SAGINAW, Mich. – The wager was more snarky than friendly. Stephen Colbert probably wouldn't have had it any other way.
The Saginaw Spirit beat the Oshawa Generals 5-4 Friday night in what would normally be a meeting of Ontario Hockey League also-rans. But this game was different thanks to Colbert, the host of the satirical news program "The Colbert Report."
Colbert has thrown his support behind Saginaw in recent months after learning that the Spirit named its mascot Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle, as a tribute to him. And he's done some trash-talking about other OHL teams, particularly Oshawa.
After the Generals recently beat the Spirit on their home ice, the Oshawa team held its annual teddy bear toss for charity. Colbert took mock offense and aired footage of the stunt, calling it "an obvious attempt to taunt me."
In retaliation, he encouraged Spirit fans to throw General Motors annual earnings reports on the ice during Friday's game in Saginaw. GM, whose Canadian subsidiary is headquartered in Oshawa, lost $3 billion in the first nine months of 2006.
That prompted Oshawa Mayor John Gray to issue a challenge to Colbert on a local radio station. Gray said that if Oshawa won Friday's game, Colbert must wear a Generals jersey for an entire show. If the Spirit won, Gray would declare Colbert's birthday "Stephen Colbert Day" in Oshawa.
Colbert accepted the challenge on his show Thursday night, but said he wants his day to be declared on Gray's birthday, March 20.
Colbert's Web site made no mention Saturday of winning his wager with Gray. But one viewer posted a message saying: "Unfortunately, I don't think it can count as most of Saginaw's players are Canadian!"
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