Mayors and governors, breweries and doughnut shops -- there was a frenzy of friendly wagers on the Super Bowl.
It was Brunswick stew vs. clam chowder. It was Kane's Donuts against Atlanta's Sublime Doughnut. It was all so fun and easy.
...And then the Atlanta Falcons lost. And they didn't just lose a close one. They collapsed during the final minutes of the game in what is likely the most brutal, painful loss in Atlanta sports history.
So then came the not-so-fun part. But a bet is a bet. And here's a look at the bets and whether or not Atlanta officials, doughnut shop owners, breweries etc., made good on those bets:
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Mayor of Flowery Branch Bet:
Mike Miller, the mayor of Flowery Branch, where the Atlanta Falcons’ headquarters and training complex is located, made a wager with David Feldman, the chairman of the governing board of Foxborough, Mass., where the New England Patriots play their home games. Miller bet a case of Big Red gum, courtesy of the Wrigley’s plant in the Hall County city, coffee from Common Grounds, cookies from Calliope Sweets, and treats from Liberty Candy Company.
Reached by email before the Super Bowl, Feldman said Miller "will be eating well with New England lobsters, clam chowder and spring rolls, if the Falcons come out on top. Feldman said he'd also throw in cupcakes and coffee, and pajamas so Miller can sleep well after his feast," according to the Gainesville Times.
UPDATE (as posted on Mayor Miller’s Facebook page):
“I made good on my friendly wager with Chairman Feldman at our city council meeting tonight. I had to include something Falcons so I'm sporting an autographed Matt Ryan helmet with the ugly Tom Brady jersey.
In the next week or so I will be taking offers (cash offers) for the Tom Brady jersey. All of the proceeds will be split between two charities. . . the other half of funds raised will be given to Relay for Life in the name of Laura Sciacca, friend and former teaching colleague who is probably the biggest New England Patriots fan I know (she may be the ONLY Patriots fan I know) but in addition to being a great teacher, wonderful Mother and loving wife, she is a cancer survivor. So Laura Malouin Sciacca, half of what this ugly jersey sells for will go to Relay for Life in your name.
The Sweet Bet: Sports trash talk is one thing, but when doughnuts get involved, things started getting real. Maria Delios, who owns Kane's Doughnuts in Boston, fired the first shot in an Instagram video by betting Atlanta's Sublime Doughnuts a dozen of their "Go Pats" doughnuts that the New England Patriots would defeat the Atlanta Falcons in next week's Super Bowl.
Not one to take smack talk lying down, Sublime Doughnuts owner Kamal Grant posted his own video (while sporting a colorful T-shirt tribute to his love of doughuts), telling Delios that he “looks forward to eating your doughnuts, because I know the Atlanta Falcons will destroy the Patriots in the Super Bowl,” and offering up a dozen of Sublime’s Falcons-themed doughnuts “in the small case that they lose.”
UPDATE: Grant of Sublime Doughnuts came through, and Kane's Doughnuts posted a video about it.
A Bet Between Breweries: A healthy Twitter battle had been brewing between the two hometown ale makers in the days leading into the Super Bowl. Boston Beer Co., the brewer behind Samuel Adams, was to brew the Dirty Bird Lager if the Falcons won.
Unfortunately, the Dirty Bird Lager will never be.
UPDATE: To stick to its bet with Boston Beer, Sweetwater renamed its 420 Ale Patriots Extra Pale Ale after the Atlanta Falcons lost to the New England Patriots on Sunday. But not for long and not many cans.
RELATED: Atlanta zoo names cockroach after Patriots QB Tom Brady after losing bet
The Bet Between Doctors:
Emory's Winship Cancer Institute doctors initiated a challenge with Boston doctors.
Winship staff challenged the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston on Facebook that If the Falcons win, the docs at Dana Farber have to wear Falcons jerseys. If the Patriots win, Winship folks will wear their colors.
UPDATE: Emory's Winship doctors wore the Patriots jerseys.
The Running Wager
Atlanta Track Club and the Boston Athletic Association have agreed to a friendly agreement based on the outcome of the big game. Depending on the winner of Super Bowl LI, members of Atlanta Track Club or the B.A.A. will have to pose with the winning team’s jersey on a run around their city and post the photo on social media.
If the Falcons win, the B.A.A. High Performance team will run around Boston College’s Alumni Stadium with a jersey of Falcons quarterback and BC alum Matt Ryan. If the Patriots win, members of Atlanta Track Club Elite will have to run and pose with a Tom Brady Patriots’ jersey in front of the Georgia Dome.
In addition, the team from the losing city will have to run a certain number of miles with the jersey based on the game’s final score. If the winning team scores 35 points, then either Atlanta Track Club or the B.A.A. will cumulatively need to run 35 miles with the jersey.
UPDATE: Members of the Atlanta Track Club Elite Olympic Development Team and Coach Amy Begley went for a run with a Patriots jersey around the Georgia Dome and Mercedes-Benz Stadium about a week ago. And it wasn't too tough for one of the runners, Jim Rosa.
“As a Patriots fan, I was happy to lose the bet and wear the jersey of the GOAT. I would have loved to see the Falcons win too, as Atlanta is quickly starting to feel like home,” said Rosa.
Rep. John Lewis Accepts the Bet
“Two of my colleagues reached out to me to take a chance on the Super Bowl,” said Rep. John Lewis in a press release before the Super Bowl. “I warned them it wasn’t wise to bet against Atlanta, but they insisted. They think experience will win over the rising star. I reminded them that a rising star can be blinding. They told me to check their team’s record, consult the history. That’s when I knew we had it in the bag. I’d match Atlanta’s history against the best any day. Only time will tell, but it may be time for America’s team to move South for the winter. Rise up, Falcons!”
Rep. Langevin bet Rep. Lewis a sumptuous New England lobster dinner, and Rep. Lewis bet a signed copy of a historic Life magazine featuring Atlanta’s world-class civil rights history.
Rep. Moulton bet Rep. Lewis a service day in each other’s district. If the Falcons win, Rep. Moulton will help out somewhere in Atlanta’s 5th, and if the Pats win, Rep. Lewis will travel to Massachusetts to lend a hand.
UPDATE: Lewis plans to honor his commitment to a day of service in Massachusetts (day has not yet been set). No word on whether he has sent the Life magazine.
The Bet Between Governors:
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker placed a low-stakes wager on the outcome of the Super Bowl matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots. Baker offered Koffee Kup's lucky cupcakes and Legal Sea Foods clam chowder for his wager. Deal countered with Brunswick Stew from Fresh Air BBQ and chocolate-covered blueberries from Byne Blueberry.
UPDATE: No word yet from governor's office on whether he has followed through on the bet. (And yes, we asked)
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