There's a fish riding on Sunday's NFC championship game between the Saints and the Purple Ones.
Actually, two fishes.
One, anted up by Republican congressman Erik Paulsen of Minnesota is, of course, a walleye. The other, being wagered by Paulsen's Washington roommate, Louisiana Republican Steve Scalise, is a blackened redfish, along with a pot of seafood gumbo and alligator sausage. Sounds a little spicy for Minnesota tastes, but that's what Paulsen gets if the Vikings win. If, Mon Dieu, the Saints win, Scalise gets a walleye and a crock pot of Minnesota wild rice. Yes, elected leaders' bets on big games have become one of the enduring clichés of American politics, but who can resist? (Not to be outdone, Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Mary Landrieu, D-La., also have a friendly little wager: If the Vikings win, Landrieu will cook a Minnesota wild rice casserole and deliver it to Klobuchar's office while wearing a Brett Favre jersey for Minnesota constituents to enjoy. If the Saints win, Klobuchar will cook gumbo and deliver it to Landrieu's office while wearing a Drew Brees jersey for Louisiana constituents to enjoy). Skol Vikings! Geaux Saints! We report. You decide.
