TBRR is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports and lifestyle items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - certain accounts printed here should not be taken literally.

Happy Birthday America!

(We apologize for the delay in getting this week’s edition to you and give a hearty thank you to James Foster of Right Click Computer Consultants for straightening out the problems we would not begin to understand)

Think before asking for the back-up quarterback

Each fall when things get tough at good old Everyman U, the fans immediately call for the coach to bring in old what’s his name, the back-up quarterback. He looks really good carrying the clipboard; surely he’d be better than what we have on the field. No doubt some (but hopefully not many) will fall for that logic this November. Was Donald Trump’s reaction to our pandemic perfect? No, but the U.S. recovery is going as well as any other sizable nation. Would Biden have been any better? He would probably tell you so with that “trust me” face. The virus is the best time for Monday quarterbacking since Seattle’s failed pass play in 2019. But the facts remain the facts. Trump’s administration handled the pandemic as well or better than any nation in the world; he turned the muddling Obama economy into the best in decades; and our nation’s defense is strong. Those facts ignore another reason so many voted for him – he brought balance back to the U.S. Supreme Court – a tenuous balance we cannot afford to lose.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. Thousands and thousands – the number of people, including your humble blogger and saintly wife, whose lives were touched by Bill Justice. The former Marine, coach, educator and city commissioner passed away last week at age 98 – just weeks after the passing of his wife, Marian. We offer our condolences to his son and fellow CHS classmate Garry and his daughter Julie.

2. Perhaps you caught it on line – good for the spunky New York City 60-something woman who stood up to some punk trying, with other punks, to vandalize a statute of Teddy Roosevelt – someone the kid wouldn’t know from Teddy Williams. It was a classic example of the free speech our forefathers strove for on this weekend over two centuries ago – free speech the radical left is trying so hard to extinguish.

3. Apparently our concerns over absentee balloting (TBRR 5/10/20) are well founded as two New Jersey Democratic city councilmen are facing ten and over thirty years respectively for voter fraud in their recent election – and it’s early!

4. Los Angeles to cut $150 million from police budget. In the words of a great American, “what could possibly go wrong”?

5. You’ve lived in the bay area a long time if you remember S&H Green Stamps main competitor in our area was Top Value Stamps – given primarily by Winn Dixie stores. Top Value and S&H faded from the retail scene in the 1980s and 90s.

Sports, media and other stuff:

6. Over 30 major league players, including a couple superstars, have the Covid-19 virus. This is more than an entire major league roster. Mr. Manfred, it’s time to shut it down.

7. One of our TBRR focus group (a group of five, old, cranky people) recently viewed Hamilton and pronounced it well worth viewing. We will take her word for it.

8. The answer: Linda Cohn. The question: Who has anchored more Sports Centers than any other person? The 28-year veteran of ESPN really knows her stuff – particularly hockey where she is an absolute encyclopedia.

9. It is very difficult to think of a more versatile TV personality than Hugh Downs. Today Show, Tonight Show, 20/20 and Concentration are just some of the successes on his resume. The TV legend passed away last week at age 99.

10. This week marks the 100^th anniversary of the birth of one of America’s greatest television journalists – David Brinkley.

America cries out for a new dictionary

About a month ago, veteran Tampa city council member John Dingfelder was called out for using the word “thug” in describing looters in his city. Apparently, this word that has been around for over two centuries is no longer appropriate in describing hooligans who do bad things like looting and burning businesses. In fact, we’re not even sure hooligan is acceptable any longer. Dingfelder was counseled by a new member of Tampa’s governing body, Orlando Gudes, saying, “Everyone needs to learn the changing acceptability of language.” This would apply to Gudes himself who, earlier this year, uttered an anti-Semitic term during public debate. We desperately need Merriam-Webster or some other company to publish a PC Dictionary listing words that someone, somewhere will find offensive as well as a glossary of new words like woke, sus or lit to name a few. It would be a great aid to us Neanderthals who grew up in the 20^th century.

UP NEXT: Great crooners; Tree House; A personal note on William Justice

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