ST. PETERSBURG — Saji Mathew missed the Oct. 12 mortgage payment on the Mobil gas station he co-owns.

On Oct. 13, he took the money to the bank, thinking that would make things right.

He tried to make his November and December payments as well. But each time, BB&T kicked back his money.

Ten months later, Mathew is still trying to pay. In circuit court on Tuesday, he offered BB&T $50,000, the total amount due since October.

BB&T didn't want the money.

It wants the gas station.

"They won't take my money,'' said Mathew. "I want them to take it. I was one day behind paying the mortgage."

BB&T's stance flabbergasted the judge in the case.

"All the people that understand anything about mortgage foreclosures need to know this stuff," Circuit Judge Amy Williams said in court. "This is the idiocrasy of this stuff. This is why we're in a worldwide financial crisis because there's no business sense any more in the foreclosure industry, none. And it blows my mind. Totally blows my mind.''

Durontae Jones Aug 2, 2011 9:33 AM

Obama only smiles because he spit on the socialist Satan sandwich he served to the American people.

Obama only smiles because he spit on the socialist Satan sandwich he served to the American people.

Obama only smiles because he spit on the socialist Satan sandwich he served to the American people.

Obama only smiles because he spit on the socialist Satan sandwich he served to the American people.

Obama only smiles because he spit on the socialist Satan sandwich he served to the American people.

Obama only smiles because he spit on the socialist Satan sandwich he served to the American people.

Obama only smiles because he spit on the socialist Satan sandwich he served to the American people.

Obama only smiles because he spit on the socialist Satan sandwich he served to the American people.

seminolebuck1 Jul 28, 2011 7:22 PM

more recycled rejects from previous Repiggie administrations? thought DICK Scott was supposedly the "outsider"?
aren't these the same people who made us "worst economy in the country"?
I guess Scotty thinks if he keeps rehiring rejects and playing musical chairs with them he can count that in his new job hires total.
now "let's get to work" getting rid of DICK Scott and the Repiggies!

dwashington Jul 28, 2011 7:44 PM What's wrong? Wasn't Jack Abramoff available?

REALIST WINNER Jul 28, 2011 7:55 PM HE'S MAKING PIZZAS NOW

Orkin man Jul 28, 2011 7:58 PM You're delivering them.

REALIST WINNER Jul 28, 2011 8:14 PM I OWN THE COMPANY

For black men, a nod can say a lot

By Ernest Hooper, Metro Columnist 

 

In Print: Tuesday, July 26, 2011

It's a simple nod.

You make eye contact then tilt your head up. In many instances, you follow with a rhetorical, "What's up?"

Invariably, the person on the receiving end does the same. And then you move on.

For most of my life, I've employed this greeting with other black men.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/for-black-men-a-nod-can-say-a-lot/1182349

Continue reading this post »

Just days after $tu said he wouldn't whine about the stadium situation, two of his employees did just that.

ST. PETERSBURG — Rays president Matt Silverman said the stadium situation has become a distraction that now affects the team on the field and damages the reputation of the Tampa Bay area, and he made their loudest plea yet for action, saying, "Clearly, something needs to be done."

It's a crisis, Tropicana Field is literally causing the team to lose!

Silverman's comments, and similar ones earlier Tuesday from manager Joe Maddon, followed the latest wave of criticism of Tropicana Field after consecutive nationally televised games were marred by quirky stadium issues — a broken light on the catwalk Sunday, a bank of lights going out Monday — with ESPN analyst John Kruk leading the chorus.

The games were marred, just marred by these events! If only we had an open-air facility that would've allowed the lightning to strike the playing surface!

Before Tuesday's game, Maddon said he agreed with Kruk, that the Trop was "improper" for major-league baseball, that it had "served its purpose" that and it was absolutely "time to move on."

Not your job to be giving opinions on this, NEXT.

Silverman went further in a statement during the game, saying, "It's hard to combat the national media's depiction of our stadium. Our situation has become a distraction. It is affecting the clubhouse, and it spills over onto the field of play. It damages the national reputation of St. Pete and Tampa Bay, and it harms the Rays brand."

Gotta protect the brand!

"I believe it's a regional asset; it's not a city asset," Maddon said. "When you start looking at it as 'mine' and not 'everybody's,' that's where things get skewed or not work out well."

Well, it's a city lease, not a regional one, so quit complaining about mean Bill Foster expecting you to uphold the terms of your lease and not letting you go elsewhere for nothing.

While principal owner Stuart Sternberg said last week he would consider an open-air stadium — they had proposed one in 2008 with a sail-like cover — Maddon said a new stadium would need a retractable roof.

"To do otherwise would be economic suicide — it's uncomfortable, the rain, the disruptions with the games, the disruptions with your work," Maddon said. "All that stuff would be counter-productive. If you're going to do it, do it right. Do it right, man."

Good to know that you that you think your boss half-assed the plan three years ago.

So where does this leave us? Well, once again, it's actually very simple:

"I agree it's a regional asset and it requires support from the entire region," Foster said. "As I said before, I am not the regional mayor. I am the mayor of the city of St. Petersburg and I will do whatever I can to protect the interests of the people who built the stadium."

Done. Hopefully this buys us at least another two weeks before the bullpen catcher gives his two cents about the stadium in the Times.

After an extended hiatus, it looks like Realist one is back to school y'all.

Realist 0ne Jun 29, 2011 8:54 AM GOVERNOR SCOTT IS MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION WITH INPUT FROM ALL STAKEHOLDERS, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT HIS BUSINESS ACUMEN WILL LEAD HIM TO THE CORRECT CALL. NO WORRIES, SHEEP, THE ADULTS ARE IN CHARGE NOW AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT YOU OR THE SLANT TIMES CAN DO ABOUT IT.

jfuzzy Jun 29, 2011 9:39 AM Speaking of sheep, teabags like realist one are the sheep of the tea party! Gov. Rick Scott is NOT making an informed decision, he is bowing to the political preasures in his desire to improve his poor performance record of being the worst performing governor in the USA! I bet you teabags are proud of his 29% approval rating! And I bet you Realist One are proud of your consistant high numbers of thumbs down you receive on this site! Go back and join your sheeple herd of teabags Realist One as your whining is not welcome!

Realist 0ne Jun 29, 2011 9:43 AM FUZZY WUZZY, LONG TIME NO SEE. I SEE THAT YOU'RE STILL HOPELESSLY DELUDED ABOUT OUR GREAT GOVERNOR. TOO FUNNY. KEEP RAMBLING THOUGH, NOBODY'S LISTENING.

jfuzzy Jun 29, 2011 9:55 AM Yes, you do keep on rambling with your uppercase garbage you put on this site that consistantly earns you the most thumbs down or should I say people who do not listen to you! Your the poster child of the typical teabag who whines and cries when they don't get their way! Move on jerk, I don't have the time for ignorant people like you!!!!!

Realist 0ne Jun 29, 2011 9:59 AM NO NEED TO WHINE AND CRY, I'VE GOT MY WAY BECAUSE THE HONORABLE GOVERNOR SCOTT IS TAKING THIS STATE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. JUST WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR, THIS IS MERELY A DOWN PAYMENT ON THE "CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN" COMING TO THE WHITE HOUSE NEXT YEAR. IN THE MEANTIME, FUZZY, WHY DON'T YOU POST THE SAME THING ANOTHER TIME OR TWO.

ATTITUDIN Jun 29, 2011 3:00 PM Welcome Back RO ;-)

Realist 0ne Jun 29, 2011 5:17 PM GREAT TO BE HERE FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT AGAINST THE SLANT SHEEP.

I was going through some old GDTs yesterday and happened to find one of the best comment threads in DRB history, which took place one year ago yesterday. An appreciation: 

Matt Joyce comes out to Linkin Park.

I am an artist and I have been drinking.

by P Brady on Jun 27, 2010 2:02 PM EDT

Almost as bad as Nickelback

Now blogging on the OTHER sports in Orlando: http://www.sportcluborlando.com

by Orlando Rays on Jun 27, 2010 2:03 PM EDT

which isn't nearly as bad as sticking your dick into someone dressed as a fox

We’d get so many kids off every game it was great.

Hey, Surly only looks out for one guy...Surly! 
by Andy Hellicksonstine

by putupyourDUKES on Jun 27, 2010 2:04 PM EDT

http://www.draysbay.com/2010/6/27/1539798/arizona-diamondbacks-at-tampa-bay#40698493

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6651634

A simple form of realignment being seriously considered has been raised in the labor talks between Major League Baseball and the players' association, according to four sources: two leagues of 15 teams, rather than the current structure of 16 teams in the National League and 14 in the American League.

According to a highly ranked executive, one consideration that has been raised in ownership committee meetings is eliminating the divisions altogether, so that 15 AL and 15 NL teams would vie for five playoff spots within each league. Currently, Major League Baseball has six divisions.

One of the biggest issues that would have to be resolved in any realignment resulting in two 15-team leagues is which of the National League teams would switch to the American League.

Two highly ranked executives believe the Houston Astros would be a possibility, because a switch to the AL for Houston would foster a rivalry between the Astros and the Texas Rangers.

 

The Marlins could be another candidate, a source suggested.

I'm not thrilled about this idea, but hopefully they at least keep the divisions if they're going to go this route.

Devlin Jun 2, 2011 7:16 PM

If you want to keep guns out of the hands of thugs, just attach job applications to them.

Devlin Jun 2, 2011 8:21 PM How can someone not like what I wrote, that is funny stuff.

ST. PETERSBURG — Detectives arrested a 20-year-old man late Tuesday night in the death of Mathew F. Little, the private security officer who police said was shot and killed on the job.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/article1170264.ece

Eight thumbs up, two thumbs down:

Eric CLW May 18, 2011 1:08 AM

Gee whiz. I would NEVER have guessed the suspect would look like this.....
http://pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1399457

and could this be dad? Same home address..... http://pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1271388

and momma? http://pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1287483

just asking........

NewMe33 May 18, 2011 1:40 AM dang yu puttin a bro all out there

NewMe33 May 18, 2011 1:41 AM and that aint his ppl

soulshine May 18, 2011 2:09 AM Don't blame me, I didn't vote for Lincoln

deeza May 18, 2011 2:47 AM ROFLMAO!!!! Funny how I've had that same thought before

Six thumbs up, no thumbs down:

dapex May 18, 2011 1:29 AM

TBO cut off comments....wonder why? Thanks, SPT, for allowing...

Three thumbs up, no thumbs down:

nc May 18, 2011 1:52 AM blacks always tell on each other

RetiredGunnyUSMC May 18, 2011 1:37 AM

They cut it off because it always becomes a white/black issue. If whites point out that most perps are not white they are called racists. Is it racism when it is true?

Five thumbs up, no thumbs down:

soulshine May 18, 2011 2:21 AM Swinging free like a monkey from a tree..

kl May 18, 2011 2:01 AM A black person committing a violent crime? I'm shocked.

 

Five thumbs up, no thumbs down:

soulshine May 18, 2011 2:08 AM

Martin Luther King needs some company. Hopefully Mr. Bolden will join him in the basement soon.

ICanReadCanYou? May 8, 2011 9:49 PM

Clearly you don't know. Commenting on things you don't know only makes you an idiot Kawliga.

Floridave May 8, 2011 11:00 PM I thought commenting on things you didn't know made you Rachel Maddow.

bandwagonbay May 9, 2011 2:28 AM Almost. Keep trying, though.

Kawliga May 9, 2011 4:27 PM You don't see many chicks with eyepatches. Weird.

Kawliga May 9, 2011 4:26 PM

I stand by my previous statement that Chihuly is a very unattractive woman.

The Sacramento Kings are seriously considering the possibility of applying to the NBA by the league's March 1 deadline for relocation to Anaheim for next season, according to sources with knowledge of the team's thinking.

The Kings haven't made a final decision, but sources said team officials have been in Orange County, Calif., this month to gather more first-hand data on the feasibility and potential obstacles involved in trying to move to Anaheim's Honda Center at season's end after a 26-season run in Sacramento and numerous failed attempts to secure the financing needed for the construction of a new modern arena.

The Kings have been trying for nearly a decade to replace outdated Arco Arena (soon to be renamed Power Balance Pavilion) with a new revenue-generating building that would ensure they stay in a market that was once known as the home of one of the NBA's most fervent fan bases. That was before Sacramento's slide down the Western Conference standings.

Among the issues that could dissuade the Kings from making the relocation request before next season's deadline in 10 days are the millions still owed by the Maloofs to the city of Sacramento in loans and the behind-the-scenes resistance they could potentially receive from the Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.

The Kings would likely need favorable loan and lease terms in Anaheim to mitigate those financial obligations and the franchise might still face opposition from the Lakers and Clippers. Although those teams would only have one vote each -- and despite the fact franchise relocations in the NBA only require a 15-14 majority vote for approval from the league's other 29 teams -- it's certainly conceivable the Staples Center co-tenants would band together to try to rally support from other teams to oppose to a third NBA franchise moving into a building that sits roughly 30 miles away.

Link

In a shocking finding, more than half of GOP primary voters believe President Barack Obama was not born in the United States, according to a new poll.

Fifty-one percent of 400 Republican primary voters surveyed nationwide by Public Policy Polling said they ascribe to the controversial birther conspiracy theory — despite the fact that the state of Hawaii has posted Obama’s certificate of live birth.

Only 28 percent said they think the president was born in the United States — a constitutional requirement to be president. Twenty-one percent said they were "not sure."

Among those who do not believe Obama was born in the United States, Mike Huckabee is their first choice for president, followed by Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich and then Mitt Romney.

Those who do think the president is a citizen favor Romney over the rest of the field. Huckabee, Palin and Ron Paul trail Romney among believers in Obama’s birth in Hawaii.

A CNN/Opinion Research poll in August showed that a quarter of Americans have doubts about Obama’s citizenship, with 11 percent saying the president was definitely not born in the United States.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/49554.html

On this day eight years ago, the Bucs beat the Oakland Raiders 48-21 to claim the team's first and only Super Bowl title.

In more important news:

We got our grubby little mitts on the rundown for the upcoming Snooki and Jwoww spinoff show -- and according to the docs, there's gonna be a whole lotta boozing and she-pimpin'. 

The storyline -- Snooks is finally moving out of her parents' house and into a place with Jwoww -- but, (surprise!!!) she's totally unprepared to deal with actual real-life problems. 

For example ... the two have their sights set on a $1.5 million pad, but they don't know what a mortgage is ... or how to write a check ... and they keep getting distracted by the "hot" mortgage broker. 

But conflict erupts -- so say the docs -- because during their cohabitation, Snooki ... gasp ... "made a mess of the bathroom and didn't change the toilet paper." She a

lso "ate a ton of Jwoww's food" ... and anyone who's ever had a roommate knows that crap don't fly.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/gubernatorial/lacking-any-hires-and-facing-criticism-gov-elect-rick-scott-asks-crist/1140732

Sunshiney Dec 17, 2010 8:37 PM

"Four months from now, five months from now, no one is going to remember, she said. "No one is going to care."

Why does that seemingly benign statement make me shutter. It was the same feeling I get walking into a cold wet mausoleum on a rainy day. Could it be because things will be so bad in the months to come, nothing could be worse. Kinda like standing there in the mausoleum staring at the inevitable human reality.

Realist one Dec 17, 2010 9:32 PM

YOU'RE TOO STUPID TO ATTEND A MAUSOLEUM

jdr Dec 17, 2010 9:53 PM

You're too stupid to not type everything in CAPS. Seriously, what the hell kind of statement is that? "YOU'RE TOO STUPID TO ATTEND A MAUSOLEUM". Are we too stupid to actually come up with smacktalk?

First of all, I can sympathize with all sides of this issue. I think most people bring valid points to the table. That said, attendance threads, in whatever form they take, are almost always a complete waste. Why is that? It seems like everyone acknowledges that they’re unproductive, but the same script plays out time and time again. I certainly contributed my fair share long ago.

Presumptuousness, hostility, and generalizations abound, but more than anything else, I think the driving force behind the breakdown of these threads is a lack of empathy, on all sides. The central issue here is emotion. We all have something invested in the Rays, and a lot of us do at a deeper level vis-a-vis our hometown. Longoria and Price have perfectly rational points of view, and their frustration is understandable. On the other hand, by virtue of their position, it is impossible for a lot of people not to see them through the lens of "the spoiled athlete", whether right or wrong.

To a certain extent, the dynamic of the debate on this issue will never change. At the same time though, we have to realize that the stakes will eventually be raised and that it will be Sternberg and Silverman expressing these concerns in the context of a decision-making process. The emotion invested by everyone will be the same, but the consequences of their actions will be far greater than any backlash that disgruntled players could cause.

Continue reading this post »

RAYS at Baltimore 7:05; RAYS TV/ION RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

O/U 8 BBs, 4 HRs tonight.

YOU MAKE THE CALL

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Minnesota at RAYS 3:55; FOX TV RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Minnesota at RAYS 7:10; FSN Florida/ESPN RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Minnesota at RAYS 7:10; RAYS TV/ION RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Boston at RAYS 7:10; FSN Florida RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Boston at RAYS 7:10; FSN Florida RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RAYS at Boston 7:05; RAYS TV/ION; ESPN RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RAYS at Toronto 1:07; FSN Florida RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, I'm not out to convince you that Troy Percival is a bad relief pitcher. It's an unnecessary argument to make, as the assertion is pretty much backed with universal acceptance among Rays fans. This is even more true in the immediate aftermath of an event such as today's, when Percival loaded the bases and surrendered a grand slam in the 13th inning of a crucial intra-divison game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Still, I don't see myself as immune from the emotional swings of being a baseball fan, so I need an opportunity to vent. At the same time, I want to maintain a relatively level perspective on things. We can all blame the umpires and unleash our anger on them. Sometimes that's even the appropriate course of action to take, and I don't disagree with the premise completely in this case. But the fact of the matter is, the umpires are too easy a target. There are three teams that take the field for every game, and one of those teams has no fans and is constantly pummeled by the other two.

So while we can blame the intricacies of losses on the umpiring crew, doing so offers no sustainable solutions for future improvement. In what has quickly turned into the worst week of the season since the last week of the first half, Troy Percival has pitched in two games and surrendered six runs. Small sample size you say? Well, then ponder these facts:

• Since May 8th, when Percival surrendered his first runs of the season and notched his first blown save in an eventual win for the Rays at Rogers Centre against the Blue Jays, he has pitched to an ERA of 6.75. That is not a typo, and that is 29.1 innings worth of sample size.
• Dislike ERA? Well, since I can already hear R.J. screaming about the importance of peripherals, ponder this. Percival has surrendered 24 hits since May 8th. Not a lot right? It's less than one per inning, and 7.36 per nine innings. Yet of those 24 hits, nine have been home runs. Nine. That means that three of every eight Pericval hits surrendered are home runs. To put that into perspective, Andy Sonnanstine has surrendered 193 hits this season. If he were to give up the gopher ball at the rate Percival has in the last 30 innings or so, that would mean that Sonnanstine would have given up 72 home runs. Of course sample size disparities make the comparison tedious, but a 2.76 HR/9 for a closer is just as disastrous as that, on scale, if not moreso due to the consistency of a closer's high-leverage appearances.
• What's more, Percival has given up four doubles and two triples among those six hits in the past four months. That means that five of every eight hits he gives up go for extra bases. Put it this way, his opponents' slugging percentage in this time frame is .541.
• Surely Percival must at least mitigate some of this with his high number of strikeouts, right? Well, he does maintain a decent strikeout rate, having downed 26 on strikes in the relevant time frame. Unfortunately, over the same period of time he has walked 18, or 5.52 per nine. A 1.44 K/BB is simply not acceptable, no matter whether high numbers are involved or not.
  

So what's the point? Well, essentially this is a more eloquent and fact-based way of saying PERCY SUX!11!!111!! I'm not going to get into why Percival has become so poor, because quite frankly I don't know and neither do you. It could be the various injuries that have landed him on the DL this season still bothering him, or it could simply be a function of him breaking down over a long season. But without a reasonable degree of certainity, it's not worth making conjectures about. More importantly though, it doesn't really matter. September 6th is a little late in the season to be diagnosing things and making corrections.

In other words, I'm not exactly optimistic about finding a remedy for the 39 year old Percival's pitching woes in the last three weeks of the season, and there is sure as hell no room for experimentation in the playoffs. The question now concerns what the team can do to mitigate Percival's penchant for high-stakes meltdowns. The most obvious solution is to move him out of the closer's role in favor of someone like Dan Wheeler or Grant Balfour, but that doesn't get rid of the problem entirely. Is his penchant for blowing games any more palatable in the seventh or eighth innings than it is in the ninth, or 13th as the case may be?

I would suggest that the answer is no, and issue at that point becomes where you slot a guy like Percival if you don't want him in high-leverage situations at all. You might be able to get by stashing him in middle relief, but I for one would be very surprised to see the Rays, and manager Joe Maddon in particular, shuffle Percival off into obscurity so unceremoniously. Nor can I imagine Percival taking that too well.

But as the games get more and more crucial, and Percival keeps getting worse and worse, the need for action gets clearer and clearer. As painful as it may be to address the situation, the pain of inaction could potentially be a lot more.

RAYS at Toronto 7:07; FSN Florida RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New York at RAYS 7:10; FSN Florida RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New York at RAYS 7:10; FSN Florida/ESPN RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New York at RAYS 7:10; RAYS TV/ION RAYS RADIO/1250 AM

Pitching Matchup:

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!