Ernest Hooper, Metro Columnist
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The national media, particularly ESPN, continues to harp on the Rays' low attendance and suggest that this area doesn't deserve a great baseball team if it can't support the team's success.
From the outside looking in, it looks bad, but I'm frustrated national figures like Mike Greenberg never mention Tampa Bay's struggling economy, arguably the worst among Major League cities, or the fact that the local TV ratings for the Rays are at an all-time high.
Those ratings reveal a lot of people in Tampa Bay really love this team, but right now, the economy isn't allowing us to express that love in ticket purchases. ...
Hillsborough County made the right move with its new sinkhole grants program, but we still need long-term measures to prevent another freeze-induced epidemic. ...
I'll sound like a dad who just doesn't understand, but Pinellas parents need to give serious consideration to the proposal to have all K-8 students wear uniforms.
Not only do uniforms make it exponentially easier to get your kids ready for school, it sharpens the focus on what matters most. You go to school to learn, not for a fashion show. ...
Seen on a bumper sticker: WWLDD - What Would Larry David Do? ...
Chick-fil-A's Hillsborough County restaurants are donating a portion of today's proceeds to University Community Hospital's Heels 'n Heroes program. Go to www.uch.org\hnh for coupons. ...
Kudos to Tara Parker, the Plant City native and Cystic Fibrosis patient who refuses to yield to the disease.
Parker took it upon herself to arrange a fundraiser in her hometown. The Rock 'N Roses event takes place Saturday at Keel and Curl Winery. Go to www.rocknroses.org for more information.
That's all I'm saying.