David Jolly – part of some clear cut choices this election season

Absentee ballots are out and it’s time to mark them – sometimes while swallowing hard. Let’s start with an easy one - David Jolly. He continued the strong representation that Bill Young provided Pinellas for years in Washington. He’s not headed back up there to seek his next job – or party. If it weren’t for our court system bleeding over into the legislative process, this wouldn’t even be close. Like the presidential race, you have to swallow hard when you pull the lever, but Marco Rubio is worlds ahead of Patrick Murphy and his rather, shall we say, shaky resume. Two other notes: did you even know Pinellas County’s sheriff was up for re-election? And don’t forget to flip over the ballot to the other side where there are several significant general items including the onerous Item 2 to legalize medical pot in Florida through “regulated centers” across the state. What could possibly go wrong?

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. One further note on Item 2 on this year’s ballot. The overriding reason to defeat it is that something like this simply doesn’t belong in a state constitution where you have to move heaven and earth to remove or modify it. If you really believe we need more access to medical marijuana than already exists, contact your state legislator and urge them to do it the right way – through a law – not a constitutional amendment.

2. Would have laughed if the reasoning wasn’t so pathetic in some local endorsements by the St. Pete spin doctors. First there were 12 reasons to favor Murphy over Rubio. You only need one reason to reverse the argument – Murphy is consistently dishonest – channeling the top of the Democratic ticket. Then there was the line about Blowing in the Wind Charlie being “forced” out of the GOP. What “forced” him out of his NPA status? Maybe it’s his incurable quest to do what’s best for Charlie at the moment.  

3. Oh yes, there’s a presidential election, too. Don’t know about you, but for the past twenty years or so, we’ve just pulled the lever for whomever Barbra Streisand thinks we should vote for (see disclaimer at top of blog).

4. In Dunedin, there is an interesting mayoral race between incumbent Julie Bujalski and council member Bruce Livingston. They seem to agree on more things than they disagree – two good people in a city government with a lot of good people who lately just don’t seem to get along.

5. You’ve lived in the bay area a long time if you remember Channel 8 anchor Arch Deal’s near fatal parachute jump over forty years ago. Deal was back to work in three months.

The diamond, the media and other stuff:

6. We trumpeted the elevation of Lester Holt to the anchor’s chair at NBC after Brian Williams’ fall from grace. Regretfully, since Holt’s ascension, NBC Nightly News has tilted even further to the left.

7. Does LSU really think they’re going to have the cream of the coaching crop dialing them up to replace Les Miles who did a whole lot with a just above average program? And while we’re on the subject of LSU, their fans and fellow crackpots need to understand emergency response to a dangerous storm overrides football every time – even in the SEC.

8. There’s a reason you don’t use closers in non-save situations. Both the Mets’ Jeurys Familia and Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen illustrated that in the first week of the playoffs.

9. With a parting of the ways between the White Sox and Robin Ventura inevitable, the South Siders made a good move in promoting Rick Renteria to the top spot. Renteria, you may remember, was pretty much hosed by the Cubs a couple years ago so they could hand over the team that Renteria had prepared to contend to Joe Madden.

10. I need an ID to drive; to get insurance coverage; to use the gym; to check out a book at the library. What is so suppressive about me needing an ID to vote?

A major fire and Fred McGriff

The small office where this weekly drivel is produced is lined with baseball photos and artwork. Best of the bunch is not some heroic homerun or catch, but a photo of two of our favorite screwballs, Mark Lemke and Jeff Blauser, grinning on the playing field with an inferno in the press box of Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium in the background – a gift from our dearest Braves fans – our wife and daughter. The blaze coincided with a Braves hot (pun intended) streak that allowed them to run down the San Francisco Giants for the third of their 14 consecutive division titles – a major league record. It was also the first night in a Braves uniform for Tampa native Fred McGriff who played a major role in turning the season around and propelling them to a World Championship two years later.

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