Emanuel, Villaraigosa Play The 'Mayors Betting On Their Town's Sports Teams' Game

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 3, 2013 8:50PM

At left, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. At right, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa placed a bet on the Stanley Cup Western Conference Finals between the Blackhawks and Kings, in yet another of those "civic pride" bets involving pro sports teams where local companies donate the terms of the bet.

Per Comcast SportsNet Chicago, here's what Emanuel wagered:

- Twenty-five Italian beef sandwiches from Al’s Italian Beef
- Three Cases of Goose Island’s 312 Urban Wheat Ale
- One case of Robinson's Ribs Barbecue Sauce, containing the flavors Original, Brown Sugar and Hot.
- 25 Slices of Eli's Cheesecake—a "hat trick" of Original, Strawberry, and Chocolate Chip flavors.
- One copy of The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration, "for you to read in your forthcoming retirement," Emanuel wrote* in the challenge to Villaraigosa.

*Someone in the Mayor's Press Office earned his or her keep with this one.

(Funny. We never remembered Rich Daley offering books in his bets with mayors in other cities when he was in office. Probably because someone would have been a smart ass and sent him a copy of Boss or American Pharaoh.)

Villaraigosa, with the Kings down 2-0 and the series headed to the Staples Center Tuesday, responded with his terms Monday.

- Nine #19 Pastrami Sandwiches from Langer's Deli
-Nine French Dip Sandwiches from Phillipe the Original
- For the sandwiches, one case of Morehouse Mustard, the official mustard of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Speaking of baseball, when was the last time the Cubs were in the World Series?
- One case of beer each from our very own Golden Road and Eagle Rock Breweries.
- Three Hollenbeck Burritos from El Tepeyac Cafe, weighing in at five pounds each.
- Twelve bottles of Sriracha Chili Suace
- "And to ensure that you maintain your newfound inner peace, one copy of YogaWorks for Everybody DVD," Villaraigosa says in his response.

Looking at the bet, if we were Emanuel we'd be rooting extra hard for the Hawks just for the pastrami and French Dip sandwiches alone.

Villaraigosa did get the last laugh, though. "When I saw it was from you, I said to myself, “Geez, I hope he didn’t send me a dead fish,' " he said.