Every time a local sports team plays for a championship, you can count on our politicians to make wagers with their counterparts in the opposing city. It's popular among fans, makes the politician look like he or she really cares about the team, and it's just plain fun.
"I don't consider this gambling, it's a sure thing for me," said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez on Thursday.
The mayor bet a case of Joe's Stone Crabs, from the iconic Miami Beach restaurant, that the Miami Heat will win the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. His partner in the wager is San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, who is offering a platter of Tex-Mex food for his end of the bet.
A similar bet was placed by U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz of Weston with a congressman from Texas. Even Miami-Dade firefighters have gotten into the act this year. After all, if anyone knows a thing or two about heat, it should be them, right? The firefighters have a bet with their colleagues in San Antonio: whoever loses has to wear the other department's uniforms.
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Here's the wager you may not have seen coming: the archbishop of Miami, Thomas Wenski, is staring down the archbishop of San Antonio!
"We can do it in four!" Wenski said Thursday at a news conference, wearing his Heat hat, surrounded by huge pictures of Dwyane Wade. The archbishop is predicting a sweep!
Vegas Favors Heat in NBA Finals
When asked if he thought God was on Miami's side, Wenski said God is on everyone's side, and acknowledged that Spurs fans will no doubt be praying for their team, and Heat fans will pray for their squad.
"Besides our prayers," the archbishop wryly noted, "we also have LeBron James!"
If Wenski's prediction of another Heat championship turns out to be prophetic, he will receive a large shipment of Texas barbecue from his counterpart in San Antonio. If, heaven forbid, the Spurs win, Wenski will be sending stone crabs to Texas.
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- NBA Championship Trophy Visits Jungle Island
- Miami Heat: Celebs in the Stands
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Photo Credit: NBC 6 South Florida