Happy Groundhog Day

I would like to take a moment to tell you about one of my favorite days of the year, and that is February 2nd, which to us “Yankees” is Groundhog Day.

All the people who live up north in the United States know all about Groundhog day and swear by it, but some of you outside of the Northern part of our country (or outside of the United States even) may not be aware of this days actual vital importance dating back to the 18th century.

As some of you may have heard about, each year on February 2nd in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania the whole world descends on this tiny little town (two hours north of where I grew up) to see the ultimate weatherman. The town’s people drag a little furry guy (ie groundhog) out of a wooden stump. And according to legend if the groundhog (named Punxsutawney Phil) sees his shadow because it is sunny and clear outside, then that means he runs back inside his stump and proclaims there to be six more weeks of winter. However if the ground hog comes out and it is cloudy, then it means an early spring.

Basically in addition to the prediction of the end of winter, the town also has a huge festival to go along with Groundhog Day (think Mardi Gras but with Polka music, and no boobs shown for beads because it is too damn cold). The town parties for a week before and a few days afterwards. It really is a huge event. I want to travel there one day both during the festivities and during the summer when it is actually warm.

I am sure some of you are asking well what the hell does this have to do with the Superbowl since you said that all week you were posting about the Superbowl. Well I will tell you.

You see this morning Punxsutawney Phil came out of his wooden stump and saw a shadow. But it was not his shadow that he saw. Phil saw the shadow of the Lombardi Trophy (the trophy given to the winner of the Superbowl). Sometimes Phil predicts the outcome of the Superbowl in addition to the weather (in years that the Steelers are in the Superbowl). And this year he saw the shadow of the Lombardi Trophy. You see Phil is not just a weatherman, but he is also a Steelers fan since he lives in Pennsylvania.

Sorry my “Yankee” friends but the Steelers are winning the Superbowl and you have 6 more fucking weeks of global warming winter because Punxsutawney Phil saw a shadow.

I would also like to recommend that if you have not seen one of my favorite movies “Groundhog Day” then you need to go and watch it (why the fuck haven’t you seen this movie-it is FUCKING GREAT). It has Bill Murray in it and it is the best movie Bill Murray has ever done, and he has done some great ones. And if you saw the movie and didn’t like it, please remove the stick from your ass and go watch it again because it is fucking hilarious.