A Friendly Little Wager

Cincinnati mayor here to pay off playoff bet

Saturday, September 23, 2006By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory is threatening to lead an army of football fans to Pittsburgh today, and is asking them to "pack the tailgating areas around the stadium" and "show Pittsburgh that the Bengals are back and better than ever."
Mr. Mallory is making good on a bet he lost to the late Mayor Bob O'Connor when the Steelers defeated the Bengals in a Jan. 8 playoff game. The mayor of the city with the losing team pledged to visit the winner's city.
"We look forward to showing the mayor of Cincinnati what it's like to live in a big city," said Dick Skrinjar, spokesman for new Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, who will host Mr. Mallory.
"Mallory was confident that he would be hosting Mayor O'Connor," the Cincinnati mayor's office said in a press release issued yesterday. "But, early in the game, Carson Palmer injured his knee and the Steelers snuck out of Cincinnati with a win that would propel them to a Super Bowl victory."
Mr. Mallory will bring his assistant city manager, fire chief and assistant police chief, to compare notes with Pittsburgh's leadership. He also hopes to bring a black-and-orange-striped invading force.
"We need to show up in full force to show them we mean business," he exhorted in his release. "I am calling on everyone who can to join us at Paul Brown Stadium [this morning] and caravan to Pittsburgh."
In February, Mr. Mallory zinged Mr. O'Connor because he didn't get a return call when he tried to arrange his loser's trip to Pittsburgh. "Maybe Mayor O'Connor does not think that his city is worth showing off?" he taunted in a press release then.
Mr. O'Connor's death on Sept. 1 from brain cancer led to a tribute in the latest release.
"Mayor O'Connor was truly proud of Pittsburgh and his beloved Steelers," the Cincinnati mayor wrote. "He understood how to have fun and promote his city at the same time. I am honored to be able to pay tribute to his life by going to Pittsburgh and fulfilling our wager."

(Rich Lord can be reached at rlord@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1542. )