Nutty bet

More than a playoff series will be on the line tonight when the Minnesota Wild visit the Anaheim Ducks. As has become de riguer under such circumstances, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle have put together a wager over the first-round NHL playoff series.

The stakes? If Anaheim loses Pringle has to display two cases of candy from St. Paul-based Pearson's Candy Company in his office. But if the Wild lose Coleman will showcase an orange tree and a crate of 150 oranges in his workplace.

Pretty tame stuff. Next time Coleman should force the losing elected official to drink a six pack of Pig's Eye Beer. Then again, it's now brewed in Wisconsin.

Coleman does deserve credit for this bit from the press release: "We don't play with ducks--we hunt them." Although I'm pretty sure he cribbed it from Paul Allen.