By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN — For Mayor Michael Bloomberg, raising the Pittsburgh Steelers terrible towel over the New York Public Library Thursday morning ranked just below getting bitten by Staten Island Chuck on Groundhog Day two years ago.
Bloomberg had to hoist the towel up after losing a bet to Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl that the New York Jets would make it to the Super Bowl.
He said cheering for the team was "much worse" than dealing with Staten Island Chuck, the bite-y groundhog.
"For the record, this is painful and I don't plan on doing it again next year," Bloomberg said of raising the towel.
Watching the proceedings from a small crowd gathered at the library steps was Laura Alfano, 42. She sported a Steelers jersey and waved her own terrible towel after losing a similar bet to a co-worker.
"Listen, I've been a Jets fan for as long as I can remember," said Alfano, who said she'd postponed making good on her bet before Thursday because of the bad weather.
"Truth be told, I'll root for the Steelers because they're the East Coast team," she said.
The Steelers, led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, will take on the Green Bay Packers Sunday for Super Bowl XLV.