(See update from Team Wolverine at end of post.)

Try this on for a delightful surprise: Today, I received an email from the Wolverine shoe company in Michigan, which cosponsored the Mike Rowe Works Foundation Work Ethics Scholarship.

As if it weren’t generous enough that former Dirty Jobs host Mike Rowe paid off the balance of my construction school tuition at Tennessee College of Applied Technology, now Wolverine is offering to send me a free pair of work boots as—in their words—a small token of their appreciation for my pursuit of training in the skilled trades.

It’s almost like Mike Rowe doesn’t understand that my affection for him is already unconditional. I don’t need fancy shoes…but I’ll take them!

Now the problem is deciding which pair of Wolverine workshoes to choose. I’ve narrowed my selection to the two styles pictured above: a classic pair of 10″ dark-brown leather Wellies with a steel toe, or a snazzy lace-up shoe called the Jetstream Carbonmax with a safety toe, which looks kind of like an armored running shoe. I’ve been needing new Wellies, to replace a pair that sprang a leak, and these handsome Wolverines look pretty doggone impermeable. Then again, those fancy rainbow Carbonmax kicks would turn a lot of heads, and every time someone complimented them, I could namedrop that my Sugar Daddy Mike Rowe got them for me.

Decisions, decisions… At the risk of sounding like I’m looking a gift Wolverine in the mouth, does anyone have any history with either of these shoes that could help me choose?

Meanwhile, thank you, Wolverine, for the lovely surprise.

Update from Team Wolverine, Oct. 2: