Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 9-10-19

Editorial/Column
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Another Bad Day For ‘Mr. Pick 6’
I really feel sorry for die- hard Tampa Bay Bucca- neer fans. Every year they go into the season anticipating that this will be the year the team takes it to the next level and then the game kicks off and, well, Jameis Winston
happens.
There once was a time
when I had high hopes that the young gunslinger would one day come into his own and live up to the hype that followed him out of Florida Sate. Unfortunately, though, that stopped around two years ago.
Now, for the sake of Buc fans, I just hope he doesn't stink up the joint to the point where he can no longer serve as valuable trade bait. His stock, in my humble opinion, has dropped that drastically.
Sunday's home opener was further proof that Win- ston is the anchor holding the Bucs’ ship down. After a surprisingly decent perform- ance by the defense and a much improved running game it was again the man, affectionately known in
some circles as "Mr. Pick 6," literally throwing the game away with costly inter- ceptions.
I know many Buc fans don't want to hear this, but the proof is right in front of their eyes. "Famous Jameis" isn't that good. He may be a great person in the community who donates to charities, assists disabled children and who saves cats from trees but, on the foot- ball field, he's horrible.
The sad part is that even after the team got him all the help he needed during the off-season, in the form of a well-respected coach who specializes in shaping young quarterbacks, Winston still looks as though he doesn't have a clue. And, I imagine, the fact that he probably feels pressure to perform to save his career makes his de- cision-making even worse.
People will read this and think that I'm being too hard on Winston and will sug- gest that I take it easy on him because he's a Black quarter- back who's already being
criticized enough in the media. The thing is, it isn't my job to placate to his feel- ings.
I get paid to call things the way I see them. And what I've seen from Jameis Winston over several sea- sons has caused my eyes bleed.
Of course, I'm far from the only person who realizes Jameis' shortcomings. Turn on any sports program and you'll hear former play- ers and sports pundits con- stantly harping on Winston's sub-par play.
The only people who seem to not recognize what the rest of the world is wit- nessing from Winston are Buc fans in the Bay Area, some of whom I consider friends, who watch every Buc game through rose-colored glasses.
Hopefully, going forward, Winston will be able to take cues from the expert tutelage he's receiving and become the high caliber quarterback so many people believe lives within him. If he doesn't, he shouldn't be surprised to find himself holding a clip- board on a sideline some- where else next season after squandering a prime oppor- tunity to prove his worth.
Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bul- letin Publishing Com- pany. You can contact Mr. Barr at: cbar- ronice@gmail.com.
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An Example We Should Follow
all it an attempt at retribution by a Southern city
whose history is drenched in blood. The city is Birmingham, Alabama, and any American history book will quickly recount how and why this city received its nickname “Bombingham” based on the brutal murder of four Black school girls by Birmingham Klansmen.
So, what the mayor of Birmingham did, the other week, was not only startling, but was possibly prophetic. In one swipe of his pen, he decreed that any school child living within Birmingham city limits would henceforth be eligible to attend any of the state of Alabama’s two or four year colleges or universities free of charge on the City of Birmingham’s tab... Though many still swoon in disbelief, officials swear the City of Birmingham’s change of heart is true.
But Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodlin’s miracle didn’t stop at the steps of higher academe. It also in- cluded trade schools for any city student choosing a trade rather than a bachelor’s degree.
All-in-all, the bill for such a venture is projected to be in the hundreds of millions. But the argument for doing so is simple: You either pay now or pay later. Besides, with a municipal budget easily approaching a billion dol- lars, how could anyone in Birmingham quibble over pen- nies?
After all, the graduates will pay taxes on their future salaries and homes they will be able to secure.
So, we began to wonder, if Birmingham could do it, why couldn’t Tampa?
Touting ourselves as America’s next greatest city, look- ing forward in the coming year to hosting the Super Bowl, one would think it would be easy for us to send all or our eligible students to higher education institutions of their choice.
Therefore, we broach this subject to Mayor Jane Cas- tor and members of the City Council. If Birmingham could send all of its students to college or trade school free of charge, could we not do likewise? Mayor Castor, give us an answer.
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