THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Local teams wonder if they'll see their shadow, too

Who gives a hoot about Punxsutawney Phil?

Does it matter if he emerges from his underground bunker and sees his shadow?

Or if he blinks and zeros in on a squirrel dashing across the town square?

Or if he stares straight upwards and becomes fascinated by a jet zooming over the lovely Pennsylvania countryside at 30,000 feet?

Somewhere along the line, like in a TV movie, Phil and gazillions of his kin became famous for exactly one day per year — while another group of humans with nothing much to do decided that these creatures should take the spotlight each Feb. 2.

Groundhog Day.

It’s been harmless fun, mostly centered on forecasting the weather for the English midlands (and lots of other places where Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on Feb. 2.)

Naturally, Phil now has an army of imitators, because a groundhog’s chances of seeing his (or her) shadow first thing on Feb. 2 naturally are a hell of lot different from Punxsutawney to Phoenix.

Not to mention that with the Earth shaped like a big old tennis ball, it’s actually Feb. 3 when Phil comes out looking for his shadow (or a neighboring squirrel) during that magic morning in Punxsutawney.

Have you got all that?

GOOD.

See, the point today is that I wanted you to know how different Groundhog Day has become here in the Northwest.

Especially when you’re talking about sports.

When you suggest that Punxsutawney Phil (and his fellow groundhogs) might have decided to hand out gloomy forecasts for Seattle and the beautiful Northwest just for the hell of it, that idea might sound crazy to the average citizen.

But not for sports fans in this neighborhood.

Where do we start?

Washington State’s women’s hoop team has a legitimate shot at its first Final Four this spring.

The Lady Cougs are just done turning over No. 2 UCLA at Pauley Pavilion, which normally would be a cause for an all-out celebration.

Unfortunately, Wazzu All-American Charlisse Leger-Walker tore her ACL in that win over the Bruins, and she’s out for the year.

Speaking of hoops, normally we’d be spending the first weeks of February trying to guess where the Gonzaga men and women will be seeded in the NCAA tournament.

Yikes.

The women are holding up their end, but the once-invincible men’s juggernaut has hit this pattern where they blast mediocre teams at home — but lose to powerhouses no matter where they play.

They CAN make a case over the next eight days that they belong with the big boys.

Saint Mary’s is the conference favorite, and the Gaels come to the Kennel on Saturday — then after a midweek game at home against Pacific, the Zags go visit No. 6 Kentucky in Lexington.

As I said, they can make a case, but they’ll have to shoot and defend better to prove they’re a legit postseason team.

The Zags may have to win the WCC conference tournament just to avoid missing the Big Dance for the first time in a quarter-century.

Question: Would Gonzaga accept an invitation to the NIT?

Tell us about THAT, Punxsutawney Phil.

So far, this groundhog business hasn’t been any fun at all.

IS THERE any good news?

The Seahawks’ future may not be a catastrophe, but it certainly does fall into the Groundhog Day category.

You have to think so, when they dismiss a coach of 14 years — a Super Bowl winner and a Hall of Famer.

Pete Carroll is eased upstairs into a cushy job, but with nothing on his plate.

Flipping the 72-year-old Pete Carroll for Mike Macdonald — who is exactly half Pete’s age — screams out loud that Seahawks owner Jody Allen wanted a fresh changing of the guard.

She won’t ever say this out loud, but Jody’s message to GM John Scheider had to be something like this: “Go find the new Pete, with all the smarts and schemes, but a younger version who’s just NOW bringing enthusiasm and fire to his job.

“We need the younger Pete Carroll.”

This plan MIGHT work, since Macdonald really knows the game — although there’s so much more to being a head coach.

The Seahawks also need a quarterback, since Geno Smith is no more than an acceptable caretaker who won’t let things go backwards.

Safe hands, but a lot more work to do.

Now then.

We’re not quite done, with one more child born and raised here — but who hasn’t ever displayed the biggest banner of all. 

That takes us across the street to T-Mobile Park, and trying to repair two mildly successful projects that suck up so much of the area’s energy and enthusiasm.

The Mariners honestly should be fighting it out in a World Series by now, and they have the pitching to make 2024 the season of endless joy.

The M’s are improving, piece by piece, but making three trades almost on the doorstep of Groundhog Day is tempting fate.

Still.

This team is close.

They’re all close.

Damn, maybe fate will get tired of fighting back. 

Email: [email protected]

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”