Maybe I'm grumpy, but every year we seem to have these incredibly lame mayoral bets between the cities of two teams competing in big-time sporting events. There's no spice, no dice, there's nothing to really pique the competitive juices. With the San Francisco Giants in the World series, Mayor Gavin Newsom has been getting in on the tedium series after series.
First Newsom won a bet with Atlanta's Mayor Kasim Reed after the Giants beat the Braves in four games. His spoils? The flag of the Giants hanging from Atlanta City Hall and a future tour for Newsom of the Georgia Aquarium. Boy, Atlanta and Reed will be hurting from this one. It's like Sherman's March Part II.
Then Newsom upped the ante with Philadelphia's Mayor Michael Nutter for the NLCS. Nutter is now on the hook for wearing a Giants hat while volunteering with past American soldiers on Veterans Day. You can almost hear his howls of agony from 3000 miles away.
I'm sure you're all eagerly wondering how Newsom raised the stakes for the World Series with Dallas Mayor Robert Cluck. Cris Sanchez of NBC Bay Area with the story.
Should the Giants lose the series - gasp! - Newsom would have to fly to Arlington, Texas for a day of community service - wearing a Rangers jersey. The community service project would benefit the Miracle League, a youth program affiliate with the Rangers and with Mission Arlington, a local nonprofit.
...
Should the Giants win the series - oh, yes - Newsom still gets his hands dirty, with the sticky deliciousness of Texas BBQ. Mayor Robert Cluck wagered BBQ, said to be the best in Texas, along with community service with the Junior Giants, the youth baseball program affiliated with the team.
Oh the horror. The mayor of San Francisco thinks helping out kids is a suitable punishment for his team not coming through. Really going out there on a limb If the Giants win?