amidst the beautiful SoCal climate and a city rife with movie sets and superstars, private USC and public UCLA compete to find out which is most elite in the City of Angels.

1. Superior Sport

USC – The Trojans are known as “the football school” and have been awarded the NCAA national title in football eleven times, including back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004.  They are perennially ranked in the Top 10 football programs in the BCS by ESPN, USA Today, and other publications. And Trojans have taken home the Heisman Trophy seven times.
UCLA - Meanwhile, the Bruins are known as powerhouses in basketball–also earning eleven NCAA titles. Seven of these championships were won consecutively, from 1967-1973.  UCLA is also the all-time leader in total NCAA national titles across all sports.

Meanwhile, the Lexus Gauntlet is an annual all-sports competition between the two schools sponsored by Lexus. Points are awarded for every victory (particularly in head-to-head match ups)  in NCAA-sanctioned competitions, with the school with the most points declared as the winner. (There is also a separate Lexus Gauntlet awarded to the winner of the Stanford-Berkeley rivalry.)  In the eight years of Lexus Gauntlet tradition, USC has walked away with five titles.

Three credits to: TIE.  The two schools pulled a draw in NCAA titles in their respective predominant sport.  On the one hand, the Lexus Gauntlet record gives the Trojans the edge, but UCLA also has the most NCAA titles of any school. Too close to call!! Read More »

I am literally counting down the days until I head back to school (30 and a half, baby!). I miss red Solo cups, beer pong, and (although I hate to admit it) the cliche frat guys who are always down for an ice luge and day drinking.

As Asher Roth says (to a very nice beat), I love college. And I think all of you will agree with my reasons for wanting to get back to the leisurely life of football games, parties, boys, and, um, oh yeah, classes.

My Girls: I know back in the day college was often considered the place women went to find their husbands, but for me, it’s all about my girls.  I haven’t found my groom in college, but I’ve definitely found my bridesmaids and I can’t wait to be back under one roof with all of them.

One Nighters: In the city, the typical morning-after walk of shame becomes a cab of shame and that just costs more. Not to mention the increased creepy factor when you go home with a randar in the city and have to use Google Maps to find your way home. But on campus? I’m only a few blocks from my bed and have some (albeit long and random) connection to the boy at hand….or mouth. See? Not so random, after all. 

Football Games: Tailgating, drinking before noon, shotgunning, stuffing your face with hot dogs, and having this all be socially acceptable? Only in college.

Free Condoms!: That’s right,  I said free. Most college Student Health Centers supply students with a limited supply of condoms each semester with just the show of your student ID card. Most importantly for us ladies, you can often get your birth control at a cheaper rate, too. Read More »

4 earthquakes hit Mexico’s Gulf of California!?

Mischa Barton is doing great. According to Mischa.

Does commitment suit you?

When did Samuel Jackson get so creepy?

Jessica Simpson shouldn’t be allowed near a computer.

Well, that’s one way to help a victim of assault.

Considering we had an extra day this weekend, this past week has been ROUGH. That Monday BBQ was awesome, but Tuesday just felt like the worst Monday of all time. It didn’t help that we ended up with a mullet because we were afraid of  offending our stylist.  Or the fact that we’re just now realizing our current “intimacy lite” situation with the boy we thought was our Prince Charming. But I guess we can’t really complain; at least we have the right to get married, unlike some of our friend in California.

But let’s not go there.

Instead, we’re going to enjoy this lovely spring weekend. Our toes are perfectly pedicured for flip-flops, and we’re going to head to the spa for a luxurious sperm facial (Note: don’t Google that…).  Then we plan to head home, settle in under our Snuggie and get suckered into buying even more crap we don’t need.  Hopefully there is some sort of miracle product on there to keep our abs in tip-top shape.  Nobody wants a mid-summer muffin top crisis.

Here’s to the weekend, even if it is only two days long this week!

Move over Octomom – there’s a more fertile mofo in town.

It’s possible to break your boyfriend’s penis?

Natalie Portman sets the record straight.

Mary Kate and Ashley team up with Steve Madden.

Lady Gaga’s got eyes for the ladies.

The Governator says there is good news for Prop 8.

Ok, so a lot of you didn’t like us ripping into California yesterday – we get it. And we’re sorry for being mean and rude and stereotypical, but we were just. so. angry. This whole Prop 8 thing has us really heated up – we can’t sleep, we can’t work, and we can’t stop drowning our anger and tears in whatever food happens to be in our sights (yes, that includes a near frozen waffle).

We are just baffled by some people’s blatant disrespect for others, not to mention their need to control something that has nothing to do with them. We really feel that sexuality is fluid, that anyone (yup, even you) could one day find yourself in love with someone of the same sex…and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Because this topic is so near and dear to our hearts right now – and since we don’t have the money to fly out to California and beat those idiots into submission – we thought we’d have a chat with our boys about sexuality. Granted, our boy doesn’t speak for all boys (especially on this topic), but he is always so insightful. And he was the only one awake this morning at 4am when we couldn’t sleep and needed someone to vent to while we shoveled pudding into our mouths to heal our battered hearts… Read More »

California has always been my dream place to live with its warm weather, hot surfer dudes and that laid back, livin’ the life attitude.  But as of today, my view on the seemingly perfect Cali location has truly changed.  Thanks to the really messed up California Supreme Court Prop 8 decision banning same sex marriages, I started to realize the darkness that lies behind all that sunshine.

There are, in fact, a lot of effed up things about the place that isn’t quite as laid back as I once presumed:

1. You can never escape those dangerous earthquakes that occur a little too often. I don’t know about you, but I like my ground to remain stable, thankyouverymuch. Another thing I like: living without the fear of wildfires burning me to a crisp as I sleep.

2. I can barely watch The Real Housewives of the OC without cringing, and cant imagine having to see these women (and the millions of others just like them in Cali) in real life.  I might freak out, melt down, and have to get Botox to regain any sense of normalcy.

3. Seeing famous people every day might be cool, but knowing that some of the world’s most obnoxious and utterly ridiculous celebrities call that state home kind of turns me off.  I might just gag if I have to see Heidi or Spencer one more time on TV or in a magazine. Seeing them in person? Well, I think I’ll stay on the opposite side of the country.

4. California traffic is known to be ridiculous, and coming from the fast paced New York City lifestyle, I’m not sure that would quite work for me.

5. Most importantly, I’d probably miss my Ugg boots, my mittens, my scarf and ear muffs (oh, and states where gay couples can be married).  And who can turn down a good snowball fight?  Looks like I’ll be spraying on the tan and staying on the East Coast for a while.

Many Santa Barbara residents forced to evacuate.

Who blogs about getting hit by a car!?

Regis Philbin gets freaky with Lil Kim.

Well hello, Eric Dane!

Mmmm. Susan Boyle…pizza.

Happy Mother’s Day! Want some MILF porn?

My obsession with bathing suits started a very long time ago. I still remember begging my mom for something new and neon every time we went to Target. Pool parties were better than Christmas, and I used to don a bikini to help Mom and Daddy wash the dishes (true story.) And then I grew boobs. And butt. And self-consciousness. Suddenly, the joy of putting on a bathing suit and eagerly anticipating super soakers, sprinklers, sand castles and snorkeling fins turned into anxiety about love handles, saggy elastic, way too much rear exposure and the horrors of anything that jiggles.

Well that’s bulls**t.

Bathing suits are supposed to be fun, flirty and cute. We wear them when we’re supposed to be having fun, not stressing because we’re not as surgically enhanced as the girl next to us or investing in last minute sarongs. With Spring Break steadfastly approaching, it’s time to check out the best bathing suits out there and re-vamp our ideas about swimsuit shopping.

So grab a trusted and honest friend, remove the necessary body hair and spray tan yourself silly (it seriously helps in dressing room fluorescents) and let’s shop. Read More »

If you missed the following films last year, the good news is that many of them are on DVD already, or will be soon. So check out what you missed at the cinema, add it your Netflix Queue, and have a 2008 movie night before you get backed up with the upcoming flicks of 2009!

1. The Dark Knight.

It’s a sad irony that Heath Ledger steals the show, after the film got so much publicity following the young actor’s death. Heath Ledger’s death made millions of people flock to the movie, but the truth is, it’s actually effing good. Ledger looks like a lock for a posthumous Oscar as well. Only time will tell.

2. Wall-E

Tell me you weren’t rooting for Wall-E and Eve, and I’ll tell you you have no soul. This cute, witty, futuristic animated tale was a favorite among audiences of all ages.

3. Cloverfield

With an innovative marketing strategy – remember those bizarre commercials guised as pleading cable interruptions? Cloverfield kept us on the edge of our seats and brought the “monster movie” genre to another level with its documentary-style cinematic techniques. Think Godzilla meets Blair Witch.

4. Gone Baby Gone

Ben Affleck’s latest screenplay, starring brother Casey Affleck, Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris has all the makings of a blockbuster: A-list author, lustworthy lead, and two powerhouse Hollywood phenoms. Did I mention the suspense and the action? Read More »