Tampa Bay Rants and Raves (TBRR) is a weekly chronicle of politics, sports, lifestyle and historical notes from a politically incorrect viewpoint. Some of this content should not be taken literally.

First thing on our mind:

We are a bit tardy with this week’s edition due to travel to South Florida and a 25-30 mph head wind coming home that seemed determined to push us back to Key West.

Leading off: It’s Vance and Newsom

As promised, we are giving you periodic updates on the favorites for the 2028 presidential election. Both Las Vegas and Politico like California Governor Gavin Newsom and Vice-President J.D. Vance to be their parties standard bearers – granted with two and a half years to go. Vance leads Newsom by ten percentage points. Rounding out the top half dozen are, shockingly AOC, followed by Donald Trump, Jr., Pete Buttigieg and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. All but Vance and Newsom have chances listed at fewer than ten percent. We’ll update the numbers a couple more times as the year progresses. And the 5:05 Newsletter weighs in below.

Tampa Bay, politics and notes:

We tip our cap to U.S. Senator Ashley Moody who is partnering with Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand of New York to prohibit Congressional members and their families fromtrading stocks. It’s a law that makes way too much sense.

Just last week, our Pinellas County Commission honored two outstanding legal professionals, Bob Dillinger and Bernie McCabe. Later, we read of the hot mess that is Atlanta where justice is determined by your political affiliation. And at the center of all this, no surprise, Fani Willis.

The 1^st District Court of Appeal sided with Florida in invalidating a legalize marijuana group’s batch of petitions signed by inactive voters and thousands who are not Florida residents. Gee, how unfair.

The answer is who is a game show host who mistakenly thinks we care about his political opinions? The category is, of course, Ken Jennings.

Breaking political news from the 5:05 Newsletter: The 2028 presidential race took a surprising turn this week as polling shows deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro to be the favorite for the Democrat’s  presidential nomination. The DNC is expected to continue its tradition of foregoing an actual primary and name Maduro as its candidate later this year.

Ten years ago this week in TBRR: The Florida Highway Patrol reports that crashes at the 22 intersections in Tampa monitored by red light cameras have risen 15 per cent since the camera’s installations.

Sports and random notes:

Super Bowl oddity: The Seahawks have made the Super Bowl every year in this century when there’s been a new Pope.( 2005) Pope Benedict XVI elected, Seahawks-Steelers; (2013) Pope Francis I elected, Seahawks-Broncos; ( 2025) Pope Leo XIV elected, Seahawks-Patriots.

That Bill Belichick did not gain first ballot entrance into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is absurd. No coach has dominated the NFL’s postseason like the former Patriots’ coach.

Speaking of coaches, the Atlanta Falcons recently hired ex-Browns’ coach Kevin Stefanski, hoping that hire works better than three years ago when they passed on the guy who’s taking the Seahawks to the Super Bowl, Mike Macdonald.

This is kind of the unofficial week when your gym becomes much less crowded.

Burning question: How many pages before you give up on a bad book?

In 1940, bottlers Ally and Barney Hartman came up with the formula that we now know as Mountain Dew. Twenty four years later, rights to the formula were acquired by Pepsi. It is the 6^th largest selling soft drink in the U.S.

One last thing: Who makes (or made) you laugh?

It’s time for the first 2026 appearance of the TBRR Focus Group. This month, we ask them for 3 or 4 people who always made them laugh.

Our leadoff hitter looked back for a couple of his selections namely, deadpan comedian and fellow stutterer Bob Newhart; Southern humorist and writer Lewis Grizzard; our group member’s former broadcast partner Roger P. Schulman and the under-appreciated Southern humorist who edits the 5:05 Newsletter.

Our second respondent agrees with the first in that the under-appreciated Southern humorist who edits the 5:05 Newsletter belongs on this list. She adds another Southern humorist, North Carolina’s Jeanne Robertson; comic and actor Steve Martin along with ventriloquist Jeff Dunham and his characters Walter, Peanut and Achmed, the Dead Terrorist.

The well-traveled comedian Shane Gills headlines our third member’s lists of funny people along with curmudgeon stand up man, Lewis Black; next he lists St. Pete native and very successful comic Bert Kreischer who is currently headlining a Netflix comedy, followed by perhaps the hottest comedy ticket in America, “clean comic” Nate Bargatze.

Jack Black, the California actor/musician/comedian gets a vote from our westernmost group member. She also mentions New Zealand film producer and comic Taika Waititi. Writer David Sedaris whose works have appeared in the New Yorker, on NPR and series of essays on the bestsellers lists. Lastly, she gives a shout out to Melissa McCarthy of Mike & Molly, Gilmore Girls and the big screen’s Bridesmaids. 

Our fifth response reached back for the hilarious Marx Brothers. Of the current crop of funny people she recognizes comic, author and actor Jim Gaffigan along with the previously mentioned Tennessee native Nate Bargatze. 

Nate Bargatze gets a third mention from another of our group members along with the king of late nights, Johnny Carson. He also gives a nod to the late Jeanne Robertson, another outstanding “clean comic.” Lastly he nominates himself noting “my wife hates that I laugh at my own jokes, which makes me laugh all the more!” 

Our northernmost group member did us a kindness by traveling all the way to Florida to personally deliver his selections. Like so many others, he picks Nate Bargatze. He also selects Bill Cosby along with the great Bob Newhart and, like Newhart, another deadpan comedic performer, Massachusetts native Steven Wright. 

Our lone Clearwater native mentions Flip Wilson as Geraldine. She also laughs at Robin Williams, unscripted; two crazies - Tim Conway with Harvey Korman. Last but certainly not least, she is also amused with a toddler(s) with the giggles – aren’t we all!

In early April, we will be asking our stellar group to opine on some destinations they would like to check off their bucket list.

NEXT UP: Pitchers & catchers; Laser Focus: Dos Equis

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