Sunburn – The Morning Read Of What’s Hot In Florida Politics – 8.9.21

By Peter Schorsch    

Without a doubt, the Seminole Tribe of Florida had one of their best weekends in history. On Friday, the federal government signed off on the new Gaming Compact between the Tribe and the state, officially giving them the OK to start offering roulette, craps, sports gambling, and even build new casinos.

The Compact is sure to be a boon to the Tribe’s bottom line, and the state stands to gain a lot, too, starting with a guaranteed $2.5 billion over the next five years. Odds are plenty more people will have a good weekend once sports gambling kicks off on Oct. 15 — that’s the weekend of the UF-LSU game, FYI.

Though the Tribe had reason to celebrate, the fan base that bears their name ended the weekend in mourning.

On Sunday morning, legendary FSU football coach Bobby Bowden died at the age of 91. The two-time national champion coach racked up more than 350 wins during his career and led the ‘Noles to a dozen ACC titles and 33 consecutive winning seasons. There may never be another coach like him.

Fans (and the many rivals who couldn’t help but love him) can take solace knowing that he passed on with many family members and loved ones by his side. “It was truly peaceful,” Terry Bowden told The Associated Press.

On a happier note, the NFL inducted a whopping 21 players into the Hall of Fame this weekend, plus a couple of coaches and front office staff for good measure — the League held a doubleheader thanks to the pandemic forced a delay to the 2020 class induction.

The 2021 list included Bucs safety John Lynch, and the 2020 class featured former Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson. Of course, Peyton Manning earned a spot, as did Charles Woodson, who famously blocked the legendary QB from winning the Heisman a quarter-century ago.

And now for the bittersweet: The Tokyo Olympics are over.

Due to the pandemic, it was possibly the strangest edition of the Summer Games in modern history. Still, there were plenty of historic moments, from Simone Biles putting the spotlight on mental health to Tom Daley knitting in the stands. There were dozens of record-shattering athletic feats. Oh yeah, Team USA also rebounded from a shaky start to finish with 39 golds and 113 medals overall — the most of any country in both metrics.

If the Olympics aren’t your bag, maybe the SPJ Sunshine State Awards are more your speed.

They might not be as glamorous, nor as glittery, but they’re still pretty dang prestigious. There are loads of awards categories, but if you’re reading Sunburn, you know the Government & Politics award is the true prize. The winner: Jeffrey Schweers, for his elections coverage at the Tallahassee Democrat.

Also, Florida parents had another sweet weekend. Yes, they had to spend a wad of cash on school supplies, but thanks to the back-to-school sales tax holiday, they were able to save a bit on new threads, notebooks, and even big-ticket items such as computers. It’s not too late to get in on the action — the holiday ends on Aug. 10.

Want to avoid a bad weekend? Make sure your hurricane kit is ready to go, pronto.

The National Hurricane Center said Sunday that there are two areas of low pressure in the Atlantic — one has a 60% chance of becoming a cyclone by next weekend; the other has a 40% chance. We’re sure you know the drill, but here’s a refresher: make a plan and ensure you have enough food, water, meds and batteries. True, it’ll be a bad weekend either way if a storm hits, but it’ll be a lot worse if you’re unprepared.

If you’re all prepped, great. That just means you can relax and watch the Perseid meteor shower while the neighbors flock to Home Depot for supplies.

Finally, it seems like Christina Pushaw had a good weekend. The Governor’s Spokesperson spent the past couple of days on vacation — meaning she was able to swap back and forth between her various smurf accounts on Twitter with a nice view of Miami Beach rather than the humdrum vistas of her Tally office. Umm … cool?

 — SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@GovRonDeSantis: Coach Bobby Bowden lived a remarkable life and leaves an incomparable legacy. He created a dominating football program that produced championships and many great players. Coach Bowden also prepared his players to be leaders in their communities, and many have made a great impact across Florida and beyond. Most importantly, he lived his life guided by a strong faith in God, dedication to his family, and service to his community. RIP to a truly great man and legendary Floridian, Coach Bobby Bowden.

—@MarcoRubio: Coach Bowden was a great coach … but an even better man. The way he shaped young men & treated others was a powerful testimony of his faith in Jesus Christ, and as I saw first hand if he got into a recruits living room that recruit was going to @FSUFootball Rest in peace Coach

—@SenRickScott: Florida & @FloridaState have lost a legend. Ann & I are so sad to learn of Coach Bowden’s passing & are praying for Ann Bowden & their family. A man of deep faith & outstanding leader, his legacy will live on in the hearts & actions of countless students, coaches & young leaders.

—@CharlieCrist: Coach Bowden was a remarkable man and legend who embodied the true spirit of a Florida State Nole! My prayers are with the Bowden family today.

—@AshleyMoody: Bobby Bowden was a great coach and an even better human being. He touched so many lives and made Floridians proud — he was our own. My heart goes out to his family, former players, and fans across our state.

—@JimmyPatronis: As an FSU grad and lifelong Seminole fan, my family and I looked up to Coach Bowden as a giant among men, a visionary leader on and off the football field. RIP coach. While we mourn your passing, we’ll forever celebrate your life and honor your legacy.

—@ValDemings: I join my fellow FSU Seminoles in mourning the passing of the legendary Bobby Bowden. I was a student at FSU when coach Bowden joined FSU and took FSU football to national championships. We will be truly grateful for his life and legacy. GO NOLES.

—@WiltonSimpson: They say the measure of a man can be found in the lives he’s touched. Bobby Bowden was a force on and off the field and we were all better for having known him. Rest In Peace Coach.

—@MichelleforFL: I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Bowden family and my fellow Noles. Coach is synonymous with FSU. He was kind and warm spirit. I froze when I first met him. He asked me if I was going to say hello. We had a good laugh on our elevator ride.

—@CoachTaggert: My condolences to the entire Bowden Family and @FSUFootball family! Coach Bowden, your legacy will stand the test of time. Thank you for setting the standard for what a COACH/MAN should be.  #Faith#Football#Family

Tweet, tweet:

—@DannyKannell: 411 wins. 2 national championships. 12 ACC championships. The numbers are insane, but they pale in comparison to the number of lives Bobby Bowden impacted for eternity. He was more preacher than coach. More father figure than mentor. More friend than teacher.

—@WarrickDunn: Coach Bowden made a huge impact on not only my life personally but so many others. He was blessed to have his family by his side when He passed away. My condolences to his wife Ann and their family.

Tweet, tweet:

Condolences to the Bowden and @FSUFootball family. We have lost a remarkable man and coach. RIP Coach Bowden. pic.twitter.com/MvNKodOa7W

— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) August 8, 2021

Tweet, tweet:

Please read this thread from Tom Black. Click here.

—@KirkHerbstreit: Such fond memories of coach Bowden-Both as a fan watching him & his dominating Noles teams & as a young analyst working w/ him-He was a true testament to people will remember you based on how you make them feel-coach was as sweet & as good of a man as I’ve ever met. RIP Coach 

—@MCuban: So people understand COVID math. If 100% of people are Vaxxed, then 100% of cases will be people who are vaxxed. We will have avoided ~95% of cases and 99.99% of deaths. As the % of vaxxed people grows, so will the reports of more vaxxed people getting COVID. Don’t be fooled.

—@GeorgeTakei: Dear anti-vaxxers: Your spokespeople keep getting COVID and dying. Radio shock jocks, GOP state representatives, preachers — they are learning the hard way that they were wrong. In their dying breaths, they are begging you to get the vaccine. Time to listen to them one last time.