Around the web: A roundup featuring comments from Tampabay.com. The comments included here are occasionally edited for length but otherwise appear as they did on the article or column.
On a column about former USF football coach Jim Leavitt’s controversial induction into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame.
It’s such a no-brainer to show this guy the door. I don’t know what USF is thinking. Big stain on USF going forward. He may have had some success at USF but it’s lost in this controversy. — J. Kay
A shame for everyone involved. I can’t see how you can induct a guy but not allow him to be there for the induction. Everyone knows what he accomplished. Many, including those inducting him, know the cost. — J. Barrera
On a column about Florida DOGE looking for wasteful spending in local and county governments.
There is plenty of graft, waste & fraud. For example, DeSantis recently fired 2 board members from the Florida Hope Foundation who had requested TRANSPARENCY by asking for more information on the (il)legality of a $10 million transfer to campaign funds during an earlier (April) board meeting. And recently, he wants to spend over $20 million per acre on 4.3 acres of land ‘at or below sea level’, owned by a political donor/cronie. Florida’s CFO merely needs to turn the spotlight on himself and his boss, if FL DOGE really wants to expose waste, graft & fraud. — T. Rocco
Interesting. The author obviously believes government is a paragon of efficiency and there is no improvement to be found anywhere. As Shakespeare said “me thinks he doth protest too much” — C. Britton
On an article about the federal government shutting down.
The Democrats did it again. Their dislike for Trump and all his wins have turned them bitter and they are taking it out on all Americans. Even their own party is mad at them. The bill was their and Trump even gave them a chance to extend it till Nov and continue to work and they said no to all Americans. The left will blame Trump thinking it is a winning message. It is not. Sad but it is who they are. —A. Hood
“Trump expressed surprise at the rising healthcare costs.” The man has no clue about everyday Americans’ kitchen table issues; it’s all culture wars and petty grievances, good luck with the long con 4D Chess master. — G. Harasz
On a column about the new owners of the Tampa Bay Rays and the ongoing challenge of building a new stadium.
The new owners will run the old pro sports team owner playbook: Give us $1 billion of the taxpayers’ money — a/k/a socialism — or we’ll take our team elsewhere. Nope. We have enough problems to solve. — H. Mudd
He’s moving them out of town, folks. The writing is on the wall. — P. Enthepoole
Not sure which wall you’re looking at, but he can’t move them anywhere outside of the Tampa Bay region without the approval of 75% of the other MLB owners. MLB wants to grant 2 expansion franchises in the next 5 years. Nashville and Salt Lake City or Charlotte seem to be favored, and there really isn’t another MLB capable city left. The cost will be at least $2 billion per team so the current 30 owners get to split $4 billion. That’s $133 million+ per team in pure profit, so the Rays aren’t going anywhere. They’ll get a new stadium going quickly, or they’ll go back to Sternberg’s offer to each kick in $200 million from the Rays, St. Pete, and Pinellas County to refurbish The Trop, and stay there until they can get a stadium deal done. — P. Castro
On a column about the state investigating the Republican sheriff from Osceola County, who investigators say ran a crime ring while helping the governor oust a prosecutor.
We retreat to our corners because Tallahassee powers-that-be keep this a closed primary state. Eliminate the fact that you have to be registered for a major party to even vote in the primaries and I bet half this state turns independent immediately. Both of these parties are a joke. — J. Meyer
The saddest part of this article? If DeSantis were allowed to run again in 2026, his margin of victory would probably exceed 2022.
HL Mencken’s judgement cuts across party lines: Nobody ever went broke underestimating the American public. (Of course, his actual statement contained about 3 times the words, and convoluted phraseology) — K. Newman