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: Doctor, Doctor give me the news

First an apology to the late Robert Palmer for the theft of the catch line of his ’79 hit Bad Case of Loving You. First, have you seen your primary care physician lately? If not, you need to do so – not just for peace of mind regarding your health, but to stay on the books. More and more doctors, particularly primary care docs are dumping patients they haven’t seen in a few years. And if you get dumped, it’s not easy to find a new (and good) doctor – the same if you’d like to dump your current doctor. Make sure you have a new home before cutting ties with the old doctor, no matter how bad you feel they are. Better the devil you know. And keep an eye on your health insurance carrier. Many change their list of network providers at the drop of a hat – (thanks United Healthcare) making you scramble for someone new you want to trust with your health. More than ever, be vigilant with your healthcare.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Everything is relative. Our local paper makes the over sale of a few tickets to Governor DeSantis’ inaugural front page news, while the guy they endorsed against him four years ago goes on trial for wire fraud in a couple of months.

After ridding themselves of the train wreck that was City Manager Jon Jennings, perhaps the Clearwater city council should seek someone more in the mold of the late Bill Horne who successfully helmed the city for two decades.

Two significant losses occurred on the national and world front last week. Barbara Walters broke several glass ceilings in the television industry. She was 93. And Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who led the Catholic Church in the early part of this century, died at age 95.

To blatantly plagiarize humorist Will Rogers, we do not belong to an organized political party, we are a Republican. The hot mess over the House speakership was an embarrassment – and we’re not real proud of our newly elected Pinellas U.S. Rep either.

Thought of the week from renowned Wall Street Journal editorialist Peggy Noonan on the possibility of a Biden-Trump rematch in 2024: “There’s so much hunger to turn the page, begin a new era. Could we?”

Biden announces “it is his intention to visit the southern border.” Now Joe, you understand we are talking about the southern border of the United States, not the Virgin Islands?

Related from the 5:05 Newsletter: I think we should replace the Border Patrol with doctor’s receptionists.... Let’s see how many illegal aliens get past them!

This week in1976 (January 11) Dorothy Hamill wins her third consecutive national figure skating championship.

Sports, media and other stuff:

This Monday, it’s Georgia versus TCU. That is going to have to be a heck of a game to top last weekend’s college semi-finals.

Ohio State may be the best three-quarters team in football. They are unquestionably the worst fourth quarter team.

New York baseball numbers - $8.7 million – the price the Steinbrenner family paid for the Yankees. $360 million – the anticipated payroll for the New York Mets in the 2023 season. $39.95 – the price of a hotdog at Citi Field this season.

Patience pays off. In its first season on the air, the NBC comedy Cheers ranked 77^th out of 77 shows on network TV. It soon would be the top comedy on TV and the anchor of NBC’s Must See TV on Thursdays – from a fascinating book Top of the Rock by Warren Littlefield, the NBC President of Entertainment during those halcyon days.

Music Trivia: Tom and Jerry; Kane and Garr – two nom de plumes used by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel before they hit it big in 1965. They had one minor hit Hey Little Schoolgirl (as Tom & Jerry) in 1957, but their career really took off in ’65 with The Sound of Silence.

You’ve lived in the bay area a long time if you remember when our regular “regional” NFL game each Sunday was the Washington Redskins with the immortal Joe “Scooter” Scudero among others.

And another thing: keep the radio playing

First, an admission it’s been quite a while since we turned on the AM radio in the car. We’re ashamed to admit it as AM radio (along with FM) put supper on the table for a couple of decades. While we seldom listen, we still have the choice, particularly when hearing the news and weather is vital, but some carmakers want to take that choice away from us. It’s mostly the European manufacturers who claim that the new electric cars cause interference with AM radios. Closer to the truth is that AM radio has fallen out of favor in Europe – home of BMW and Volvo - two of the lines dropping AM. American manufacturers claim no such interference (AM is still a viable media platform in the U.S.) Already legislators are preparing bills that would require AM radios be in cars sold in America. More to come on this – stay tuned (pun intended).

UP NEXT: $tutter; HOF ballot; 75 or 80?

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