You may have heard that Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama bet a case of beer each on the outcome of today's Olympic men’s hockey final. Apparently, because Canada won, Obama now owes Harper a case of Molson Canadian. If the U.S. had won, Harper would have owed Obama a case of Yuengling beer. How embarrassing for us and another missed opportunity that tells us how little craft beer has entered into the general conversation.
And did they even get the bet right? It is one thing for young hockey players not to know the difference but how can national leaders, at the top of their respective international trade teams, not put the best they have to offer? This bet? It's like a bet for a bag of ketchup potato chips against a box of Ring-a-Dings. And didn't they get the basic idea of the wager wrong? When the Red Sox played the Rockies in the 2007 World Series, Senators from Massachusetts bet a box of seafood and other east coast treats while Senators from Denver wagered prime beef and other food from Colorado. Shouldn't Obama have to consume the Canadian beer as part of his losing the bet? Isn't the whole point, after a Canadian win, to have the President of the United States say "you know... I was thinking... I wasn't going... to like... this Canadian beer... but I gotta say... it's not... that bad."
Comments
Pok - February 28, 2010 10:28 PM
I think the loser should have to buy the case of Molson Canadian and have to drink it too.
Trust the PMO to frig it all up. Alaska and PEI would have been much more manly stakes.
xyz - March 1, 2010 11:40 AM
"gratuitous... pauses... as I look... from teleprompter... to tele... prompter"
Perno - March 1, 2010 2:28 PM
They couldn't send their "best" beers because then the craft brewers would all be ticked that their brand didn't get picked even though it's rated higher on whatever site, blah blah blah...so Obama just went with the oldest brewery and from what I've read Harper bet Molson since it's Canada's oldest brewery. It's hard to argue against that, I'm just glad it's ok for 2 leaders to bet beer like us common folk.
the Professor - March 2, 2010 12:49 PM
@xyz:
...at least the guy can _read_ teleprompter, unlike his dimwitted predecessor. LOL.
But, back to the topic at hand, I have no problem at all with Yuengling as the selection from our side...they make good beer, and the fact that they have managed to stay family owned an even expand after nearly disappearing in the 1970's speaks well for them.
Alan - March 2, 2010 1:17 PM
I agree. The unwritten subtext is that I like Ring-a-Dings or alt least did when I was six.
Jeff Alworth - March 2, 2010 5:33 PM
We were definitely offering the better beer. As politics goes, Obama's selection suggests a greater sense of subtlety. He might have gone with a major brand, thus pissing off the others (but not Bud--it's Belgian!). He might have gone for a craft brewery, thereby pissing off the majors AND all the slighted craft breweries and fans. Instead, he goes with the oldest and a regional brewery--and, not unimportantly, a maker of decent beer. Who can criticize? No one.
You have your purty gold medal, now take your Molson, too.