Tampa Bay Rants and Raves is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - some of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Leading off: Weaponizing the DOJ

Are you old enough to remember the bad old days of the Nixon administration? There was at least one thing good that came out of those days – an independent Justice Department with a spine. Dozens of people resigned rather than cave to Nixon’s demands regarding his criminal activity. Now the DOJ has been turned into a weapon to be used against Joe Biden’s presumed strongest opponent in 2024. Legal experts are justifiably calling the indictments weak, but they are nonetheless time consuming and expensive diversions which shout “banana republic.” Biden had better hope he garners an unlikely win in 2024, lest he fall victim to the same kangaroo court in 2025.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Joe Biden quote: “Silence is complicity.” We couldn’t agree more. That’s what happened in the 2022 midterms and what we cannot allow to happen again in 2024.

Insider information on Bud Light – so strong has been the push back that the local distributor gave each of their outside sales people a $500 bonus for the all the guff they have had to take.

One of the first things this blog addressed in its launch in March of 2014 was the restoration of Tampa’s fabled Jackson House. Over nine years later, the project is still stalled – inexcusable.

Hats off to the Clearwater Threshers for canceling their fireworks display last week after receiving word of a pair of eaglets nesting close by who could have been harmed by the display.

Seen on the T-Shirt of a random wife (may have been ours) “Raising my husband is exhausting.”

Just in time for the summer travel season from the 5:05 Newsletter: I changed my GPS voice to “Male.” Now it says, “It’s around here somewhere, just keep driving.”

This week in 1963 (June 15) Sukiyaki by Kyu Sakamoto becomes the first ever Japanese language song to top the Billboard charts.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Media news: Chuck Todd to leave Meet the Press, but probably leaves it too tarnished for Kristen Welker or anyone else to resuscitate the once proud show.

The departure of Chris Licht as head of CNN reminds you of how far the cable service has strayed from Ted Turner’s original concept of Cable News Network.

Factoid: you’ve no doubt used it, but you didn’t know what it was called. It’s the Brannock Device invented in 1927 in Syracuse, NY by Charles Brannock - the device used by shoe stores to measure the length and width of your foot. About the only person who knows the actual name of the device is our longtime friend and retired shoe store mogul, Jim Stewart.

Famed running back Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch was born 100 years ago this week (June 17, 1923).

If the season ended now, the Dodgers and, yes, the Pirates and Marlins would be the NL wild card teams.

The relocation proposal for the A’s to move to Nevada is getting very messy.

The baseball world lost Roger Craig last week. The Durham, NC native touched the game with his arm, his managing skills and teaching perhaps the most devastating pitch in baseball – the forkball.

…and another thing: Denver omelet

The NFL season is a ways off, but the team to keep your eye on is Denver – if you like weird stuff. They are coming off a 5-12 season. Their new defensive coach is their former head coach. Russell Wilson, their QB who cost them numerous future draft picks, has his own cadre of coaches/aides and the new head coach is Sean Peyton who Wilson campaigned for in Seattle when he tried to get Head Coach Pete Carroll fired - weird enough for you?

UP NEXT: Homer alert; Lord Nelson & Ricky; Farewell tours

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