# Pool crashed into basement. How do we fix this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 10, 2014, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230 "2014-08-10T12:05:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Nickel\_Please](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Nickel\_Please](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickel_Please)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/141 "2014-08-22T18:30:15Z")
To those who think my story is false, have you ever gone to college? Better yet, been in a fraternity? Wild, crazy, and outlandish behavior there is the norm. And, us Greeks look down on the word “frat”. Say “fraternity”. Would you call your country a c-word? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/142 "2014-08-22T18:44:34Z")
> [@Nickel\_Please](#): > > To those who think my story is false, have you ever gone to college? Better yet, been in a fraternity? Wild, crazy, and outlandish behavior there is the norm. > > And, us Greeks look down on the word “frat”. Say “fraternity”. Would you call your country a c-word? You’re an adult. "Wild, crazy, and outlandish behavior " is no longer the norm. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/143 "2014-08-22T18:51:28Z")
> [@Nickel\_Please](#): > > And, us Greeks look down on the word “frat”. Say “fraternity”. Would you call your country a c-word? I’ve heard that argument before and it’s a stupid one. That’s a common way to abbreviate words. Admin for administrator, ammo for ammunition, ad or advert for advertisement, mech for mechanical, etc. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/144 "2014-08-22T18:52:22Z")
> [@Nickel\_Please](#): > > Of course he is. You think we would hire an aeronautical engineer or something? You haven’t exactly shown very good decision making skills up to this point so it’s probably best not to assume, hence the question. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/145 "2014-08-22T18:57:11Z")
> [@Nickel\_Please](#): > > And, us Greeks look down on the word “frat”. Say “fraternity”. Would you call your country a c-word? How do you think people from Greece feel about any form of what your organizations stand for? They want their alphabet back. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/146 "2014-08-22T19:08:16Z")
Good point. There’s also the fact that he’s calling himself and his fellow fratboys “Greeks.” But they’re (probably) not Greek, but instead are members of a Greek-letter organization. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/147 "2014-08-22T19:15:21Z")
> [@Nickel\_Please](#): > > Would you call your country a c-word? A “count?” 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Nickel\_Please](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Nickel\_Please](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickel_Please)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/148 "2014-08-22T19:39:45Z")
We don’t like the word frat because of the image it projects. There’s a huge difference between frat boys and fraternity men. Frat boys: Wears cargo shorts and flip flops, gelled hair, Axe body spray, fist pumps, likely goes to a state school, likely from the Midwest or west coast, drinks corona and flavored vodkas, listens to too much rap music, goes clubbing, will let all kinds of undesirables join their fraternity and fraternity parties, major in communications, bartends or work at Verizon post-graduation, are classless jerks. Fraternity men (that would be us): Wears bowties and boat shoes - seersucker suits - pastels - chinos, polos, and Oxford button downs - Omega sea diver watches - Ralph lauren, vineyard vines, j. Crew, Brooks brothers, southern proper - ray bans with croakies - bangs “alabama” swoop, like attends a private school, likely from New England or the south, drinks the finest whiskey, likes shiner bock and Abita purple haze, hunts - fishes - golfs- drives ATV in huge backyards of old money houses, listens to Springsteen, watches Wolf On Wallstreet once a week, hangs out at bars, selective on who they invite to parties and in their fraternity, majors/works in law - finance - medicine, and are wonderful gentlemen. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/149 "2014-08-22T19:45:33Z")
Frat boys or Fraternity men…which ones are the ones stupid enough to put a pool inside the house? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/150 "2014-08-22T19:51:42Z")
> [@Nickel\_Please](#): > > We don’t like the word frat because of the image it projects. There’s a huge difference between frat boys and fraternity men. > > Frat boys: Wears cargo shorts and flip flops, gelled hair, Axe body spray, fist pumps, likely goes to a state school, likely from the Midwest or west coast, drinks corona and flavored vodkas, listens to too much rap music, goes clubbing, will let all kinds of undesirables join their fraternity and fraternity parties, major in communications, bartends or work at Verizon post-graduation, are classless jerks. > > Fraternity men ( **that would be us** ): Wears bowties and boat shoes - seersucker suits - pastels - chinos, polos, and Oxford button downs - Omega sea diver watches - Ralph lauren, vineyard vines, j. Crew, Brooks brothers, southern proper - ray bans with croakies - bangs “alabama” swoop, like attends a private school, likely from New England or the south, drinks the finest whiskey, likes shiner bock and Abita purple haze, hunts - fishes - golfs- drives ATV in huge backyards of old money houses, listens to Springsteen, watches Wolf On Wallstreet once a week, hangs out at bars, selective on who they invite to parties and in their fraternity, majors/works in law - finance - medicine, and are wonderful gentlemen. Builds pool inside house, destroys house due to piss-poor planning, attempts to hide said destruction. I think you’re frats. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/151 "2014-08-22T19:54:43Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Builds pool inside house, destroys house due to piss-poor planning, attempts to hide said destruction. > I think you’re frats. I can smell the Axe from here. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/152 "2014-08-22T20:35:49Z")
> [@Nickel\_Please](#): > > We don’t like the word frat because of the image it projects. There’s a huge difference between frat boys and fraternity men. > > Frat boys: **Wears cargo shorts and flip flops** , gelled hair, Axe body spray, fist pumps, likely goes to a state school, likely from the Midwest or west coast, drinks corona and flavored vodkas, listens to too much rap music, goes clubbing, will let all kinds of undesirables join their fraternity and fraternity parties, major in communications, bartends or work at Verizon post-graduation, are classless jerks. > > Fraternity men (that would be us): **Wears bowties and boat shoes - seersucker suits - pastels - chinos, polos, and Oxford button downs - Omega sea diver watches - Ralph lauren, vineyard vines, j. Crew, Brooks brothers, southern proper - ray bans with croakies** - bangs “alabama” swoop, like attends a private school, likely from New England or the south, drinks the finest whiskey, likes shiner bock and Abita purple haze, hunts - fishes - golfs- drives ATV in huge backyards of old money houses, listens to Springsteen, watches Wolf On Wallstreet once a week, hangs out at bars, selective on who they invite to parties and in their fraternity, majors/works in law - finance - medicine, and are wonderful gentlemen. So it’s the sorority sisters who wear the hip waders? Because this story is getting deeper by the post. (Unless it’s for your creative writing class; in which case you deserve an A+.) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/153 "2014-08-22T20:46:49Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > A “count?” 😕 Don’t you say that! ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/154 "2014-08-22T20:49:00Z")
> [@Nickel\_Please](#): > > To those who think my story is false, have you ever gone to college? Better yet, been in a fraternity? Wild, crazy, and outlandish behavior there is the norm. > > And, us Greeks look down on the word “frat”. Say “fraternity”. Would you call your country a c-word? The first part of your post contradicts the second part. You later describe a “frat boy” as “Wears cargo shorts and flip flops, gelled hair, Axe body spray, fist pumps, likely goes to a state school, likely from the Midwest or west coast, drinks corona and flavored vodkas, listens to too much rap music, goes clubbing, will let all kinds of undesirables join their fraternity and fraternity parties, major in communications, bartends or work at Verizon post-graduation, are classless jerks.” That sounds like someone for whom wild, crazy, and outlandish behavior is the norm. Also, speaking as a someone who was in a fraternity (at an Ivy League university where many of your self-described “fraternity men” behaviors took place), I didn’t know of a single person there who had a problem with the word “frat.” I’ve always found the insistence that the word “fraternity” be used instead of “the f-word” to be pompous and asinine. You crashed a pool into the basement? Guess what? **You’re in a frat.** I hope that the resulting damage didn’t destroy your finest whiskeys or ruin your ATVs for your backyard excursions. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/155 "2014-08-22T20:56:34Z")
> [@Nickel\_Please](#): > > Fraternity men (that would be us): Wears bowties and boat shoes - seersucker suits - pastels - chinos, polos, and Oxford button downs - Omega sea diver watches - Ralph lauren, vineyard vines, j. Crew, Brooks brothers, southern proper - ray bans with croakies - bangs “alabama” swoop, like attends a private school, likely from New England or the south, drinks the finest whiskey, likes shiner bock and Abita purple haze, hunts - fishes - golfs- drives ATV in huge backyards of old money houses, listens to Springsteen, watches Wolf On Wallstreet once a week, hangs out at bars, selective on who they invite to parties and in their fraternity, majors/works in law - finance - medicine, and are wonderful gentlemen. You sound like insufferable little boys who define themselves by the clothes they were and the liquor they drink as opposed to being responsible young men who take responsibility for their actions. And a big +1 for this… > [@running\_coach](#): > > Builds pool inside house, destroys house due to piss-poor planning, attempts to hide said destruction. > I think you’re frats. > [@Calatin](#): > > You crashed a pool into the basement? Guess what? **You’re in a frat.** I hope that the resulting damage didn’t destroy your finest whiskeys or ruin your ATVs for your backyard excursions. ---
**Author:** ![Nickel\_Please](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Nickel\_Please](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickel_Please)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/156 "2014-08-22T20:57:28Z")
Both frats and fraternities love to party, unless they’re nerd chapters. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/157 "2014-08-22T21:05:31Z")
> [@Nickel\_Please](#): > > Both frats and fraternities love to party, unless they’re nerd chapters. Keep digging, bro. ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/158 "2014-08-22T21:10:05Z")
Also, you use Shiner Bock as an example of “high society?” That alone puts you waist-deep in “frat-tiness.” Fist-bump, brah ---
**Author:** ![Nickel\_Please](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Nickel\_Please](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickel_Please)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/159 "2014-08-22T21:13:18Z")
> [@Calatin](#): > > Also, you use Shiner Bock as an example of “high society?” That alone puts you waist-deep in “frat-tiness.” > > Fist-bump, brah Don’t mess with Texas, bro. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230/160 "2014-08-22T21:16:21Z")
Frat boys have to scrounge for their date rape drugs. Fraternity men have their own prescriptions. > [@Nickel\_Please](#): > > Don’t mess with Texas, bro. Texas! Holy fuck! That’s too perfect! How many stereotypes can you ping? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-crashed-into-basement-how-do-we-fix-this/695230.md?page=9)