Mayor Smack Talk

[CantStop85]

Cincinnati mayor yowling over lost Steelers bet
Friday, February 03, 2006

By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mayors have long made friendly bets on big games, but rarely has that tradition spawned trash talk -- until yesterday.

Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory accused Mayor Bob O'Connor of welshing on their bet on the Steelers' Jan. 8 win over the Bengals. The loser pledged to visit the winner's city, but Mr. Mallory said he couldn't get a call returned from Mr. O'Connor.

"This is a first for me. I have never seen anyone welsh on a bet that they won," Mr. Mallory taunted in a news release that read like a Joey Porter rant. "Maybe Mayor O'Connor does not think that his city is worth showing off?"

That came on the heels of an announcement that Mr. O'Connor and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels have made a bet that isn't really a bet on Sunday's Steelers-Seahawks apocalypse. No matter who wins, they'll send local eats to each other, and to homeless or anti-hunger programs.

More on that later.

Mr. Mallory said he's ready to load up a Pittsburgh-bound bus with city officials -- and his own security. His release said he was "looking into taking the famous Bengals Stormtrooper," referring to a fan who wears a Star Wars costume painted orange and black, after seeing what Steelers defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen did to Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer.

The release came in response to a story on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Web site. In that story, Mr. O'Connor's office said Mr. Mallory had not yet visited Pittsburgh, but was expected next time the Bengals play the Steelers.

No such arrangement was made, Mr. Mallory said. "I called [Mr. O'Connor's] office [Jan. 9]," he said in his release. "We have made several calls since then. ... I am still waiting for a return call.

"The truth is that Pittsburgh is ducking Cincinnati, just like the Steelers will be ducking the Bengals next year."

"We're sorry their messages got lost under the tons of congratulatory mail and calls since we beat them and Indianapolis and Denver," said **** Skrinjar, Mr. O'Connor's spokesman. "I'll call [Cincinnati's] mayor and his aides during the Super Bowl and advise them of the plan."




For the Super Bowl bet, Mr. O'Connor's staff has gotten pledges from 18 local restaurants, coffee houses and food producers. The loot will be split between Mayor Nickels in Seattle and a homeless shelter or anti-hunger program regardless of who wins.

Mr. Nickels could also win a glass football from the Pittsburgh Glass Center and a Terrible Towel.

Mr. Nickels' office is wagering Starbucks coffee, Pike Place Ale and pizza, chocolate and wine from Washington state. They'll share with anti-hunger program Northwest Harvest. Mr. O'Connor could also win dinner for two at the Space Needle Restaurant, a CD with grunge music and a Seahawks helmet.

At least one playoff bet went as a wager should. After the Steelers beat the Broncos, Mr. O'Connor and friends chowed down on the buffalo meat and beans Denver's mayor staked.

There was no mayoral wager with Indianapolis, whose Colts the Steelers beat in their second playoff game. With just two decades of professional football experience, the Hoosiers weren't up for a bet, Mr. Skrinjar said. Indianapolis' mayor could not be reached for rebuttal.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll and her Washington state counterpart, Brad Owen, have gotten into the act.

In the "unlikely event" that the Steelers lose the game, Mrs. Knoll said, she has agreed to wear a Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl XL championship jersey in the state Capitol. If the Seahawks lose, Mr. Owen will wear a Jerome Bettis jersey to work.

"It's a good thing that people who live in Seattle are used to rain, because the Steelers are going to rain on their parade Sunday," said Mrs. Knoll.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06034/649278.stm

[tony hipchest]

the bengals are so dead next year. its on!

[SteelCityMan786]

Can Lt. Governor Knoll be any more smarter. I like the bet.

[BlitzburghRockCity]

Gotta love political wagers..

im sure there's a side bet involved with alot more at stake than jersey swapping

[3 to be 4]

I love mayor talk