The Brown & White

Spirit Week 2008 kicked off Monday, five days before the football team takes the field for the 144th Lehigh-Lafayette showdown.

The Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry is the most-played football rivalry in the nation, occurring 143 times since 1884.

"We're expanding a lot of the activities to have an entire week of Lehigh-themed events that we hope will bring the entire campus together," said Steve Shuldman, '10, chair of the Association of Student Alumni Hawk's Nest.

Team '11 is hosting a campus-wide decoration contest, reviving an old tradition. Greek houses have been participating in this competition, which is now open to all houses. Residential houses have the chance to decorate their buildings to display their Lehigh pride and they will be judged on creativity, originality and school spirit.

The winner of the decorating contest will receive a $500 prize.

The festivities were planned to begin Monday afternoon with "Spirit My Ride," where students would get their car decorated by the Lehigh cheerleaders. The event, sponsored by ASA, will also be held Wednesday on Library Drive from 3 to 6 p.m.

On Tuesday, temporary tattoos will be available outside Rathbone and the lower University Center. Tuesday at 4 p.m., at the flagpole on the University lawn, the person with the most L-Hawk tattoos and the most Lehigh knowledge will win a prize. The event is sponsored by ASA.

Wednesday night, Lehigh-Laf-A-Palooza, which is co-sponsored by ASA and University Productions, will be taking place at 8 p.m. at the Rauch Courtyard.

Opening band Kublai Khan will be followed by athletics announcements and performances from the Marching 97, cheerleaders, dance team, LU's Finest Step Team and the Chinese Yoyos.

State Radio, made up of former members of Dispatch, will be playing throughout the evening, and there will also be hot chocolate and refreshments.

The winners of the house decorating contest will be announced, followed by a special appearance by the Mountain Hawk, which will be named at the rally.

This semester, Lehigh Athletics has been searching for a name for the mascot. Over 1,000 submissions were received by Lehigh sports. It was narrowed down to 23 semifinalists, and the winner will be selected from the Final Five: Mo, Louie, Southclaw, Clutch and Steel.

The annual Turkey Trot will be held Thursday at 4:20 p.m., starting at Packer Church.

At 5 p.m. on Thursday, Bed Races will take place on Library Drive. The event is sponsored by Team '10, the Interfraternity Council and the Residence Hall Association.

Friday will be Brown Out Day, where students are encouraged to wear all brown.

Some students spotted in Lehigh attire will win prizes.

The LU Marching 97 will be playing around campus all day Friday.

The week ends with the Lehigh-Lafayette football game on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Lafayette. Buses begin loading at the Packer Avenue bus stop at 11 a.m.

"It's the few days that everyone is so into the fact that they go to Lehigh, the few days everyone wears their Lehigh apparel," said Sami Christal, '11. "I have really great memories from last year and can't wait for Lehigh-Laf this year."

Derek Plucinski, '11, said Lehigh-Laf week inspires Lehigh pride.

"I can't wait for the actual game and to see what it's like to be at Lafayette," Plucinski said.

Tina Chung, '12, said she can't wait until the festivities begin.

"I'm excited to bond with my school, to take part in such a long-standing tradition," Chung said.

Kaila Deutsch, '09, said it's great how much goes on around campus this week.

"I've always thought of Lehigh-Laf as a week to hang out with friends, kind of like a week off from school," Deutsch said.

For seniors, this weekend's match-up is their last chance as undergraduates to see Lehigh beat Lafayette in football, which the team has failed to do for the past four years.

In the 143 meetings between the rivals, Lafayette has won 76 games, Lehigh has won 62 games, and the remaining five games have been ties.