Groundhog Day

OK, so I just watched Punxsutawney Phil come out of his hole and see his shadow and, thus, predict six more weeks of winter.

Phil, said his chief handler, is a proud Steeler fan (who would have thunk it?). Couldn't be, say, a Bears fan, because bears prey on groundhogs, eh?

One snide TV commentator pointed out that Phil has only been correct 39 percent of the time. OK, so I suppose that's an improvement over most local TV weather casters, but still.... How on earth does this rodent manage to hold down a job, not to mention a custom groundhog house and get like 15,000 to come out on a freezing morning (sipping various alcoholic beverages and waving yellow towels) to watch this nonsense??

This, friends, passes for a lead story now that the inauguration and Super Bowl are behind us.

 

Phil? Phil Conners?

 

Pitchers and catchers in 11 days.

And yes, there will be six more weeks of winter, at which point it becomes Spring!

 

Phil has no credibility. With all those TV lights, of course he sees his shadow. Stevie Wonder could see his frackin' shadow in that environment.

 

I think he has naked pictures of Punxsutawney's Inner Circle, who care for Phil/plan the event.

As for people making the trip into Pennsylvania's Podunk country, I have no idea.

Drinking is no longer allowed at Gobbler's Knob, which takes ALL the fun of out it. Instead, you'll experience hot cocoa, 4 a.m. polka and shriveled nuts waiting for some guy to grab Phil's back fat and proclaim six more weeks of whatever.

Overrated doesn't even begin to describe Groundhog Day.

 

NED?!

(punch)

 

Nine days, according to MLB.com's countdown.

It can't come fast enough.

 

BING!

 

Gobbler's Knob... wasn't Jenna Jameson in that?

 

They showed it in Tucson last night.

 

It is silly, but it is one of those traditions that is kind of cute and worth keeping around. I don't see much of a problem with this.

 

Oh, I get it. Like the NIT, right? ;D