Established in 2014, Tampa Bay Rants and Raves is a weekly airing of local and national news, sports and Tampa Bay memories from a politically incorrect viewpoint.

First thing on our mind:

It was the pivotal event in World War II – D-Day, 80 years ago this Thursday - lest we forget.

Leading off: Back to the future

We share this thought from our friend TL, who knows a thing or two about the auto industry: “Imagine we lived in a world where all cars were EVs, and then along comes a new invention, the internal combustion engine! Think how well they would sell: a vehicle half the weight, half the price that will almost quarter the damage done to the road. A vehicle that can be refueled in 1/10 the time and has a range of four times the distance in all weather conditions. It does not rely on the environmentally damaging use of non-renewable rare earth elements to power it, and uses far less steel and other materials. Just think how excited people would be for such technology. It would sell like hotcakes!

Tampa Bay, politics and notes:

Related to our “first thing on our mind,” it is beyond discouraging that those who gave their lives and the rest of us who simply gave four years or more for our country must witness the third world form of justice that played out in New York last week.

The Department of Justice is only about 25 years late in challenging Ticketmaster’s stranglehold on concert seats throughout the country. But hey, they’ve been busy (see above).

Another iconic business location, the mansion-like Jersey Jim Towers store on U.S. 19 has been sold to a neighboring car lot. The business will re-locate. When it does, it will be the fourth location for the store that first came to Clearwater on Gulf-to-Bay Blvd. in the fifties.

The most circulated photo from Memorial Day was the AP photo where Biden mugs for the camera while all others are laser-focused on the memorial ceremony.

Point to ponder from an orthopedic surgeon quoted in Jesse Watter’s new book Get It Together, “Sitting is the new smoking, humans aren’t designed to sit all day.” That’s about the only thing worthwhile in yet another “let’s put a celebrity’s name on a mediocre book and see if it sells” tome.

Speaking of orthopedic surgeons, we want to wish nothing but the best for the man who kept our arthritic body going for so many years. Dr. Michael Piazza retired last week - one of the best.

Graceland joins the Brooklyn Bridge as hot real estate commodities.

A few things most of us hold precious – the pool where we could cool off in the summertime; a book store and a good family-owned restaurant.

It was twenty years ago this week (6/5/04) that the great Ronald Reagan passed away. We still cling to his truth that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

Sports, media and other notes:

Controversial MLB umpire Angel Hernandez has finally retired after 33 years of really, really bad calls.

Equally controversial basketball figure Bill Walton passed away last week at age 71.

Sports(?) news from the 5:05 Newsletter: Regionsacross the country are increasingly taking legal action to resolve pickle ball noise disputes that, according some people, will wreak havoc on our fragile planet if we fail to stop it. Nobody knows where pickle ball started, but some believe it escaped from a laboratory in China.

Sports oddity: The Washington Nationals bullpen cart was used for only the first time this year last week by Twins’ reliever Steven Okert. Upon reaching the mound, Okert tipped the driver with a five dollar bill.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you had Florence Gilbert for Latin in junior high school. She scared us more than any athletic coach ever did.

…One last thing: MLB at the two month mark

First, if you have not heard the names Paul Skenes of the Pirates or Tarik Skubal of Detroit, you soon will. The Miami Marlins became the last team to notch 10 victories 36 games into the season. They join Colorado and the White Sox as three teams you can write off just two months in – sad for their fans. The Marlins already traded their best player, Luis Arraez, to San Diego. The White Sox will probably be next to unload some players. Colorado, unfortunately, has little to unload. Speaking of Arraez, could he become the first ever player to win the batting crown three straight years with three different teams? He’s leading the league as we “go to press”. The Braves lost their best position player and won the Series in 2021. This year with that same player plus their ace pitcher out, we don’t like their chances. Two months in, we like the Yanks (subject to change as early as next month’s update). Finally, the two month MVPs: Juan Soto and the Brewers’ William Contreras.

NEXT UP: A thru E; Airport security; Gay tax dollars

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