You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet, Tampa Bay

Posted Feb 15, 2010 by Tom McEwen

Updated Feb 15, 2010 at 02:11 AM

Time in. Time has been out too long.

Only the second or third time in these long years as your sports servant have I been away from you and this responsibility this long. Sorry.

Last time it was because of an interrupting stroke and this time because of a cousin of that hated physical bully - a blood clot. The clot is gone and other resulting problems all repaired effectively at Tampa General Hospital by master medical men, Dr. Murray Shames, Dr. Phil Stromquist, Dr. Anthony Pizzo (he so loves the Gators), Dr. Jack Guggino and the other experts they summoned for council and advice to rid these old veins of blockage.

It is done, it is over, it is successful. So as of today, here I am back to this wonderful responsibility of keeping you as best I can with my associates of sports in our wonderful world from kiddie games to the grand Winter Olympic now ongoing and so enchanting. How lucky are we to have most of the day and evening to watch Canada’s presentation of this wintry magic.

Thanks for your patience, again. I am now back at it and available to you all for your thoughts and opinions on the sports world in general and specifically as we prod our legions in uniform to win them all. Goodness, what a time to return, with these Olympics, with Major League Baseball about to start with spring training among us as well as our own Tampa Bay Rays still seeking a permanent home on one side of the Bay or other.

Then there’s all of our other spring and summer sports, in addition to the hit that the National Hockey League has become, the hit that the Tampa Bay Rowdies rebirthing in the nick of time with the wise David/Gert Laxer family and all of our previous soccer experts involved - not to mention the sports of spring such as golf, tennis, swimming, softball and those of personal preference. Sports are so very personal we all know, for the participants.

Among the bigger, better news is the assurance that the Rays are bent on staying among us to build their new home here from the fact that the Rowdies will do the same at the University of Tampa. All of our other resident and temporary teams who work among us seem pleased with what we have to offer. No one wants any one of them to consider leaving. The mayors of Tampa, St. Pete, and Clearwater and our heavily involved media, plus the owners seem to have no interest at all in leaving this great place in which we live.

We are now proven as both temporary and permanent sites for big-time events like Super Bowls, to all manner of collegiate and high school activities. This place of ours happily bursts at the seams with enthusiasm and ambition. We are already in another Super Bowl hunt and in pursuit of any major sports event you can think of. Got one?  Call Paul Cato or Sandy McKinnon, or Mayor Pam Iorio or any other public official. They all know what sports have done for this place and can do for the future. Frankly, I think we have the hottest hand in sports for major events, if and when we can get that new baseball stadium in place at the right time.

A joy of sports in Tampa Bay is that everyone seems to favor its growth. Pinellas County is quick to pick up new water sports and new golf events, Tampa jumps on possible indoor (St. Pete Times Arena), Tampa Stadium, always in pursuit of events and always ready to grow. That does not mention the value of our sports venues that we have been so carefully to prepare — like Steinbrenner Field, which will double as a home for soccer as well as New York Yankees baseball. Look soon for those in position to be able to get things done to start to think about expanding big-time sports into downtown Tampa. These sites are looming.

One is near Channelside and to the north where I-275 and I-4 meet and feed into what can be an expanded sports happy land in that inviting waterfront area. Believe me, that is going to happen if leaders don’t let it get away. Other possible sites for long-range planners can be on the campus at the University of Tampa and the other near the airport and Cypress.

This great city and its environs never sleep nor should they. It has just begun. The Tampa area in time has just begun the most exciting sports arena/center in this part of the country, so long as our great leaders, including the Glazers, owners of the Tampa Bay Bucs and the George Steinbrenner family, owners of the New York Yankees, and those on the horizon assemble regularly to plot the future of our vibrant Tampa Bay.

Glad to be back.

Babaloo.