- American podcaster makes weekly statements about AFL matches
- Made a bold statement about the outcome of a match last weekend
- Called his blunder his ‘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 comfortably dispatch of basement side St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, with most bookmakers having 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 analyze AFL matches for an American audience.
Benjamin was so confident that Sydney, who had lost only twice this season up to the match, would beat St Kilda that he said he would walk from Los Angeles to San Diego if the biggest upset of the year happened.
Then the unthinkable happened. The Saints were at one point more than 30 points behind, but they mounted an energetic comeback and won by just two points to record their fifth win of the season.
That means Benjamin still has a long walk ahead of him.
“In our pregame preview I said 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 vacation.”
St Kilda pulled off the AFL upset of the season against the Sydney Swans at Marvel Stadium
American podcaster Benjamin Kassel said he would walk from LA to San Diego if the Saints won – and now he has to complete the 216km trek
Kassel now faces a gruelling 50-hour journey on foot along the Transamerica Highway following St Kilda’s thrilling victory.
“134 miles (~216 kilometers). Excited,” he posted.
He called the loss his “Jim Rooker moment,” after the American baseball player who said on a television show as a host that he would walk home to Pittsburgh if the Pirates lost.
The Pittsburgh Pirates took a 10-0 lead in Philadelphia, but the Phillies went on to 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 300 miles.
Saints coach Ross Lyon said the club received some help from NRL rivals Melbourne Storm
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon revealed after the match that the combative club received help from city rivals Melbourne Storm in the build-up to the surprise victory.
After reaching the final last year, the Saints are now 6-10. Even after Sunday’s big upset, the top eight this season look even further behind them.
Lyon said the relationship with the Storm has been “a blessing.”
“We can’t get stuck in a win-lose situation. It’s about training, preparation, standards and setting a foundation for future success,” he said.
‘We just know that it is unlikely, and probably impossible, to play the final. But the way we approach it now, train, prepare, compete and evaluate, will set the standard for future success.’