Tampa Bay Rants and Raves (TBRR) is a weekly chronicle of politics, sports, lifestyle and historical notes from a politically incorrect viewpoint. Caution, some of this content should not be taken literally.

First thing on our mind:

Someday, we are going to walk Clearwater Beach and thank the tourists out there for keeping our taxes lower.

Leading off: Bad news comes in threes:

It was a sobering week for long time residents of Clearwater starting with the passing of restaurateur, former Mr. Clearwater and, probably only important to us, a founding member of the Morton Plant Wellness Center Tree House, (see TBRR 1/28/18) Ken Hamilton at age 71. Ken was part of the second generation of the famous Palm Pavilion restaurant.

Long time trust officer and civic volunteer, Bill Repper also passed away at age 85. Bill and his wife, political consultant Mary, were very active in our community and just genuinely nice people.

Ellen Hardgrave, the wife of our long time primary care physician, Newt Hardgrave died at age 82. For many years, she was the friendly face you met at the front desk of Dr. Hardgrave’s office. We send our condolences to their five children, several of them contemporaries of our own kids.

Tampa Bay, politics and notes:

Over the years, there have been numerous calls for Congress to go without paychecks when they impose the same hardship on government workers, but our legislators, former Governor Rick Scott excepted, remain tone-deaf. Their early Friday morning action was too little, too late.

We’d like to see voters vote against every congressional incumbent this fall, again, Senator Scott excepted.

On a related note: thumbs up to Delta Airlines for lifting so-called “congressional perks” while our legislators force TSA workers to get second jobs, borrow to pay the rent and even live in their cars.

Note the oddity amid the soaring gas prices. Last week, the supposed low-rate Costco Warehouse’s prices were higher than some of the regular gas stations just a mile or two away.

It’s a bit scary that we are moving towards driverless 18-wheelers on our highways.

Those warranties you get on your new appliance (read Whirlpool) aren’t worth a dime if you have to wait five weeks to get your problem resolved. Correction – make that now six weeks.

Fromthe March 30, 2014 edition of TBR&R: The Washington Redskins name is as good as dead. And watch out Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves; you’re next in line. Update –two of those three caved, the Braves, thankfully, not.

Sports and random notes:

Real estate news from the 5:05 Newsletter: Jeff Bezos bought a $165 million mansion in California. His Amazon App said if you like this purchase you may also like Buckingham Palace, the Taj Mahal, and the Palace of Versailles.

We salute the International Olympic Committee for their ruling that transgender athletes may not compete in future Olympic events. While it only applies to the Olympics, one would hope it would trickle down to our colleges and pre-college institutions.

With North Carolina looking to replace former coach Hubert Davis, one interesting name that has surfaced is former Gator head coach Billy Donavan. That sounds like a bit of a stretch, but UNC can make it rain money.

Adding salt to the many wounds in the UF loss to Iowa was the very apparent glee of the carney barker from Philadelphia who called the game.

USF continues to be a training ground for larger Division I schools. The latest departure, Bryan Hodgson leaves the USF basketball program for Providence after just one season.

The NBA has announced plans to expand to the Las Vegas and Seattle markets. The move would give Las Vegas five pro teams. Seattle recaptures a franchise which it lost in 2008 when the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. Seattle is currently the second largest market without an NBA franchise. The largest – that’s Tampa.

If you’re a Spectrum subscriber, 179 is where to find the Rays this season after years at Channel 31 –all due to their previous game packager’s financial problems.

Post opening day thoughts. Wasn’t opening day always played in Cincinnati, home of the oldest franchise? And weren’t the opposing teams from the same league? And why couldn’t the vast majority of baseball fans even see the game?

With baseball season underway, the three parks you’d love to pitch in are the Mariners’ T-Mobile Park, the Rangers’ Globe Life Park and the Padres’ Petco Park. Conversely, run don’t walk from Coors Field, the A’s park in Sacramento and Comerica Park in Detroit.

The Chicago Bears want to leave their home of nearly 50 years, Soldier Field and finally own their own stadium, but the chance of them leaving Chicago, as some claim, is sub-zero.

Tops at the box office this week twenty years ago (2006) was Denzel Washington’s crime thriller Inside Man. Twenty years earlier (1986), the top flick was Police Academy 3: Back in Training in the middle of a four week run at the top.

One last thing: Sports/political trivia

Five universities have produced both a U.S. President and a Super Bowl MVP. They are Delaware (Joe Flacco & Joe Biden); Naval Academy (Roger Staubach & Jimmy Carter); Michigan (Tom Brady & Gerald Ford); Stanford (John Elway and Herbert Hoover); the toughest one, Miami of Ohio (Ben Roethlisberger and Benjamin Harrison). Hey, we didn’t say good Presidents! Thanks to our friend TL for this information.

NEXT UP: Gulf Discount; Irrelevant Cards; Bucket List

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