This week’s dining tip (see back story in Jan. 1 TBRR): there’s a reason you often have to wait for a table at Red Robin in Countryside Mall – excellent burgers including a sumptuous turkey burger and some terrific soups and salads.

Early edition, Irma and some names to keep in mind

Our usual Sunday serving of drivel appears early this week, we’ll compensate with a late edition next month – more on that in a week or two. We move a Rays lead piece back a week to concentrate on stuff that isn’t drivel – like the good work of our state and local leaders to keep us aware of the threats from this monster storm. We’re also reminded of why we ring a bell every year for the Salvation Army – our local Army members are just back from Texas and jumping right back into the fray. And unfortunately, we have to remember names like Seven-Eleven and Chevron – two retailers who wasted no time at all in trying to gouge their fellow Floridians in the time of crisis. No, we don’t want to hear how some of these scoundrels are independent operators and corporate isn’t responsible. If your contractual agreement with these thieves doesn’t include some specific language about gouging, it’s you Mr. CEO of Seven-Eleven or Chevron who is responsible and we hope every consumer will act accordingly.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff

1. We did some analysis last week of the St. Pete Mayor’s race (TBRR Sept. 3) and living in upper Pinellas, don’t have a dog in that fight, but if we were a St. Pete voter, Rick Baker’s refusal to recuse himself in city business with his employer would be a non-starter. Recusing yourself when there’s even a hint of a conflict is Public Service 101.

2. Nothing changes; U. of Tampa professor makes incredibly stupid remark about hurricanes and red states and is justifiably discharged by the university. Liberal media goes insane. Now imagine, if you will, if someone were discharged for a similar insensitive remark about a blue state. The sound you would hear would be crickets chirping.

3. More campus news compliments of the delightful 5:05 Newsletter “Some students at the University of Southern California are demanding Tommy Trojan stop riding a horse that’s always been named ‘Traveler’ after Robert E. Lee’s horse. They apparently don’t want anything to distract from the dignity of O.J. Simpson’s Heisman Trophy on display in Heritage Hall”.

4. Drove by a local Wells Fargo branch last week. Amazingly, there were cars in the parking lot even after revelations that another 1.4 million accounts were improperly handled. A shoe box or under the mattress seem to be much better alternatives.

5. Idle question: why do parents think it’s cute to have six year-olds phone businesses – especially tourism-related activities? Would they prefer the companies answer their calls with six-year-olds?

The diamond, the media and other stuff:

6. The Bucs are coming off a 9-7 season but this year’s schedule is measurably tougher than 2016 – put us down for 8-8 and a tenth straight year of no playoffs.

7. Over the past few months, we profiled some recording artists who had great careers but never a number one record in the rock era. At the other end of the spectrum, here are the folks with the most number one records – The Beatles (20); Elvis (18); Mariah Carey (15); Michael Jackson (13) and The Supremes (12).

8. Number of the Week: 8 – the number of teams who have been officially eliminated from MLB pennant races. It will be a long and meaningless three weeks for fans of the A’s, Braves, Giants, Mets, Padres, Phillies, Tigers and the White Sox. For more than half that group, 2018 isn’t looking so bright either.

9. Factoid: 18 major league pitchers have defeated all 30 major league clubs. The latest to do so was the venerable Bartolo Colon when he defeated the Diamondbacks a few weeks ago. Somewhat surprisingly, only one Hall of Famer has turned the trick – Randy Johnson.

10. You’ve lived in the bay area a long time if you (and probably your parents) visited St. Pete’s incredible Webb’s City complete with its dancing chicken.

Our List of 10 Best Quarterbacks

And we are underway, the long march to the Super Bowl. In honor of opening week, here is a list of the ten best quarterbacks we’ve been privileged to see play the game. First, a bow to two near misses Jim Kelly and Dan Marino, two fine quarterbacks but they never got a ring. In alphabetical order, our Ten Best: Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady, John Elway, Bret Favre, Otto Graham, Bob Griese, Joe Montana, Ben Roethlisberger, Johnny Unitas and Steve Young – eight Hall of Famers and the other two, Brady and Roethlisberger, will join them when their playing days are over.

SNEAK PEEK AT NEXT WEEK – WAKE UP MLB AND TAMPA BAY!