MotownBlue
Well-Known Member
Hello Blue Brethren,
So I would like to outline a wagering issue I am faced with as of yesterday. As an American, I want to make sure from you True Blue Brit Blues that I am in the right here. Did I lose something in translation when wagering?
In the photo below you will see my mate from England, Russell, in his Arsenal shirt flanked by myself on the left and my American buddy Tom on the right. Tom and I are wearing two of my (admittedly outdated - sorry but I haven't bought a new City shirt since the 1990s) City shirts. In this pic, we are doing a little 7:00 AM pre-drinking before the City-ManUre match last February at my house.
Now, Russell and I had a wager last season that City would/wouldn't win the league. If we won the league, he owed me $200.00. If we didn't, I owed him $200.00. We didn't win the league and I paid him his $200.
Prior to this season when I paid him the $200.00 I lost, he wanted to make the same bet again but I thought it was bullshit. He is a typically-arrogant Gooner (Watford boy actually - he just "liked the color Red") and I felt that such a wager would put no onus on his side to do a thing. So, we changed the bet for this year to:
If City won SILVERWARE (that was the SPECIFIC word used) and Arsenal finished outside the top 4, he owed me $200.00. If City lost out on all SILVERWARE this season and Arsenal finished in the Top 4, I owed him $200.00.
Truth be told, he was AWOL until Christmas, while we were tearing up the league and them lot (if you remember) played some truly brutal football. Didn't text or call and stayed very quiet. I said nothing myself, as I have been a blue since 1996 and I know all too well what happens to TYPICAL CITY teams.
I am a brewmaster working in a local pub. On St. Patrick's Day, Russell came into my pub for beers and mentioned that "you lot are now out of all Cups and are slipping in the league while we are getting better and better. Once United overtake you in the league you will owe me another $200.00".
Yesterday, I received this text from Russell after matches were over:
"Oh dear oh dear... $220, if you please, kind sir ... Arsenal now guaranteed 3rd or 4th place and Manski didn't win any cup silverware ... hmmmm, this is becoming a lil' ritual between us ... well, us and your pockets, of course."
The odd $20.00 in his text is from an unrelated side bet which I lost to him, just to clarify things in his text.
So, Russell, who is English, is telling me that only Cups constitute SILVERWARE and winning the league does not. If this is the case, then I do indeed owe him $200 and I will certainly pay up. However, I have spoken this morning with a mutual English friend of ours, Jack (Huddersfield boy and a great guy!) who said that winning the league DOES IN FACT constitute silverware. Jack also sent me this Wikipedia link:
<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverware_%28sport%29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverware_%28sport%29</a>
So, as I read that, winning the league is considered a haul of SILVERWARE, right?
Look, I want to make this absolutely clear - if I have lost something in translation here and the league trophy does not count, then I will gladly pay my $200, as I don't go back on bets. However, if we beat QPR and win the league, then I think we HAVE INDEED won silverware this season. By the letter of our wager, neither of us achieved a successful combination of results to win the wager and it is a wash. He doesn't owe me and I don't owe him. No money changes hands.
What do you Blues say? Jack says Russell is "clutching at straws" and I tend to agree, but I am curious what you English City Fans say. If we win the league next weekend, have we won silverware and is the bet a wash??? Also, any comments you have for this Gunner that might be funny, I'm all ears!
And again, I apologize for going so long without replacing my City shirts. Buying stuff from across the pond is difficult as I am 6'4" tall and weigh 265 lbs. Every time I order something from over there, it is too small. Advice on this would be helpful as well, as I would really truly love a new City shirt!
So I would like to outline a wagering issue I am faced with as of yesterday. As an American, I want to make sure from you True Blue Brit Blues that I am in the right here. Did I lose something in translation when wagering?
In the photo below you will see my mate from England, Russell, in his Arsenal shirt flanked by myself on the left and my American buddy Tom on the right. Tom and I are wearing two of my (admittedly outdated - sorry but I haven't bought a new City shirt since the 1990s) City shirts. In this pic, we are doing a little 7:00 AM pre-drinking before the City-ManUre match last February at my house.
Now, Russell and I had a wager last season that City would/wouldn't win the league. If we won the league, he owed me $200.00. If we didn't, I owed him $200.00. We didn't win the league and I paid him his $200.
Prior to this season when I paid him the $200.00 I lost, he wanted to make the same bet again but I thought it was bullshit. He is a typically-arrogant Gooner (Watford boy actually - he just "liked the color Red") and I felt that such a wager would put no onus on his side to do a thing. So, we changed the bet for this year to:
If City won SILVERWARE (that was the SPECIFIC word used) and Arsenal finished outside the top 4, he owed me $200.00. If City lost out on all SILVERWARE this season and Arsenal finished in the Top 4, I owed him $200.00.
Truth be told, he was AWOL until Christmas, while we were tearing up the league and them lot (if you remember) played some truly brutal football. Didn't text or call and stayed very quiet. I said nothing myself, as I have been a blue since 1996 and I know all too well what happens to TYPICAL CITY teams.
I am a brewmaster working in a local pub. On St. Patrick's Day, Russell came into my pub for beers and mentioned that "you lot are now out of all Cups and are slipping in the league while we are getting better and better. Once United overtake you in the league you will owe me another $200.00".
Yesterday, I received this text from Russell after matches were over:
"Oh dear oh dear... $220, if you please, kind sir ... Arsenal now guaranteed 3rd or 4th place and Manski didn't win any cup silverware ... hmmmm, this is becoming a lil' ritual between us ... well, us and your pockets, of course."
The odd $20.00 in his text is from an unrelated side bet which I lost to him, just to clarify things in his text.
So, Russell, who is English, is telling me that only Cups constitute SILVERWARE and winning the league does not. If this is the case, then I do indeed owe him $200 and I will certainly pay up. However, I have spoken this morning with a mutual English friend of ours, Jack (Huddersfield boy and a great guy!) who said that winning the league DOES IN FACT constitute silverware. Jack also sent me this Wikipedia link:
<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverware_%28sport%29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverware_%28sport%29</a>
So, as I read that, winning the league is considered a haul of SILVERWARE, right?
Look, I want to make this absolutely clear - if I have lost something in translation here and the league trophy does not count, then I will gladly pay my $200, as I don't go back on bets. However, if we beat QPR and win the league, then I think we HAVE INDEED won silverware this season. By the letter of our wager, neither of us achieved a successful combination of results to win the wager and it is a wash. He doesn't owe me and I don't owe him. No money changes hands.
What do you Blues say? Jack says Russell is "clutching at straws" and I tend to agree, but I am curious what you English City Fans say. If we win the league next weekend, have we won silverware and is the bet a wash??? Also, any comments you have for this Gunner that might be funny, I'm all ears!
And again, I apologize for going so long without replacing my City shirts. Buying stuff from across the pond is difficult as I am 6'4" tall and weigh 265 lbs. Every time I order something from over there, it is too small. Advice on this would be helpful as well, as I would really truly love a new City shirt!