We are a weekly compilation of local and national notes along with a smattering of sports, history and the oft-borrowed piece of wisdom from the 5:05 Newsletter – all from a politically incorrect slant.

First thing on our mind:

Still trying to figure out what the hell a passkey is and why we would ever need it.

Leading off: Wander Franco meet Trevor Bauer

Former Tampa Bay rays shortstop Wander Franco’s legal troubles may, emphasis may, be over but his professional outlook is anything but bright. His situation is somewhat similar to that of former MLB star pitcher Trevor Bauer. In 2021, Bauer was accused of sexual assault of a San Diego woman, but no guilty verdict was rendered. Even though no guilt was assessed, Bauer could no longer find work in the majors and has pitched in Japan for the last few years. Franco was found guilty but no sentence was imposed. We’re not sure but what Franco, like Bauer highly skilled, will ever play again in the majors.

Tampa Bay, politics and notes:

The Rays stadium deal has cleared a few minor hurdles – Tampa City Council and Hillsborough County Commission. Home plate is still a ways away.

Two people on the national stage announced they were leaving last week – Tulsi Gabbard and Stephen Colbert. One of them will be missed.

With congressional races five months away, there is little reason for enthusiasm in the bay area. Do-nothing Rep. Cathy Castor’s district turns a little more purplish, but not enough to unseat her. And the Democratic challengers to Anna Paulina Luna are weak and no strong Republican has surfaced to oppose her in the primaries. So we will most likely remain stuck with mediocrity or worse.

Although we never played in band in high school, we had many friends who did so. Thus, we were interested in a growing trend of band camps for adults. They are spreading across the country and offer programs for all levels of musical skills.

Idle question: What happens to normally rational, level-headed people when they get behind the wheel of a car?

So now you have to supply a six digit code to view the Publix ad? What’s in it - the nuclear missile launch codes?

Geography/music lesson from the 5:05 Newsletter: My next door neighbor’s kid is in 5th grade and is starting to learn geography. Yesterday, he asked me where Walla Walla is located. I told him it is somewhere between ting tang and bing bang. (See below).

Born 100 years ago this week (6/1/1926) were two very popular, but very different stars – Marilyn Monroe in Los Angeles and Andy Griffith in Mt. Airy, NC.

Sports and random notes:

Factoid related to our historical note above: Marilyn Monroe made only one television appearance – on the Jack Benny Show in 1953.

Music history related to the 5:05 lesson from above: David Seville (real name Ross Bagdasarian) was the man behind the “ting tang walla walla bing bang” in the 1958 hit Witch Doctor and was also the name behind The Chipmunk Song of later that year and many, many holiday seasons beyond.

A new product on the market fifty years ago was the still-popular Honda Accord. Twenty five years later, Chevrolet introduced the Avalanche, a full-sized four-door pick-up truck.

Felix Rosenqvist sounds more like an attorney than the most recent winner of the Indy 500. But he is the latter rather the former and we congratulate him.

The heyday of syndicated talk shows is slowly fading with Kelly Clarkson’s show the latest to cease production as Clarkson, widowed last year, leaves to concentrate on family.

Meanwhile, the trend of shows leaving expensive California for Atlanta continues. The latest is The Shark Tank, beginning its 18^th season this fall.

Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby bet on his team when he was a freshman at Indiana. Pete Rose bet on his team in Cincinnati, and we all know what happened to him.

Former Brave third baseman, Bob Horner, one of only 20 players to hit four homers in a single game passed away last week at age 68. Horner never played a game in the minors.

The LA Dodgers are on a quest for a third straight World Championship. That’s remarkable in that it took the Dodgers over fifty years to win their first championship and no National League team has ever won three straight championships. More baseball below.

Dad joke of the month (courtesy of our friend TL): The wedding was extremely emotional, even the wedding cake was tiered up.

One last thing: MLB at the two month mark

As always, there are pleasant surprises and significant disappointments in the first quarter of the baseball season. Pleasant surprises have come in Atlanta (their patchwork rotation seems to be staying afloat); St. Louis and the entire NL Central; Chicago White Sox; the A’s out west, although their success is more of an indictment of that weak division. And then there are the Rays! What an incredible run. The Guardians and the Brewers get discounted every year, but they currently lead their divisions, while we decide which Cubs are they – the 10-win streak or 10-losing streak version? On the debit side, there are the Astros (7 games under .500), Giants (13 under), Tigers (14 under) and Phils (1 over but 9.5 games out of the division lead and behind six teams in the wild card). Then there are the Mets (last in their division) where Carlos Mendoza’s seat has to be getting mildly warm, plus every team in the AL East except the Rays and Yankees. But, as they say, there is a lot of baseball yet to be played. Our pre-trade deadline look in July should be more revealing.

Next Week: 461-4160; Plymouth; Restaurant biz

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