Tomorrow the men of Punxsutawney will give a lesson in Old School showmanship. Half a dozen guys dressed to the nines will take a whopping ten minutes to lift up a ground hog and tell people if it’s going to be cold. If you ever have to speak in front of a group, there are lessons to be learned.
Here are the few of the highlights for me:
The men will be dressed well — “stylin’ & profilin’” (Thank you, Ric Flair.)
The speaker acknowledges all the members of the Punxy Mafia like Wayne Newton thanking his band. “Mafia” wasn’t their term. A friend in Punxsutawney tells me that’s how locals describe the groundhog inner circle. (Thank you, Dennis.)
He holds up the groundhog for several seconds milking the applause and cheers. Can you milk a groundhog? Do they have nipples? (Thank you Meet The Parents.)
Once he gives the prediction, he doesn’t blather on for minutes. He wraps things up in seconds, just like the end of a Thanksgiving parade. (Thank you, Santa.)
Stay Warm, Punxy Friends!