In college football, "excessive celebration," falls under "Unsportsmanlike Acts" – a 15-yard penalty. The NCAA defines it as: "Any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player attempts to focus attention upon himself."

Last week, a university student told me about another excessive celebration. His fellow-intern was the star intern for a prestigious, highly-desirable organization for one about to graduate from college.

She was at the top of her university class, an industrious intern, and when it came to the end-of-internship presentations, hers was the best. This young woman was going places. Everyone said so.

Then came the celebration. A big party hosted by the executives to celebrate the end of the internships – part of the game plan to get the interns to think of the firm long term.

The star of the intern class celebrated a little too much. She started with a Long Island Iced Tea. Then she drank three more.

If you don't know what a Long Island Iced Tea is, it contains vodka, rum, gin, tequila, Triple Sec and cola. It's the "stupid-maker."

The highlight of the evening was the star intern loudly serenading the CEO to Happy Birthday. It wasn't even his birthday.

This young woman was through. Everyone said so.

When you have an alcohol incident, no one will forget it. An alcohol incident doesn't have to involve four Long Island Iced Teas. It could be taking one sip too many and saying the wrong thing.

Better not to mix alcohol and business. Keep a clear head… especially if you are an intern.

#

I just had a birthday. Or as we say in my house, "the beginning of birth week." No alcohol was involved. But I received a nice profile by Dave Elbert of The Des Moines Business Record: http://businessrecord.com/Content/Opinion/Opinion/Article/The-Elbert-Files-Tips-from-our-manners-maven/168/963/70452