Friendly trash talk

Governors quibble over Falcons-Vikings playoff

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Posted: Friday January 15, 1999 11:22 PM

Ventura: "Back in the Civil War, it was Sherman's march into Atlanta. This time it's reversed. It's Atlanta marching into Minnesota." AP

ATLANTA (AP) - Gov. Roy Barnes knows he doesn't stand a chance in the ring against Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, but he held his own in a trash-talk battle Friday as the two argued over who would win Sunday's NFC championship game.

Ventura, an experienced taunter from his professional wrestling days, challenged Barnes to a one-on-one battle, but Barnes said he would rather let the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings fight it out.

Barnes did agree to a wager: If the Vikings win, Barnes will send Ventura a case of Georgia peaches. If the Falcons win, the Georgia governor will receive lutefisk, a fish dish he'd never heard of.

Lutefisk is a traditional Scandinavian dish made from dried cod that has been reconstituted and softened by soaking it in lye.

Ventura said the visiting Falcons, who have never been to the Super Bowl, would have a tough time Sunday.

"They are going into uncharted territory,' he said. "Back in the Civil War, it was Sherman's march into Atlanta. This time it's reversed. It's Atlanta marching into Minnesota."

The Georgia governor, known for his sharp wit when he was a lawyer, quickly replied: "We've got plenty of folks that marched down here and they're still buried in these cemeteries. Maybe we can refight that war."

Ventura said the noise in the Metrodome would rattle Atlanta quarterback Chris Chandler.

"Chandler's not going to be able to call signals very effectively," Ventura said. "He's gonna choke. It's going to come down to the quarterbacks, and Randall Cunningham is gonna prevail."

Barnes said the Falcons would overcome a favored opponent, just as Ventura and Barnes did in November elections.

"You gotta root for the underdog," he said.

 

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