what we all knew anywayconfirmed 1523

On Thu, 23 Jun 2005 11:44:38 +0000 (UTC), "Jay"

I flippantly offered a tenner bet, Ted being the big mouth that he was tried to be the big 'I am' and demanded I upped it to £1,000. I felt that anyone with the crbutt stupidity to offer a complete stranger such an obscene bet needed bringing down a peg or two, so I took his bet and then had him running around emailing online betting sites etc trying to sort the bet out. This went on for several days before Ted tired of my stalling and called the bet off.

Though it was my intention to bring Ted down a peg or two (and Ted alone) unfortunately, several other kopites got involved and thus also became victims of the wind up. Hopefully there's a lesson to be learnt here. Just because someone is a red they should not be followed and supported blindly if in confrontation with a blue. It's sometimes wise to buttess the situation and either stay out of it, or offer an opinion based on good sense, rather than the colour of a person's shirt.

I take my hat off to Dave G, a kopite who has crossed swords with me in the past. He was the only red prepared to have a go at Ted for trying to arrange this bet. The Evertonians largely stayed out of it, maybe because this isn't their NG, (although I am sure they were all watching), or maybe because they have more sense than to support such an obscene bet, even if an Evertonian was involved. Actually Roo did intervene at one point and had a go at the pair of us, reminding us that while we were throwing £1,000 around there were kids dying in Africa. I did however email him privately to tell him it was a wind up - he thought it quite funny.

Maybe those of you taken in by my little wind up will now have the grace to smile (even if only inwardly), admit to yourselves you should never have supported such a bet, learn a lesson and move on. I am sure Ted won't, but after all, Ted is Ted... unfortunately!

Bernie The Bolt - 'The bet is off!' - Padre Ted, 22nd June 2005