What? Ringling Bridge Keeps Its Name?

The newest buzz around Sarasota is reflected with sighs of relief...The John Ringling Bridge shall keep its name, and will not, thank you very much, be changed to the Gil Waters Bridge. (For those of you who have moved on from southwest Florida life, check this article out fom the H-T.)

I have to say, this disappoints me very much. Not because I was a big proponent of Gil Waters stealing the show, but because this was a prime opportunity to give this town a little character. Does EVERYTHING have to revolve around the Ringlings?

How about any of these?

• Peewee's Playhouse Bridge. Don't forget folks, Peewee Herman put us on the map those many years ago. I was just as disgusted as anyone to hear the news of his...inappropriate choice...but when I moved here 15 years ago, everyone was still saying, "You know this is the place where Peewee Herman exposed himself."


• The Jerry Springer Bridge. After all, a primary feature of this structure is being the connector piece to Bird Key. And why would you go to Bird Key unless it was to drop in on our favorite local celebrity, Jerry Springer?


• The Bradentucky "Eat This" Bridge. We all know that a secondary reason for this bridge's birth was to top Bradenton. "Bradenton, your crappy bridges and basically all of your features are no match for what the sophisticated and posh Sarasota community has to offer."


• Schleif Dog Bridge (please, correct me on the spelling), as a tribute to Neil, who has shaped the minds of so many young literature students in the Sarasota County school system. I don't care what anyone says, I loved your class.

I'm so open to your suggestions. And I KNOW if you're reading this, you have some of your own. Let's hear them.

One last comment...Did you catch this in the H-T article? "Waters said Monday that the fight for the bridge and the tussle over the renaming were classic examples of local civics. 'That has been the story of Sarasota,' Waters said. 'Nothing is simple and you have to fight for what you feel is right. And it's a treasure that was worth the fight.'" So true, Gil, so true.