Tampa Is…?

Would you believe that Warren Sapp could actually win this thing?  He’s made it to the top three.

You do realize that if he wins, he will never shut up about it.

From Tampa Bay & Company:

Tampa Bay & Company is proud to announce that the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee has selected Tampa Bay, and the University of South Florida, to host the 2015 NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four Championship.

I hope local media lays off the lesbian angle this time.  If local media is still around in 2015, that is.

Downtown Clearwater is still working on their effort to find an identity. Their five step process?

1. Take advantage of existing geography & history
2. Made more pedestrian-friendly
3. Recruiting retail
4. Residential construction
5. Calendar of Events

Some of the plans in the five step process could be used in other areas seeking to find themselves.

There seems to be some sort of cosmic law that requires that at all times, one of Tampa Bay’s three major league teams must be the most laughably inept in it’s sport. It would appear that it is the Lightning’s turn…again…to keep the universe in balance as management has fired head coach Barry Melrose after 16 games.

Just because I thought hiring Melrose was a bad idea in the first place doesn’t mean that I’m happy about him being fired. Because as a ham-and-egger off the street (Joe the Fan, if you will), there’s absolutely no consequence whatsoever to me being wrong (or right) about the team’s personnel decisions. That’s one of the great things about being a fan. The professionals who are paid to make those decisions, however, are a different story. They don’t get the luxury of being pleasantly surprised if they’re wrong.

In this case, they fired a Stanley Cup winning coach (albeit one who had just finished with the worst record in the league) and presumably bypassed other candidates to hire someone who hadn’t coached at any level in over a decade… only to fire him after playing less than 20% of one season. Point being, if it took so little time to figure out it wasn’t a good fit, you have to wonder if the pre-hire vetting process was as thorough as it could and should have been. Again, that’s why the professionals make the big bucks.

Considering it took only 12 games to dump Matt Carle, the focal point of the trade that cost the Lightning hard-working all-star defenseman and fan favorite Dan Boyle, fans probably shouldn’t be too shocked if Marty St. Louis gets traded in the middle of the next unsuccessful power play. I can imagine the press release now…

“This was a tough decision to make. Marty is a good man and we have a great deal of respect for him and all he’s done for the organization over the years. We wish him nothing but success. However, we’ve had the man advantage for nearly half a minute now and the results have been unacceptable. The players have to understand that we need to be better. Hopefully this change helps us for the remaining 1:36 of Wade Brookbank’s hooking penalty.”

Of course, an organization that turns to the po rn industry as a model for building it’s marketing campaign probably isn’t one that’s looking to set standards for good judgment.

(Cross posted at Ridiculously inconsistent trickle of consciousness)

Eric Deggans is reporting that snarky columnist Dan Ruth has been let go by the Tampa Tribune. It’s just the latest in a string of layoffs of well known writers at the Tribune:

Over the years, staff reductions and voluntary departures have taken some well-known names from the Tribune’s roster, including movie crtic Bob Ross, classical music critic Kurt Loft, political columnist/editorial writer Joe Brown and now Ruth.

Good grief.. So what’s next for Dan Ruth?  He don’t know:

“I’m 59 years old and I’ve had a triple bypass…I don’t quite know what my marketability is,” Ruth said. “But I feel like I can walk out of here with my head held high. I did the best job I could as a columnist for as long as I could, and that’s all you can really do.”

Hey Dan - we here in the Sticks will miss reading your witty diatribes…

Dan Ruth is but the most well-known being laid off.  Rumors suggest the Tribune canned a dozen folks today.

Update 4:30pm:  Tribune (my so called quarter life) writer Daniela Velázquez twitters:

so far we’re minus 16 or 17 and the day isn’t done.

Minutes later, Rich Mullins posted the official word on TBO:

The Tampa Tribune laid off 18 newsroom employees today as the newspaper works to reduce its costs and cope with a worsening advertising economy.

Working at the Tribune is like living Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.”

I promised to give away these tickets, and I put it off, and put it off.

I prCeltic Thunder will be performing on Monday night at the St. Pete Times Forum, and I have a pair of tickets to give to you.

Celtic Thunder is a new group of exceptionally talented young male singers from Ireland and Scotland, who perform an eclectic mix of songs, ranging from the traditional “Mountains of Mourne” and “Come By the Hills” to international hits such as “Brothers in Arms” and “Desperado,” as well as original compositions by Celtic Thunder’s musical director and composer Phil Coulter.

The ensemble songs reflect the power of the soloists, who range in age from 14 to 40 and share a common Celtic heritage.

For those of you who have never heard of the group, check out the review of Celtic Thunder from Wednesday night in Pennsylvania:

Tickets begin at $37.50 (plus service charges). You can get them at the McDonald’s Box Office and all Ticketmaster Outlets, or by phone - call Ticketmaster at 813-287-8844 or 727-898-2100.  For more information, call 813-301-2500 or visit www.stpetetimesforum.com. Advanced parking passes are available at www.ticketmaster.com and the box office.

OR…. you can have a pair if you are the first to send us a note via the contact form.  Check your email first thing Monday morning to see if you are the winner!

Editor’s note:  As hoped, we found someone who graciously volunteered to review Jobsite Theater’s The History of the Devil.  Say hello to Adonna, and we promise to give her a proper welcome soon.  In the meantime, here is her review.

Forget Georgia; the Devil is down in Florida this month in The History of the Devil, a dark, witty tale of historical fiction and human nature. The story begins as the Devil selects his “advocate,” an appeals lawyer who must counsel Satan himself in his appeal trial to return to heaven after centuries on earth. In a courtroom in Kenya, a hot, hellish setting full of death and decay, the audience sits as a jury, witnessing accounts of the Devil’s earthly encounters.

We follow Satan’s story from his first moments on earth through to his judgment. As the prosecution and defense call their witnesses, we see reenactments of Lucifer falling from heaven, learning what it is to be human, encouraging depravity and destruction, bargaining with Jesus and more.

Witnesses are resurrected from their graves to testify at the trial, and we see that Lucifer is quick to persuade others to indulge in their dark side, even admiring their perversity, but hesitant to take direct action himself. Throughout this “history,” he struggles with his human qualities, experiencing innocence, pain, lust, betrayal and more—all while groveling for a chance to return to heaven, pleading his innocence as a mere scapegoat for mankind’s sins.

Overall, The History of the Devil is a delightful guilty pleasure for those with an open mind and a curiosity for history and religion. As the plot unravels, it raises some interesting questions of human nature and justice, with a wicked mix of historical cameos you just might feel guilty for laughing at.

The final scenes are a delightful trick, with a twist of fate for the court’s final remarks and judgment. Led by a talented and witty cast, a nearly three hour play quickly flies by for an engaged audience treated to the animated performances of a wide array of characters.

The History of the Devil presented by Jobsite Theater continues through November 16th at the Shimberg Theater, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.  Tickets are $24.50.

Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties to Close Elevated Portion of Friendship TrailBridge

Structural problems are forcing the closure of nearly all of the Friendship TrailBridge, a popular recreational link between Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.

On Tuesday, an inspection found the elevated portion of the TrailBridge has significant structural deficiencies. As a result, officials from both counties decided to immediately close much of the bridge.

Less than half a mile on each end of the bridge will remain open. The rest of the TrailBridge, including all of the humpback center span, will be closed off.

This is the old span of Gandy bridge, which was saved from demolition in 1999, and has since been used as a recreational park / hiking trail.  they have always had to deal with a shoestring budget. I don’t think it was ever used as a viewing area for boat races, which could have raised some funds to save this thing (as would a running race, etc.).