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Leadership divided on 'hometown' denotation

By SHERRI DAY
Published January 20, 2006

TAMPA - So what exactly makes a team the hometown team? Tampa's mayor and City Council may not be reading the same playbook.

Council members say Tampa's "City of Champions" signs should include a reference to the New York Yankees, who train at Legends Field.

But Mayor Pam Iorio has balked at that idea. She created new "Welcome to Tampa" signs last year to honor Tampa sports teams. Scattered throughout the city, the 12 signs list local titles: the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup and Arena Bowl. If the city included those 26 World Series crowns, wouldn't the Devil Rays feel left out?

The Devil Rays are "out in St. Petersburg," council member Rose Ferlita noted Thursday. "So to me, the Yankees are the home team."

She called the Yankees "part of the fiber of this community."

Council members Mary Alvarez, John Dingfelder, Gwen Miller and Linda Saul-Sena came in behind her, adding support for the Yankees.

Debate continued outside City Hall, as sports radio host Steve Duemig, WDAE-AM 620, devoted much of his Thursday program to the sign flap, rallying callers against Ferlita.

St. Petersburg mayor Rick Baker stayed clear of the skirmish.

"I think everybody in the bay area supports the teams, the Bucs, the Devil Rays, the Lightning, no matter what they're called," Baker said.

Devil Rays vice president Rick Vaughn pointed out that his team represents the entire bay area "year-round."

By Thursday night, good sportsmanship seemed to have won out.

Darrell Smith, Iorio's chief of staff, said the city will "consider" adding the Devil Rays and Yankees to future signs.

[Last modified January 20, 2006, 01:46:11]