The case against a strong Clearwater Mayor (Pt. 2)

Last week (TBRR), we dealt with the argument that a strong mayor would lessen the burden of Scientology in Clearwater. In brief, it won’t. This week, we look at our neighbors with their strong mayor government form – and ask ourselves do we want to be St. Pete or Tampa? We wager the overwhelming response of Clearwater residents would say no. Tampa is little more than an Atlanta, Charlotte or Jacksonville wannabe without the corporate headquarters to pull it off but just as much traffic congestion as any of those. St. Pete can’t make up its mind what it is - artsy? touristy? city of green benches? Clearwater isn’t and can’t be any of those. It is a beach community, with, like most cities, a downtown on life support and an eastern half that doesn’t want anything to do with either the beach or the downtown. No shift in a form of government is going to change that. In fact, if you look at the most successful city in Pinellas County – it’s Dunedin by a landslide. They are doing quite well with a manager-council form of government. (Next week – the concluding Part III – the cost of a strong mayor form of government)

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. The ill-advised race to get a cop in every Florida school is having a trickledown effect with smaller city agencies losing their officers to larger ones and not enough new folks to draw upon.

2. Many liberals are squalling over Gina Haspel’s nomination to head the CIA. The woman has three decades of experience in the agency and, as for her treatment of post 911 terrorists. We need to remember this is not a Scout troop she will be heading.

3. Clearwater city council member Doreen Caudill correctly read the tea leaves and dropped out of a planned race against incumbent County Commissioner Pat Gerard. Time is short and it appears that Gerard, regretfully, might get a free ride in November.

4. Want to know what makes Pinellas County’s School Board look so good? It’s being compared to the train wreck that is the Hillsborough County School Board.

5. You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you shopped at the Skycrest Supermarket on Drew Street.

Sports, the media and other stuff:

6. Best word of the week: “Stupid” – USF’s eminent political guru Dr. Susan MacManus when asked on 97-WFLA what word she heard in the ubiquitous Laurel/Yanny sound bite. 

7. Just missing our list of future Hall of Famers last week (TBRR 5/13) was Robinson Cano. He probably will not be able to overcome last week’s 80-day PED suspension.

8. During last week’s two-game Rays-Braves series, one of the Rays’ beat writers referred to the visiting Braves as “the old home team” as they were the only team in the South from 1966 to 1993. A lot of local folks, understandably, have not been able to give up that 50-year allegiance.

9. Here are five guys who may never make it to the majors but if they do, what fun announcers and writers will have. They are (with their parent organizations) Trey Cabbage (Twins), Walking Cabrera (Rockies), Cash Case (Reds), Cutter Dyals (Braves), and J.D. Murder (Cards). Our local nine has a couple interesting names in the minors – Trey Hair and Phoenix Sanders.

10. Another week of franchise best players (see back story TBRR 3/25) and another legacy franchise although most of that legacy has been losing. The Chicago Cubs best player is a three way race – Ryne Sandberg, Billy Williams and Mr. Cub – Ernie Banks. It’s hard to deny the honor to someone nicknamed Mr. Cub – a two time MVP on teams with losing records. Pitching is a two-man race between Fergie Jenkins and Greg Maddox. With four Cy Youngs, albeit only one with the Cubs, the honor goes to probably the smartest pitcher in baseball history – Greg Maddox. Interesting side note here – both Jenkins and Maddox wore #31 and the number has been retired by the Cubs in honor of both pitchers.

The case for a 140 game season

Mike Viso, who writes for a baseball site Foul Territory, makes a compelling case for shortening the major league baseball season twenty games or so. We’re approaching Memorial Day and warmer weather but surely we haven’t forgotten the cancellations in the northeast and some of the terrible conditions at Wrigley and elsewhere in April.  Viso proposes ending spring training around Tax Day – giving us at least something to be happy about (our thought not his). For Florida, this shortens the “dry spell” between the end of spring training and the start of summer vacations. Fewer games would mean less revenue, but the argument can be made the fewer the games the higher the per-game demand. It’s better for groups who split season ticket packages – fewer games to cover. Fewer in-division games – 19 is way too many. And a few less inter-league games might not be so bad either.  And the World Series would not be played in a blizzard. A lot of solid reasons, but will it happen in our lifetimes? By the way, a recent poll of some 10,000 MLB Trade Rumors visitors split right down the middle on shortening the season.

UP NEXT: Strong Mayor Pt. 3; hurricane season; MLB at the 1/3 mark