A vicious dispute has divided longtime political allies, County Executives Jim Smith and Ken Ulman.
But the rift isn?t over funding or stormwater management.
It?s over football.
The two pigskin fans are split on who will win the Maryland 2A State Football Championship on Saturday when Howard?s River Hill High School squares off against Baltimore County?s Eastern Technical High School.
The wager: The executive of the losing county?s team will spend a morning in January working as a special assistant to the winning executive.
“I am not a gambling man. I only go for the sure thing,” said a confident Smith, whose money is obviously on Eastern Tech.
Naturally, Ulman is just as sure Smith will be on hand in his Ellicott City office to answer phones and file papers, while wearing a River Hill blue-and-gold sweatshirt.
“My sense is we will give him some light duties in the first hour,” Ulman said, adding once Smith proves he can handle the work, he?ll pile on more duties.
Smith similarly has planned simple tasks for his younger counterpart. In a jab to his age, Smith insisted Ulman will be earning his Boy Scout merit badge and learning from a more experienced leader.
And neither executive can even imagine having to serve the other.
“I hear they have a lot of work to do in Baltimore County,” Ulman said, declaring that he would be ready to roll up his sleeves and chip in.
The two executives then would spend the day at the winning school, speaking with a social studies class about government, and eating lunch with the principal, championship team and their coaches.
No ordinary football game that led to this intense rivalry. Both teams are undefeated, and it?s the first time the neighboring counties are facing each other on the turf at M&T Bank Stadium.
“This is the big showdown,” said Rick Lloyd, activities and athletics manager at River Hill.
“It?s our Super Bowl.”
