In honor of the end of summer, they’re teaming up with Cheer to celebrate color. Why celebrate color? Well, elephant in the room, summer is almost over and pretty soon all the color will be gone from our lives (wah, wah). But seriously trees will start dropping leaves faster than freshmen can drop their lanyard key chains and before you know it we’ll be spending our nights cuddled up on the couch in our flannel long johns and snuggies.

So in honor of color, Strange Talk’s new music video for Climbing Walls will feature a highlighted link embedded on top of an object. Click on the highlighted link to win the object! There is a new object to win everyday and a limited supply of will be awarded each day. So you’ll have to check back everyday between now and August 28th. Check out their Youtube channel here and their magical colorful gift-giving video below.

There’s been big to-do recently over whether or not cheerleading counts as a sport and it all started when Quinnipiac decided to cut women’s volleyball in favor of a competitive cheerleading squad. Some of the volleyball players are suing the school saying that competitive cheerleading is “as much a sport as chess”… which is kinda a non-sequiter of an argument, but whatever. Whether you hated cheerleaders with a fiery vengeance or dedicated your life to being one, it’s time to cast your vote – cheerleading, sport or not?

On the pro-sport side, cheerleading isn’t easy; there’s lot’s of physical training involved, it requires both special skills and a major time commitment just like any other sport. What cheerleaders, at least the ones on competitive squads like the ones we’re talking about, do physically involves years of work with gymnastics plus strength and flexibility training – I mean heck, they lift girls up and throw each other around and do all kinds of impressive flippy things, it’s hard not to take that seriously. And in terms of the dedication it takes to be on a competitive college cheer squad, it’s easily on par with what, say, football or basketball players go through, so why shouldn’t it be a sport?

On the “not a sport” side, to be considered a sport under Title IX an activity has to have coaches, practices, competitions during a defined season, and a governing organization, plus competition must be its primary goal – not merely the support of other athletic teams. And while cheerleading does meet some of that criteria, there’s definitely some glaring holes. As far as I know, there’s not a defined cheer season nor is cheer set up as a primarily competitive sport; from what I always understood, a big part of being a cheerleader was sidelines cheering, which means the competition aspect is more of a secondary thing. Also, while I recognize the inherent challenges in cheer, there are plenty of other groups, like dance squads that are equally physically demanding but I wouldn’t call them a sport either…

What do you say guys? Is cheering a sport? Should it be? Or is this just the school’s attempt to meet Title IX standards on the cheap? Duke. It. Out.

Alabama-Auburn is a school rivalry so fierce it once took an act of state legislature to force the two to agree to compete against one another in sports. The Iron Bowl, the annual football match-up between the Crimson Tide and the Tigers, was suspended for forty years after a heartbreaking tie in 1907 left the two sides disgusted with one another.  It wasn’t until the Alabama House of Representatives passed a resolution for the cross-state rivals to resume competition that the rivalry continued.  Now, with over a century of pride, tradition, and competition in the books, who is the top school in the Yellowhammer State?

1. Mascot Matchup

Alabama- Big Al the elephant leads the Crimson Tide in rooting for Alabama. If seeing him at the games simply isn’t enough, you can invite him to your kegger to amp your Bama spirit!
Auburn- Did you know there is a National Mascot Hall of Fame? Well, there is – and Auburn’s own Aubie the Tiger is an inductee, an accolade to add to his arsenal of National Mascot Championships medals.

Three credits to: Auburn, where even the school mascot is beating its rivals!

2. Terrific Traditions

Alabama- What would a storied football school be without its band? The Million Dollar Band is a fan favorite at Bama, with over 300 members
Auburn- To begin each football game, Auburn fans participate in the Tiger Walk, joining Aubie and cheerleaders in leading the football team onto the field.

Three Credits to: Auburn, for the school-wide party on the field!

3. Iron Bowl Record

Alabama- In the annual football game between the two, Bama boasts 39 wins.
Auburn- The Tigers have won the Iron Bowl 33 times.

Three credits to:  The numbers speak for themselves. Alabama, clearly!

4. Crowd-Rousing Cheers

Alabama– The Rammer Jammer Cheer, seen here, is a popular taunt of Bama opponents. What could be more inspiring than tens of thousands of Crimson Tide shouting “Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer, Give ‘em Hell Alabama!”
Auburn- The legend of the War Eagle is treasured at Auburn, where at home games a bald eagle is released into a stadium of over 90,000 cheering fans as the band plays the War Eagle song. It’s unsure how the tradition started, but walk down any Auburn street and holler “War Damn Eagle!” and you’re sure to make hundreds of new friends.

Three credits to: This one is a toughie. The Crimson Tide offer a bone-chilling chant, but Auburn upstages the boys from Tuscaloosa with a live eagle and band performance.

5. Acceptance Rate Agony

Alabama- Roll Tide, Roll! 60.4% of all Alabama applicants are accepted.
Auburn-  Wanna be a Tiger? You’ve got a 70.8% shot of being able to officially don the Orange and Blue.

Three credits to:  Alabama, where the hype to join the Tide is mounting.

And the diploma goes to: Auburn!  In sweet home Alabama, the Tigers are the victors.

7 a.m.: Wake up. Still drunk from the bar last night? Mayyyybe.

9 a.m.: Arrive at the football stadium; crack your first beer.

9 a.m.-Noon: Tailgate your face off. Tailgating activities may or may not include: Beer pong, funneling, shotgunning, and general raging.

Noon: Kickoff. You’re highly buzzed, but still careful not to spill your overpriced stadium beer as you shake your foam finger at the other team.

7 p.m.: You pass out. Hey, it was a long day, man.

Now that’s what I call a waste of a Saturday night. I know that rallying for almost 12 hours straight can take its toll. Especially when you’re running on a few hours of sleep after a killer Friday night. But if you pace yourself, and plan your evening effectively, there’s no reason that you can’t take in both the football game and a killer kegger (or two).

1. Don’t Chug, Chill.

Get too drunk too quickly, and you’re likely to pass out before halftime, let alone make it till midnight. Tailgating festivities often require heavy drinking, so if you find yourself partaking in a shotgun contest, follow the beer with a water. Spreading out your alcohol intake will allow you to last longer. Afterall, following a tailgate with a party is like a party marathon. And don’t they tell marathon runners to pace themselves so they can make it to the finish line? Oh, the things college kids could learn from athletes.

2. Counteract with Caffeine.

Pound a Redbull on the way to the game, or start your bar night with a vodka and Redbull. Still chilly in your student section hoodie? Bring a thermos of coffee to the tailgate…then spike it with Bailey’s. Yum! Even if you’re really tired, however, monitor your caffeine intake. One or two cups of coffee or one energy drink should get you through the day.

3. Keep the Adrenaline Pumping.

If the excitement level declines, you’re energy is bound to follow suit. Your adrenaline is rushing as you cheer on your football team, and then you lose momentum in the downtime between the game and the party. Arrange a rowdy post-game dinner of wings and pizza with your fellow tailgaters, so you can recount all the great plays. It’ll keep you pumped, and you won’t even realize how much time has passed between your first beer and your last shot. Then, when you get to the party, keep yourself going by chatting up a hottie or signing up to be on the first beer pong team.

4. Steam Up Your Second Wind.

You’ve been up for hours, hanging out in the cold (and possibly rainy) weather. Beer is seeping out your pours. Take a long, hot, steamy shower. The hot water will wake you up and make you feel clean and ready to go again. Besides, staying fresh and clean might also help stave off the germs that’ll take their toll in flu form come Monday. AND you can always chug a beer in between shampooing and conditioning.

5. Powernap…Before it’s Too Late.

Positive you’re not going to make it? Throw in the towel early, and salvage the rest of your night. Taking a nap at 5 or 6 leaves plenty of time to sober up, recharge, and get ready to rage. If you keep drinking and try to make it to the post-party kickoff, you might crash at 9 or 10, only to sleep through the night and kick yourself in the a.m.