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Michael Hancock bet-losing Ray Lewis dance delayed due to injury?

Before Saturday's Broncos-Ravens playoff game, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock made a friendly wager with Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. If Denver won, Rawlings-Blake promised to send a platter of broiled crab cakes. If Baltimore won, Hancock agreed to mail a box of dry-aged "cowboy cut" ribeye steaks. And do the Ray...
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Before Saturday's Broncos-Ravens playoff game, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock made a friendly wager with Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. If Denver won, Rawlings-Blake promised to send a platter of broiled crab cakes. If Baltimore won, Hancock agreed to mail a box of dry-aged "cowboy cut" ribeye steaks. And do the Ray Lewis pre-game dance.

But now it looks as though the latter may not happen soon.

At 10:42 a.m. today, Hancock spokeswoman Amber Miller sent the following statement:

NEWS UPDATE: During pre-game warm-ups, Mayor Hancock was taken to the locker room with an injury. Hancock team spokeswoman Amber Miller says he's expected to be on the field in the second half, ready to carry out the game plan and fulfill his end of the wager. The Hancock Team said it will release an update when one becomes available.
A little more than two hours later, Miller sent a second statement:
CLARIFICATION: The prior message was a tongue and cheek regarding the Mayor's injury. Please use the following for the full explanation of his injury.

The Mayor was at a National Western Stock Show event last night when he caught his boot and seriously strained his right quadriceps. Our Mayor is headed to the doctor now to find out when he will make a recovery and be able to fulfill his bet with Baltimore.

Good call. Doing the Ray Lewis pre-game dance with a strained quad is never a good idea.

Continue to see video of Lewis's dance and read the terms of the wager.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Mayor Hancock Sets Wager with Baltimore Mayor

DENVER -- Confident in the Denver Broncos' ability to defeat the Baltimore Ravens in Saturday's divisional playoff game, Mayor Michael B. Hancock today made a friendly wager over the phone with Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

"Denver is looking forward to an exciting game with the Ravens, and I expect an Orange Wave to come out on top at the end of the fourth quarter," Mayor Hancock said. "Behind the high powered offense led by Peyton Manning and shut down defense led by Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller, the Broncos are playing at the top of their game. The road to the Super Bowl runs right through Denver, and I can't think of a better city to host Ray Lewis' last game of his acclaimed career."

In accordance with the terms of the wager, the mayor of the losing team will send the other food that is unique to his or her city. In the spirit of the west, Mayor Hancock agreed to send a box of dry aged "cowboy cut" rib eye steaks from Lombardi Brothers Meats. Denver's original "local" meat cutter, Lombardi Brothers has been servicing Colorado's premiere hotels, resorts and restaurants since 1947 and is the exclusive supplier at Denver's esteemed National Western Stock Show. Additionally, in the unlikely event the Broncos lose, the Mayor agreed to perform the famous Ray Lewis pre-game dance.

Mayor Rawlings-Blake agreed to send a platter of broiled crab cakes from J. W. Faidley Seafood in Baltimore's historic Lexington Market. Additionally, the Mayor will order Baltimore's historic Washington Monument to be bathed in blue and orange light.

"For five consecutive years, our Ravens have made the playoffs with an increasingly potent offense and historically dominant defense, led by All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis. I am excited to watch them win another game on the road to the Super Bowl," Mayor Rawlings-Blake said. "This is, of course, Ray Lewis' final post-season as a Raven. He and his teammates are playing with a renewed sense of camaraderie and urgency which the Denver Broncos will be unable to match."

Mayor Hancock eagerly looks forward to dining on the crab cakes, which have been noted in the New York Times as "the single best crab cake in Baltimore, if not the Western Hemisphere."

Go Broncos!

More from our Sports archive: "Videos: Five Broncos playoffs defeats more vomit-inducing than loss to Ravens."

Follow me on Twitter @MelanieAsmar or e-mail me at [email protected]

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