Jersey Joe Pa - and He Runs an XTERRA Race!

Joe Patanella is the race director of the King of the Hill Xterra in New Jersey. The Race Directors can make or break events -- "Jersey Joe Pa" really makes the Jersey Xterra an awesomely good time. My very first Xterra was this race, and Jersey Joe Pa helped sell me Xterra racing. He has a push up contest, a sit up contest, and swag coming out the gazoo that on a whim, he will start throwing in the crowd. He'll say stuff like "who wants a shirt... first one here gets it." And the crowd gathers around him. "Who wants a backpack...who didn't get a prize yet." All the while his heavy Jersey accent can't go un-noticed as he chants and yells, and "directs" the race. He's an energetic guy that's puts on a cool XTERRA event. I'm sure it gets to be duldrum from year to year, figuring out what kind of trophy or what prizes to give. This year, we got bobbleheads. Normally, my trophys end up in a drawer hidden forever. But Jersey Joe Pa is turning out to be a fun little toy that is bringing piss-your-pants laughs to my house. It started one evening when I went to bed, and I heard my hubby tiptoeing up the steps and when I opened my eyes, there was jersey Joe Pa about 2 inches from eyes staring me in the face. I near died laughing, and I couldn't stop laughing. You have to understand my hubby whom normally is very straight-faced and has a dry sense of humor. So when Jersey JoePA was staring at me, it was simply histerical. Last night, I'm going about my business getting ready to take a bath, and I reach for the washcloth, and there's Jersey Joe Pa again! Ready, willing, and able to take a bath with me! Once again, it was histerical. I also sited him watching American Idol the other night AND laying with the cat. So who knows where he'll show up next, but he's a trophy that won't go in the drawer any too soon!