Fan wins $1 Million for a 25 yard pass.

[SirFozzie]

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Chris Bostic was a $10-an-hour landscaper whose favorite football memories were running for touchdowns in Pee Wee games.

After his perfect 25-yard spiral pass made it though the tiny hole in a promotional contest, the Army veteran has an even better memory - as South Carolina's newest millionaire.

Bostic's pass at the end of the first quarter of the Florida State-Clemson game Saturday earned him $1 million in the Bi-Lo Healthy Choice Pigskin Challenge.

The Clemson fan said he thought the pass had a chance when it left his hand, 25 yards away from the 20-inch hole. The back end of the football clipped the bottom of the hole and bounced through as the crowd at Memorial Stadium went wild.

Bostic jumped up and hugged some of the contest sponsors, then raised the oversized million-dollar check over his head as he ran to the sideline.

He served for a year in Afghanistan with the 25th Infantry, coming home in March. He got out of the Army in the summer and has been working as a landscaper.

Bostic said he will show up for work Monday, just because everyone has said he won't.

Minutes after he won, his cell phone started ringing, with family, friends and old Army buddies calling to congratulate him. Bostic plans to use the money to take his 8-year-old daughter on a shopping spree.

"It's going to be an early Christmas," Bostic said.

[Schmidty]

After his perfect 25-yard spiral pass made it though the tiny hole in a promotional contest, the Army veteran has an even better memory - as South Carolina's newest millionaire.

He won't be a millionaire. The government will make sure of that.

[Easy Mac]

we call our millionaires politicians.

[Senator]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

we call our millionaires politicians.

Damn straight... wait.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by Senator

Damn straight... wait.

well, it's like the chicken and the egg. We're not sure which comes first. We think it's the millionaire part, but with the way these guys accumulate money in office, it may just be simultaneous.

[Karlifornia]

Bostic plans to use the money to take his 8-year-old daughter on a shopping spree.

"It's going to be an early Christmas," Bostic said.

I'll bet you a coke the money's gone within 3 years.

[Easy Mac]

3 days

[Young Drachma]

Wait, it's not gone yet?

[st.cronin]

I would have trouble with a million dollars. 100 million and I'd be fine; a thousand and I'd be fine. A million is not enough to plan the rest of your life on, but too much to be able to do the right thing with.

[DaddyTorgo]

the fact that he has an 8 year old daughter and yet he's working as a landscaper scares me. Any bets on how old this "winner" is?

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

the fact that he has an 8 year old daughter and yet he's working as a landscaper scares me. Any bets on how old this "winner" is?

One of my best friends is a landscaper. He is 35.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

the fact that he has an 8 year old daughter and yet he's working as a landscaper scares me. Any bets on how old this "winner" is?

I'll guess 30.

As for the million dollar prize. It wouldn't make you set for life, but its certainly life changing money. After the government takes its share, he'll have 600k. You buy a home or some property with a home on it, and throw the rest into savings. Even if you piss the remainder away, you've still got a place to live out your days. Imagine life, even at $10 an hour without a mortgage payment.

[Karlifornia]

He's already bought two solid-gold rakes.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

As for the million dollar prize. It wouldn't make you set for life, but its certainly life changing money. After the government takes its share, he'll have 600k. You buy a home or some property with a home on it, and throw the rest into savings. Even if you piss the remainder away, you've still got a place to live out your days. Imagine life, even at $10 an hour without a mortgage payment.

I think that's the wrong strategy; he'll still have upkeep and property taxes, which his landscaping job may not cover. Given what we know about his situation, I would think he should take 100K and open his own business - stick the rest in a roth ira, and get to work. I would also pay down whatever debt he has, and possibly finance some higher education.

[Anthony]

nah...buying the property is best. he's likely good with his hands, so doing your average handy-man job around the house will save him maintaining costs, property taxes are only an issue if you buy into a high tax area. this isn't a case of striking oil like the Beverly Hillbillies or moving on up to the East Side like the Jeffersons - his prize money is enough to buy *a* decent house in a decent neighborhood, nothing more nothing less. if he winds up w/ $600K that's well more than enough to purchase a house in the $250-$300K range (let's face it, if you aren't buying a house in NYC or Cali then that's the cost of most normal houses).

even if he's left with $300K after getting a house, that's enough to pay his daughter's way through college. the rest he can put in a bank (not likely to do, he's a landscaper for a reason) or just have a happy life with. if he's smart he'll sell his house in about 5 or so years and make some more money the American way - through real estate.

in life, if you can afford it - you always buy the house. just like Tony Soprano told his son once: "Buy land - cuz God ain't making any more of it".

[Tekneek]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

the fact that he has an 8 year old daughter and yet he's working as a landscaper scares me. Any bets on how old this "winner" is?

I would be more upset with the fact that he served in our Army in Afghanistan and the best job he could get upon return is landscaping. If there are any high-rolling Republicans in his area, that's who should be employing him and "supporting the troops" when they really need it...when they come back home. Train him and educate him to really reward the guy for carrying it out.

[Tekneek]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

if he winds up w/ $600K that's well more than enough to purchase a house in the $250-$300K range (let's face it, if you aren't buying a house in NYC or Cali then that's the cost of most normal houses).

I have finally understood the difference between me and the rest of you guys. My house was only $140k.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

I have finally understood the difference between me and the rest of you guys. My house was only $140k.

Shit, you can get places around here for around 60K that are waaaaaaaay more than suitable. You might have to put a bit of work into it.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

I have finally understood the difference between me and the rest of you guys. My house was only $140k.

remind me to never tell you what we bought our first "starter" house for then.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

in life, if you can afford it - you always buy the house. just like Tony Soprano told his son once: "Buy land - cuz God ain't making any more of it".

I understand your point, but I still think it's risky to have money tied up in property when income is a problem.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

I understand your point, but I still think it's risky to have money tied up in property when income is a problem.

true, but if the house is completely paid for (no mortgage), and he buys it in a modestly taxed area then what he pays for taxes will be akin to what he'd probably pay for rent. i won't speculate if income is a problem. it shouldn't be, with him being a former soldier he could go to college for free and probably get a house for cheap under the GI Bill (if it still exists, i'm not sure if it does). the guy and his family will be comfortable for the rest of their lives. it's not generational wealth or anything, but lifechanging nonetheless. lucky bastard.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

true, but if the house is completely paid for (no mortgage), and he buys it in a modestly taxed area then what he pays for taxes will be akin to what he'd probably pay for rent. i won't speculate if income is a problem. it shouldn't be, with him being a former soldier he could go to college for free and probably get a house for cheap under the GI Bill (if it still exists, i'm not sure if it does). the guy and his family will be comfortable for the rest of their lives. it's not generational wealth or anything, but lifechanging nonetheless. lucky bastard.

GI Bill is basically a stipend at about $1k a month, but..the way the government does it, it counts as income and impacts what you can borrow or what aid you can recieve. It's a modest help, but..it's hardly a tax-free scholarship. Which is annoying, mind you.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

GI Bill is basically a stipend at about $1k a month, but..the way the government does it, it counts as income and impacts what you can borrow or what aid you can recieve. It's a modest help, but..it's hardly a tax-free scholarship. Which is annoying, mind you.

This is true. The GI Bill is about 5% as useful as it was in the 1950's.