TBR&R is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyle and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Expect softer coverage of the White House

Last week, Joltin’ Joe announced an all-female press crew for the White House. We fully expect some trained chimps would be able to handle the softballs the liberal press lobs during “press briefings” going forward. We’ve already gotten a preview during the election with ABC, CBS and NBC holding lovefests with the Biden campaign. Oh, there will still be Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and Newsmax to ask questions beyond “How are your dogs doing?” However, for the most part, the attack journalism of the last four years will vanish when Joe and company take center stage in mid-January.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. Sorry Joe, the train has left the station. You campaigned on your plan to end the Coronavirus; meanwhile the Trump administration has fast-tracked not one, but two vaccines. You’ll be able to get your shot before you take office.

2. Longtime Hollywood actor Kurt Russell says that celebrities and entertainers should perhaps stay out of politics and do what they do best: Entertain the people who pay them to do so. A tip of our cap goes to Mr. Russell, one of few celebrities who seem to get it. In a related note, add Robert DeNiro to the list of Hollywood leftists whose movies we will never watch.

3. After Time Magazine’s 2019 person of the year climate change advocate Greta Thunberg, who leaves a carbon footprint equal to a large trucking fleet, the magazine’s honorees this year are Biden and Harris. Seems fitting.

4. In this challenging year, the number of locations for the Salvation Army kettles has been somewhat limited. With that in mind, those of us who have not been as hard hit by the pandemic could perhaps up the ante a bit this year for one of the world’s most deserving organizations.

5. From The 5:05 Newsletter: What if 2020 refuses to let 2021's transition team get to work?

Sports, media and other stuff:

6. Boston College is the first; we expect there will be more – teams opting out of bowl games because of our current health situation. And that’s not a bad thing.

7. It indeed has been a most unusual college football season. What we have missed most, while not being a grad of either school, is the UF-FSU game. Hopefully, this will be a one year anomaly.

8. Number of the week: 9 – the number of NFC teams, including our Bucs, who have a better road than home record this season.

9. The year was 1956 and under many Christmas trees and in many stockings was one of the hottest new items for kids – Play Doh – an offshoot of a company’s product for cleaning wallpaper. Play Doh was one of the first toys inducted into the Toys Hall of Fame in 1998.

10. He was a genuine American hero. Chuck Yeager, who was a World War II fighter ace and the man who broke the sound barrier, died last week at age 97. And on the entertainment front, Charlie Pride, who broke the color line in country music, passed away. The singer of Kiss an Angel Good Morning and other hits was 86.

A Christmas wish list for our Rays

We know, like a seven-year-old’s Christmas list, we can’t have anything on this list, but a few of the items here would go a long way to making the Rays a contender again in 2021. First, there’s pitching, the key to any team’s aspirations for post season play. An innings eater starter would be ideal – not a Trevor Bauer, but someone from the second tier of free agent pitchers. This, of course, is more critical with the Rays’ attempt to cheap out on Charlie Morton backfiring. The trendy opener or bullpen games won’t get it done. And while, you’re at it, add another strong bullpen arm preferably a lefty. And float Tyler Glasnow’s name out there and see if you could get a really strong return. His post season work was worrisome. Strengthen first base; find a guy who can give you 150 starts there rather than two or three mediocre platoon guys. Find a glove first catcher who can hit a little. Both of the team’s receivers were justifiably tossed on the scrap heap. The outfield looks strong; we just need to hope that Randy Arozarena’s crash landing from unsustainable late season heights isn’t too severe – if indeed, he’s allowed to play. And finally, 162 games and some fans in the Trop would be the icing on the cake for 2021.

NEXT UP: End of an era; Historic toys; Chet, David & Walter

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