A lot more is riding on Monday's college football championship than school pride.

As is often the case for politicians thirsty to show their love for the home team during key games, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox and Athens Mayor Nancy Denson have placed a friendly wager on the outcome of the Georgia–Alabama game.

If the Tide rolls, Maddox will wear a UGA shirt for a day, donate $100 to the Athens Area Emergency Food Bank and give Denson cases of beer from Tuscaloosa's Band of Brothers Brewing Co., Black Warrior Brewing Co. and Druid City Brewing.

If the Dawgs bark, Denson will likewise wear a 'Bama shirt for a day, donate $100 to the Tuscaloosa Pre-K Initiative and give Maddox cases of beer from Athens' Creature Comforts, Terrapin* and Southern Brewing Co.

Since I can't imagine Nancy is much of a beer drinker, might I humbly suggest that Tuscaloosa's beer be distributed to the public before the Athens-Clarke County Commission's next meeting? It would help us all get through the next Mike Hamby–Melissa Link snit, and greatly improve the entertainment value of the public comments.

Or give it away at the food bank; those folks could probably use it more than the rest of us.

That's assuming the Dawgs win, of course. Even if they don't, everyone in Athens is still a winner, because we get to live in Athens, and they still have to live in Tuscaloosa, AL. So there.

*a subsidiary of international conglomerate MillerCoors.