A popular Southeastern homecoming tradition is being laid to rest this year. No longer will students be forced to eat spoons full of mayonnaise or down heady concoctions brewed by schadenfreude-esque masterminds. Fear Factor is being replaced by Southeastern’s own take on Minute to Win It.

“We felt like it was kind of dated. We wanted to do something a little more current,” said Jackie Dale Thomas, faculty advisor for the Dream Team, the campus organization responsible for Southeastern’s homecoming events.

The Dream Team also felt that the change would give them a greater control over the antics of students who have not had their daily fill of revolting items. Also, the new game would allow for a more controlled element of time.

Minute to Win It, a popular NBC game show, has contestants perform seemingly easy tasks. The caveat is soon realized as the tasks prove to be anything but simplistic. These tasks range from picking up paper bags of various sizes using only the mouth to knocking over empty cans with a yo-yo tied behind the contestant’s back and attaching a pedometer to the forehead in an attempt to recording 125 “steps” in under a minute.

There will be several differences between Southeastern’s Minute to Win It and the game show’s, most noticeably there will be no million dollar prize. Also, instead of single player contestants, groups of campus organizations will compete against one another.

“What we’re going to do is we’re going to pit two organizations against each other and whoever can do the tasks for the longest will then advance. It’s going to be like a playoff bracket for Minute to Win It,” Said Luke Holloway, chairman of the Dream Team.

Although the reaction is mixed about the new direction chosen by the Dream Team, many were not saddened to see Fear Factor go.

“One of the things that irked me the most and I’m happy to be rid of is two years ago [in] one of the tasks, if you failed the quiz you had to eat a live earthworm. It was pretty nasty!” said Thomas in a flowing, Southern-belle tone.

Minute to Win It will take place on Tuesday, October 19, at 6:30 at the Strawberry Stadium. The event will be followed by the popular students vs. staff flag football match, which will also kickoff at the stadium.  For a complete schedule of Homecoming events, students may visit www.selu.edu/ homecoming or call the Alumni Center, 1-800-SLU-ALUM or (985) 549-2150.