* Not surprising that the Rays didn’t formally respond to the proposal by St. Petersburg City Council to up the ante on what the Rays would have to pay to be able to look for a new stadium site in Hillsborough County. Not heeding the aphorism that a bad deal is worse than no deal, the problematic council provided further reason why all bets are off until the Nov. 3 elections. That’s when there’s the prospect of a new member breaking the deadlock by siding with pragmatic Mayor Rick Kriseman.
* This Saturday, the resurgent USF Bulls take on favored Navy. Now on a three-game winning streak, the first such in the Willie Taggart era, the Bulls hope for a program-turning parlay: An unprecedented fourth consecutive win and no post-game arrests.
* What are the odds that WFLA, Channel 8 will renew its deal with the Bucs to host “Bucs Bonus Monday” and “The Lovie Lowdown?” It’s got to be the most awkward four minutes on local TV as Lovie Smith tries to explain to Dan Lucas how the Bucs lost yet another game.
* “For The Gators.” Look who’s representing PED-suspended UF quarterback Will Grier: Morgan & Morgan.