Posted by  Pete Doe, tampa on 06/15  at  09:51 AM

Why would you not recognize an organization that brings truck loads of money to the tampa bay area? During spring training. And who do you thing fills the stands at Tropicana field when they come and play our beloved D’Rays? YANKEE FANS!!! That stadium is empty any other time. Not to mention all the wonderful things Stienbrenner and the players do for our community such as fundraisers and huge donations. Plus they basically all reside here it Tampa. I would be very dissapointed to see all that recognition go.

Posted by  Michael DeAngelis, Sun City Center Fl. on 05/07  at  01:36 PM

I was a Yankee fan living in nj for 50 years, I live here now and the Rays are the major leauge team in Tampa Bay. Lets give the Rays a chance to grow and be admired like the powerful team in NY. No I dont agree with the sign in Tampa.

Posted by  Elba Matthies, Tampa on 02/05  at  02:05 PM

I’m from NYC.  I live her in Tampa, however, I love NYC, and the Yankees belong to NYC. They’re ours. I love Tampa. We have the Devil Rays. Let’s have some common sense, shall we?

Posted by  Lynn Kirkwood, Palm Harbor on 01/23  at  12:10 PM

Pam Iorio--DON’T WAFFLE on this one. 

The champions on that sign should play FOR, not just IN, the city (or in this case, surrounding area) that supports them year-round. 

Rose Ferlita and her sycophants on the City Council want to show appreciation for George Steinbrenner’s contributions to Tampa in the wrong way. Honor him with a separate sign, or rename a street after him.  Either way, I bet George remembers her efforts when she runs for office. But I’m sure she never considered that.  Cough, cough.

Mr. Sternberg, your contributions to our area are appreciated, too.  Please accept my apologies on behalf of Ms. Ferlita and company for “not getting it.”

Posted by  jm, Brandon on 01/21  at  07:54 PM

While we all recognize that the Yankees and George S. contribute much to our area in many diffrent ways and should be given credit for that, we should not include them on our Tampa signs. That should be reserved for the “home teams” who are playing games that really count, not exhibition games. The city council’s intent was noble to honor the Yanks and George, but their method of doing it clearly misses the mark. As a fan I hope the Rays beat the Yankees like they did last season. This is not a complicated issue and I don’t how it got to this point.

Posted by  Devin Johnson, Wesley Chapel on 01/20  at  11:17 PM

It is very clear that Rose Ferlita lacks sports knowledge. Orlando doesn’t consider itself home of the Atlanta Braves on their community signs. Those that pay attention to the sports in this community for longer than the 3 seconds Ms. Ferlita spent on it can recognize the difference between home and away teams. All I heard from her statement was her opinion. An elected official should always be about “we” and improving OUR community. I could care less about the New York Yankees (clearly she can’t read their away jersey’s). We all live in the Tampa Bay region. No matter where the stadium is, the name of the team has TAMPA in it.  In conclusion, if your opinion doesn’t help the community then it hurts it. Now your statement hurt you.

Posted by  steve.haas, Pinellas Park on 01/20  at  06:34 PM

We fought to get the Rays and keep them. As bad as the are, they our Tampa Bay’s, not just St. Pete’s or Tampa’s or Sarasota’s. The only ones who want the Yankees are Yankee fans. Rosa said she has Yankee tickets not Rays. You know old Rosa can just move to old New York with her sign and tickets. That way she can get 180 games of Yankees and not 30. Last I checked, this is Tampa Bay home of the Rays not New York.

Posted by  Grey Randall, Tampa on 01/20  at  05:17 PM

No, they should not.  The fact that their winter home is in Tampa has no bearing on things.  By that same logic, nearly every team that trains in Florida would have their name on the signs of their winter host cities.  In my personal opinion it implies that the city can’t stand on its own without the added “prestige” granted by the team’s name, and detracts from the accomplishments of our own teams.  The Storm, Buccaneers, and Lightning on the sign are perfectly fine… That the Devil Rays are “housed” in St. Pete doesn’t factor into it.  All of our teams are named Tampa Bay… They’re not just Tampa’s teams, but the Bay Area’s teams.

Posted by  J D, New Tampa on 01/20  at  04:30 PM

Rose Ferlita needs to check her facts. The Yankees have only trained here since 1996.  The Reds and White Sox have a ton more history in this community.  The Devil Rays are “OUR” team and have been since 1998.  St. Petersburg is part of the Tampa Bay market and the Rays deserve Tampa’s support.  The Yankees are a division rival and it sickens me every time I drive down Dale Mabry and see a division’s rival celebrated across from OUR football stadium.  The Yankees are not a part of our community. They are hated here.  Rose Ferlita, your days in Tampa politics are done.  You have just committed political suicide.  KEEP THE YANKEES OF OUR SIGNS AND THROW THEM OUT OF TOWN WHILE YOU ARE AT IT.

Posted by  Judy Pack, Tampa on 01/20  at  01:54 PM

Yes, recognize the Yankess..They have spring taining here and bring a lot of money into the city and besides Streinberger donates a lot of money to the state and in particular Tampa. Unless the mayor can duplicate the money that he gives I think she should take another look at her opinion.

Posted by  Ted Vreeland, Saint Petersburg on 01/20  at  01:43 PM

I think it’s a complete insult to the Devil Rays and the city of Saint Petersburg.  So, what would the sign say if the Devil Rays had won a championship - would the sign have both teams or still just have the Yankees listed.  So much for community harmony right?