TOP OF THE WEEK:

“Florida’s Best Newspaper”, the Times, is usually about as subtle as a rattlesnake. This makes it all the more interesting trying to divine their motive for the hatchet job they did on Charlie Crist a couple Sundays ago. Were they trying to get ultra-liberal Nan Rich the Democratic nomination? No newspaper has that much juice. Seeking to advance the candidacy of Rick Scott? Surely you jest – the Times has a blind hatred of the man. The piece was something you would think they would publish about Scott - not his for sure challenger. Something’s up. Stay tuned.

Around the Bay –

1. State Rep. and County Commission hopeful Ed Hooper has the right idea regarding Greenlight Pinellas. Instead of passing a regressive sales tax that hits low income people the hardest, use Penny for Pinellas dollars for any expansion of our mass transit system.

2. The PSTA has done themselves no favors with their back and forth on records request issues – or their shucking and jiving on the issue of spending Homeland Security dollars to promote the ill-conceived Greenlight issue. Would you buy a used bus from these people?

3. We understand Circuit Judge Daniel B. Merritt’s frustration with folks who don’t show up for jury duty. But the judge went beyond the pale with his showboating with the American flag. While we’re on the subject, why do some folks get called every 18 months to two years and others never? We suggest a very complex system like starting at the beginning of the alphabet and running through “Z”. It can’t be that tough to more equitably distribute the duties.

4. Quote of the Week: from Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri after the third inmate suicide at the country jail in four months, “(it) doesn’t mean…that we’re doing anything wrong”. Double talk sheriff - you have a dirty house and you need to clean it up.

5. Add former Governor Jeb Bush to the growing ranks of leaders from government, the medical profession and law enforcement who have turned thumbs down on the medical pot initiative in Florida.

The Diamond, the Media and Other Stuff –

6. Recent newspaper piece on certain celebrities and not so celebrities on their Top 10 records of all time got us thinking – thinking California Girls by the Beach Boys; Elton John’s Crocodile Rock and Spanky and Our Gang’s I’d Like to Get to Know You. And your three all-time favorite 45s are?

7. Speaking of good old time rock and roll, you long time bay area residents complete the following radio jingle without looking below. “WLCY One ______ (shortened version of their frequency).

8. It’s amusing how dismissive so many people are of Buck Showalter. The latest is Fangraphs which says the Orioles success is an anomaly. Unless we read the standings wrong, the Orioles are 19 games above .500 despite no Dodger or Oakland-like pitching staff or Angel-like lineup. They just play solid fundamental ball under a manager who has won everywhere he’s managed. Maybe he wouldn’t win where so many baseball analysts live – a fantasy world.

9. The anybody but Bud crowd have their man in new MLB Commissioner-elect Rob Manfred. Some detractors say he is a clone of Selig. Perhaps, but he is not a former club owner like Bud Lite. There is no question that the Brewers (Selig’s former team) got a few breaks during his tenure – most notably being selected to move from the AL to the always larger drawing NL. This year alone, the NL has outdrawn the AL by five million people with about 30 games remaining.

10. Oh, new commissioner Rob – about that All-Star game and DH. Fix it!

IN CLOSING:

Usually when either Tony Kornheiser or Michael Wilbon are absent from Pardon the Interruption, the chemistry of America’s best sports talk show gets all messed up. But ESPN may have stumbled on something recently when both hosts were gone and Dan LeBatard and Jason Whitlock filled in admirably. Individually, they’ve been no great shakes on the show but together they blended perfectly and you hardly missed Tony and Michael.

(Answer to number 7 above, it was “WLCY One thirty eight” – shortened version of this classic radio station’s 1380 frequency – now occupied by Radio Disney. Oh, the Humanity!

POST SCRIPT:

Don’t forget to vote Tuesday!