MAYOR ACCEPTS “FRIENDLY” SUPERBOWL CHALLENGE FROM SOMERVILLE NEW JERSEY

SOMERVILLE - Fresh from recent victories in the WFNX FM "My

Song is Better than Your Song" Battle of the Mayors, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has

accepted a Superbowl challenge from Somerville, NJ Mayor Brian Gallagher.  Gallagher has offered to wear a New England

Patriots jersey at one of his city's official public meetings "if the Patriots

could somehow win this game," said Somerville, NJ Administrator Kevin Sluka.  In return, Mayor Curtatone is expected to wear

a New York Giants jersey if New York prevails in Sunday's NFL championship

game.

"Game on," said Curtatone, who is a long-time volunteer

assistant football coach at Somerville High School.  "This is a friendly wager, but that doesn't

mean it isn't serious. I appreciate Mayor Gallagher's spirit in issuing this

challenge.  Somerville, New Jersey is a fine

community, to be sure, but Mayor Gallagher knows full well that our town is

better than his town and our team is better than his team."

"And I'm grateful that it wasn't Mitt Romney who called to

make one of his so-called friendly bets: I don't have that kind of money,"

Curtatone said, adding "Go Pats!"

Both mayors have agreed that the loser must wear the other

team's jersey at a public meeting that is broadcast on local cable in order to

provide conclusive video evidence. 

Curtatone indicated that, in the unthinkable event that the Giants won,

he would appear in a Giants jersey at a regular meeting of the Board of

Aldermen.  "But that's not what's going to

happen," Curtatone said.  "Mayor

Gallagher will reap what he's sown."