Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

(Originally posted at Boltsmag.com)

I got sent a story last night from my friend here in Tampa. He’s a Red Sox fan and this was about a Yankees fan… So I wasn’t at all surprised when he told me “Why is this news?”

Yet this is news indeed:

Fred Slaven is convinced this makes him the victim of a hate crime. And after six years in Florida, he’s going back to New York.

Yankees - and their fans - are generally welcome there.

The opposite may be true on Blackstone Drive in Embassy Hills, where Slaven lives. About a month ago, someone stole the Yankees vanity plate from his Chevy Malibu.

Then, on Wednesday morning, he walked outside and saw his limited-edition Yankees flag, complete with the dates of all 26 world championships. It was still hanging from the pole attached to his garage. But someone had burned a black hole in its center.

Where do you draw the line on discontent towards opposing opinions, ideas, principles and in this case, teams? I’ve heard stories like this with political candidates or political ideas/principles. I’ve dealt with the teens in my neighborhood, while growing up, giving my family a hard time by stealing things from my yard and such… But getting on a guy for being a proud fan of the Yankees?

Getting on a guy in the Tampa Bay area for being a proud Yankees fan? Tampa Bay, the home to thousands of New York transplants and the Yankees second home?

Nothing wins over my sympathy easier than seeing someone — an opposing teams fan — getting a hard time from opposing fans. I was apologizing profusely at Game Seven of the Stanley Cup in 2004 to Flames fans who were harassed by a drunken idiot sitting behind us (but those Flames fans were resolute — they hollered back “It’s just him, don’t sweat it!”). Hearing stories of car windshields smashed in outside Raymond James Stadium at Buc games always gets me — how much hate can you show an opposing team? And why, especially when your team turns out the victor?

My friend tried to justify whatever happened to Fred Slaven by saying he must have done something to piss off his neighbors… But honestly, there is nothing that can justify someone going to these lengths to harass a fan of an opposing team. Slaven likens what happened to him as a hate crime, and I’m of the same opinion. There is a line and that was crossed here. The battle is on the field, not with the fans personally.

The International Association of Business Communicators will hold their Southern Region Conference in Tampa.

The IABC enables a global network of communicators working in diverse industries and disciplines to identify, share and apply the world’s most effective communication practices.

The Southern Region includes members from Phoenix and Tulsa to Florida as well as the Caribbean chapter in Jamaica.

From October 18 through 20, the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza will be filled with those PR flacks, marketing gurus, writers, editors, teachers and advertising professionals, including video producers and graphic designers.

The program includes such learning experiences such as “Wake Up and Smell The Café con Leche,” “Managing Your Reputation in a World Where Everyone Gets a Comment,” “Ten Online Content No-Nos,” and “Delivering Killer Online Content to Get ‘Em and Keep ‘Em Coming Back.”

The conference will bring over 2500 people to Tampa, and many plan to stay the weekend. Look out Ybor City!

Find more on websites for International Association of Business Communicators, the Tampa Bay Chapter of IABC, and the IABC southern region conference.

Who will run the trains now that the 7th Floor Crew has graduated? Miami has a good number of questions surrounding the program but none more pressing than who will replace the 7th Floor Crew, which had three members drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. And by “replace” I of course mean “muddy the hos.”

The Past: Miami was essentially the other side of the coin that was Florida State, talent rich teams with punishing defenses, pitiful offenses and poor coaching. It’s telling of how bad the Cane’s offense was that Miami could have the 13th ranked scoring defense and still finish 7-6(the same record as FSU last season). Throw in the fact both teams had middling, pocket passers at quarterback and except for the jerseys there was little to differentiate Miami from Florida State.

Unranked In All Polls

The Future: Former linebacker Randy Shannon returns to Miami to coach his Canes, after Rutgers Greg Schiano turned down the job. Shannon wil benefit greatly from 15 returning starters and considering how many closes losses Miami suffered last season (4 by 7 points or less) the Canes should improve on their record. Although naming pick-prone, run-happy Kirby Freeman the starting quarterback may not be the best first step in that direction.

The Game: @ Virginia Tech (Nov. 17)
If you’re like me and still haven’t figured out the new ACC Divisions, Miami’s toughest competition in the Coastal will be Virginia Tech. Not only have most people tabbed VT the favorites to win the ACC, the Hokies are considered a dark horse national championship contender. The winner of this game will go on to play FSU in the ACC Championship.

With your local libraries being in the news lately (libraries can’t have it all, internet access limited), I figured I’d look to see if I could find any library-related blogs. Sure ’nuff, there are all sorts of websites all around! Plus I learned that the entire system is a sort of pyramid scheme:

First the official websites:

Temple Terrace and Friends
Plant City - Bruton Memorial Library and Friends
Tampa - Hillsborough County and Friends

Those three independent library systems have joined forces to become the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. That’s where you go to update your library card info, and check out books and stuff.

College libraries include the USF libraries, the University of Tampa Macdonald-Kelce Library (friends), as well as the HCC libraries. The Tampa Library (blog) serves the students, faculty, and staff of Argosy University, Tampa Campus; The Art Institute of Tampa; and South University/Tampa.

All of these belong to the The Tampa Bay Library Consortium , Inc. (TBLC). TBLC is

a nonprofit multi-type library cooperative that assists and empowers libraries. All types of libraries — public, academic, school and specialized — are members. Since 1979, TBLC has worked with member libraries to provide better, faster service to the residents of west central Florida.

Today 97 libraries are members of TBLC. They include six community colleges, three state university system libraries, 27 private academic schools, colleges and universities, four public school systems, 41 public libraries and 16 special libraries. Together these libraries serve over 3.8 million Floridians (approximately 30% of Florida’s total population) in 12 counties in west central Florida. The counties served are Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Okeechobee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota.

And they all also belong to the Florida Library Association (also see the Florida Library Association Blog).

The FLA develops programs and undertakes leadership activities for all areas of librarianship. FLA works with other professional organizations facilitating productive links within the library community; provides opportunities for librarians and support staff to advance their skills so that they can maintain their effectiveness in the new information age; and continues its role as legislative advocate for excellence in all types of library service within the State of Florida and beyond.

As far as blogs go, here are couple I found:

• St. Petersburg College Library Blog - The mission of the M. M. Bennett Library of St. Petersburg College in its support of the philosophy and objectives of the College is to provide comprehensive library and information services to meet the curricular, research, cultural and recreational needs of the college community.
• The Tampa Bay Library Consortium has a handful of blogs:
  TBLC - Beth’s Blog - Updates on TBLC projects
  TBLC - Ask A Librarian
  TBLC - TBLC Training
  TBLC - Library 2.0 Challenge - Web 2.0 is all the buzz. Library literature and conferences, the general news media, and the Internet at large are focusing on these new integrated technologies. Typically, Web 2.0 technologies are the “supposed second-generation of internet-based services that let people collaborate and share information online in new ways, such as social networking sites, wikis, communication tools, and folksonomies.” TBLC is challenging its members to get up to date and integrate these new technologies into their library services.
• Florida Genealogical Society, Inc. (Tampa) - We are the oldest genealogical society in Florida, founded in 1958. Our meetings are held at 10:00 AM on the third Saturday of the month at the John F. Germany Library, 900 North Ashley Drive, in downtown Tampa.
• HCC Brandon Library - Welcome to HCC Brandon Library’s Blog. Check in with us for news, events, and even research tips!
• USF Lakeland Library Services - News about services and resources offered by the USF Lakeland Library
• Tampa Theater Cinema Library blog - “In a firm partnership with the Tampa Theatre, The Tampa Theatre Cinema Library strives to educate and entertain the community with a rich assortment of motion picture resources.”

I’m sure I probably missed some. If you know of more, leave ‘em in the comments.

Do you listen to ebay and email and all that junk? ‘Cause if you do Bobby Bowden is not your friend. But on the bright side Nole’s fans look at it this way, Papa Bowden doesn’t have to worry about the NCAA ban on text messaging to recruits.

The Past: For the first time in fifteen years Florida State failed to play in a January bowl game last season. To make matters worse the Noles were shut out AT HOME by former punching bag Wake Forest. How the mighty have fallen.

AP Poll: #19
Coaches Poll: #21
BlogPoll: #19

The Future: Despite having one of the more talented teams in the NCAA (or maybe because of it) the coaches are the story at Florida State. Replacing Fredo Bowden as offensive coordinator is Jimbo Fisher from LSU. Former NC State head coach Chuck Amato returns to Tallahassee to coach a still nightmare-inducing defense. And most importantly FSU returns 14 starters on both sides of the ball, the most since the Noles won a National Championship in ‘99.

The Game: @ Virginia Tech (Nov. 10)
Much like their rivals in Gainesville, Florida State has one of the more difficult schedules which includes trips to Boulder, Gainesville, and Jacksonville (Alabama). But while I hate to downplay the rivalry game against Florida, the likely 10-14 slugfest at Blacksburg will test the Noles the most. Whomever wins that game will be tabbed the favorite in the probable rematch in the ACC Championship game.

A quick mention for you furniture depleted value seekers out there. The Sticks and Stuff on Gandy in Tampa just east of Manhattan is having a store closing sale. The site is being sold off to Wal-Mart and for once nobody is arguing against the giant retailer. It is as if folks don’t like the big furniture warehouse/peep show theater that occupies the land now.

If you are thinking “Oh god South Tampa traffic!” remember that the construction on Manhattan is now completed and you can enjoy its four lane landscaped splendor on your way to pick out your “French Country” bedroom set made of balsa and foam.

If you are asking yourself “why is Jason being so down on Sticks N Stuff?” I am not, cheap furniture is awesome. In fact I once furnished a whole house for $499. I went to Sticks N Stuff.

Tim Tebow is a Golden God. Not many people know this but Tebow was bestowed upon us mere mortals by the Gods from on high upon Mount Olympus. Tebow’s destiny with the Gators is not so much in question as it is preordained, all that remains is for Tebow to enlighten us.

The Past: Ironically, considering Urban Meyer was brought in for his offensive prowess, it was the defense which carried the Gators to their National Championship. Florida had the sixth ranked scoring defense lead by Heat Seeking Missle Reggie Nelson and a d-line which is still giving Troy Smith nightmares.

AP Poll: #6
Coaches Poll: #3
BlogPoll: #7

The Future: Florida has lost 10 starters from their defense which means it fall on the offense’s, and Tebow’s, shoulders to carry the team. Not just Tebow will be tested this season, it is Meyer’s first opportunity to fully implement his much hyped spread option offense. It helps that the Gators return four starters on their o-line in addition to a top tier receiving corp highlighted by the Playmaking Percy Harvin.

The Game: Tenn (Sept. 15)
Considering they have the 21st most difficult schedule it’s not obvious which game will be most pivotal for the Gators. But the early season matchup against the Vols will be tough since it will test the young defense (thanks oiler). Florida narrowly won last year’s game 21-20 even after holding Tennessee to -11 yards rushing.

Researchers recently found that mermaids swim in the deepest spring in the entire United States.

The not-for-profit Karst Underwater Research group is diving the springs, and they are simply amazed at the sheer size of the underwater caverns. Cave explorer Brett Hemphill says there is a passage the size of Raymond James Stadium. President Jeff Petersen goes as far to say that Weeki Wachee is the “Grand Canyon” of springs.

Weeki Wachee
TampaDiving.com
Florida Springs blog