- An American podcaster makes weekly predictions on AFL matches
- He made a bold prediction about the outcome of a game last weekend
- He called his blunder “the Jim Rooker moment.”
A football fan in the United States will have to pay a heavy price after placing a huge bet on the AFL in Australia and losing spectacularly.
The Sydney Swans were expected to make light work of bottom side St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, with most bookmakers tipping them as near favourites to beat the struggling Saints.
Americans Watching The Footy is a social media channel and podcast run by brothers Benjamin and Ethan Kassel, who analyse AFL games for an American audience.
Benjamin was so confident that Sydney, who had only tasted defeat twice all season before the game, would beat St Kilda that he said he would walk from Los Angeles to San Diego if the biggest upset of the year occurred.
Then the unthinkable happened. At one point, the Saints were trailing by more than 30 points, but then mounted a spirited comeback and won by just two points to claim their fifth win of the season.
That means Benjamin has a long road ahead of him.
“In our preview of the round, I said that if the Saints won, I would walk from San Diego to Los Angeles,” he said.
“I’m a man of my word. It will probably be in December, during my winter break.”
St Kilda pulled off the upset of the AFL season against the Sydney Swans at Marvel Stadium
American podcaster Benjamin Kassel said he would walk from Los Angeles to San Diego if the Saints won, and now he has to complete the 216km journey.
Kassel now faces an arduous 50-hour journey on foot along the Transamerica Highway following St Kilda’s thrilling win.
“134 miles (about 216 kilometers). I’m ready for it,” he posted.
He called the loss his “Jim Rooker moment,” after the American baseball player who infamously said on-air as a broadcaster that he would walk home to Pittsburgh if the Pirates lost.
The Pittsburgh Pirates had taken a 10-0 lead in Philadelphia, only to have the Phillies win 15-11.
Although Rooker did not walk home that day, he kept his word and organized a charity walk from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, a distance of 490 km.
Saints coach Ross Lyon said the club had received help from NRL rivals Melbourne Storm.
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon revealed after the match that the struggling club received some help from cross-city NRL rivals Melbourne Storm before the shock win.
After reaching the final last year, the Saints have a 6-10 record, and even with Sunday’s big upset, the top eight appears out of reach this season.
Lyon said the relationship with the Storm is “a blessing.”
“We can’t get stuck on wins and losses, it’s about training, (preparation), standards and laying a foundation for future success,” he said.
“We know it’s unlikely, and probably impossible, to play the finals, but the way we do it now – training, preparing, competing and reviewing – will set the standards for future success.”