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Hockey team ensures ‘Stephen Colbert Day’

Saginaw Spirit’s victory vs. Oshawa helps Comedy Central funnyman win bet

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updated 1:22 p.m. ET Jan. 27, 2007

SAGINAW, Mich. - Late-night funnyman Stephen Colbert had a lot riding on Friday night’s Ontario Hockey League game won by the Saginaw Spirit, 5-4, over the Oshawa Generals.

The host of the satirical news program “The Colbert Report”, has thrown his support behind the Spirit in recent months after learning that the Michigan team had named its mascot Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle, as a tribute to him.

Colbert has since done some trash-talking about other OHL teams, particularly the Oshawa Generals.

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After the Generals recently beat the Spirit on home turf, the Oshawa team held its annual teddy bear toss for charity. Colbert took mock offense and aired footage of the stunt, calling it “an obvious attempt to taunt me.”

In retaliation, he encouraged Saginaw fans to throw General Motors annual earnings reports on the ice during Friday’s game against the Oshawa Generals in Michigan. He even posted a downloadable link to the financial reports on his Web site.

That prompted Oshawa Mayor John Gray to issue a challenge to Colbert on a local radio station.

Gray said if the Oshawa Generals won the game, Colbert would've worn a Generals jersey for an entire show. However, with the Spirit win, Gray must declare Colbert’s birthday “Stephen Colbert Day” in Oshawa.

Colbert accepted the challenge on his show Thursday night, but said he wants his day to be declared on Gray’s birthday, March 20.

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