I read the op-ed letters to the editor at the St. Pete Tampa Bay Times on a daily basis. It's part of my morning routine, and has been for quite a while.

One of the things about letters to the editor, however, is that opinion is often stated as fact. Sometimes, those perceived facts are just assumptions by the writers, others are subjective truths, while others go so far as painting falsehoods as iron-clad facts; "Truthiness" seems next to Godliness. But I digress.

On Sunday morning, in a letter regarding the Tampa Bay Rays and attendance issues, a letter writer made the broad assertion that attendance was down for all three local pro-sport teams...

...Which is a factual error when speaking of the pro-sports team residing at 401 Channelside Drive. The numbers are out there, clear as day, for the public to see for themselves, on ESPN.com (one of few times I can boast about ESPN and hockey): The Tampa Bay Lightning are averaging 18,631 per game in 2011-12, 97% of arena capacity. That's up from 17,268 last season and 15,497 in 2009-10.

That's a clear upward trend. Much like there was a clear downward trend for the Bolts when OK Hockey took over the team in 2008.

What's more? It's not just more butts in seats at Times Palace. There are more eyes following the Lightning on Sun Sports. Sports Business Daily reported today that TV ratings for Lightning games on Sun Sports are up two-thirds (66.7%) over last season, the 3rd biggest increase in the NHL. All this is for a team that's struggling in the standings.

The Tampa Bay Rays struggle at the gate, and those issues with the team, attendance, Tropicana Field and what not are best discussed over at Draysbay. The Bucs attendance woes are clear, with games routinely being blacked out because of Raymond James Stadium not selling out, and the product on field being inconsistent at best. If you'd like to argue about the Buccaneers and their business woes, head over to Bucs Nation.

But for the sake of saying so, the Tampa Bay Lightning aren't struggling to capture the public's interest again. They're not a good example of how the local economy is limiting fan interest in the local sport teams. While the Rays and Bucs struggle for different reasons, the Lightning are currently thriving.

A couple days later, but the NHL has made public that Steve Downie was fined the maximum $2,500 allowed under the CBA for leaving the bench on a legal line change to become involved in an altercation in the game against the Rangers. Is it just me or the maximum of $2,500 seem like a drop in the bucket when fining an NHL player?

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• St. Louis is recovering from a scary injury: "I couldn't see out of my left eye, how the blood rushed through the eye. Panic set in. I was very overwhelmed with the possibilities, you know." (Sporting News)
• LeBrun and Burnside debate the Anisimov celebration (ESPN)
• Why the Lightning like Cory Conacher and are planning on signing him, just not right now. Why? Timing issues with giving him a contract this year will burn through the first year of his waiver exemption (Lightning Strikes)
• Gary Sheldon weighs in with his thoughts on our new conference from realignment (St. Petersburg Times)
• The top 10 best-selling jerseys during the month of November according to shop.NHL.com (Hockey Gear HQ)

The rest of your links after the jump...

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While we all talk about the new realignment plan (and how screwed over the Florida teams got), the Lightning continue their work in the community. This initiative is called "Save Our Sons, Turn in Your Guns".

With $12,500 given by the team for the program, the Tampa Police Department will collect guns on Saturday at the Seminole Heights Baptist Church with no questions asked. Each gun turned in gets $50 in cash. More info here.

And now for your links:

Your Lightning links:

• The Lightning crashed a Senator's charity dinner while they were in Ottawa (CTV)
• A behind the scenes video of the Lightning players who did a photoshoot for Bay Magazine
• If you haven't read it yet, Clare's post on whether players should block shots
• Mashable looks at the Lightning's microchipped jerseys and how it changes the fan experience. Though I don't agree that it's the jerseys that caused the increased season ticket sales
• Raw Charge has a store, check it out why don't you?

More links after the jump...

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With all due respect to Cassandra McClellan and her appeal for a return of sanity and the prevailing of cooler heads, I don't think it's over, not by a long shot. "It" being the hubbub (not quite an uproar...but stay tuned) raised over the Philadelphia Flyers' attempt to thwart the 1-3-1, Tampa T, trap-not-a-trap defensive scheme of the Tampa Bay Lightning when the two teams met the other night in a game won by the Lightning (2-1, in overtime).

Considering the fact that the media, particularly those in town from Philadelphia, were undoubtedly distracted by the events unfolding around the Penn State scandal that night, this situation didn't get the attention it might have under normal circumstances. That's not likely to be the case if it happens again. It's a copycat league, as is the case in all sports, and we have a long way to go this season. Which means it's really more of a question of when, not if. No, I'm afraid we have not seen the last of flailing arms, gnashing teeth and jerking knees over this.

I do agree with her when she points out there is no conspiracy in place. To think otherwise requires believing that the crazy idea of granting Tampa Bay an NHL franchise in 1992 was so a then-21-year-old Guy Boucher could be groomed as an agent of destruction and eventually destroy the league from the inside out. That's awfully impressive long-range planning for an organization that doesn't seem to know what to do with the Phoenix Coyotes.

No, Cassie's right when she says this was simply a case of two teams trying to outfox each other, aberrant only in that it deviates from the way we've all come to expect the game to be played. It's not the first time it's happened in hockey and it certainly won't be the last. Such occurrences aren't even unique to hockey.

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It's been interesting to watch the interaction between the three men who lead the major league sports franchises in the Tampa Bay area and the relationships between the teams that are developing as a result. 

Back in February, Lightning coach Guy Boucher, Rays manager Joe Maddon and Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris sat down together for a panel discussion hosted by TBO.com about coaching philosophies. Since then, the three have kept in touch and inter-mingling between the teams has been rather frequent.

Morris was in attendance at several Lightning playoff games and was featured in a promotional video, wearing a Bolts sweater and standing in front of a Bucs backdrop, that was shown on the scoreboard during games. Lightning players Steven Stamkos, Teddy Purcell, Nate Thompson and former goalie Mike Smith took batting practice with the Rays after an invitation from Maddon. Morris frequently wears Rays gear during his media conferences and Sunday, Rays manager Joe Maddon repaid the favor by wearing a Buccaneers helmet during his post-game address. 

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With the start of the 2011 NHL free agency season, and young star Steven Stamkos entering restricted free agency (meaning he could be tendered an offer sheet from any of the 29 other clubs, though the Bolts had the right to match any offer he received), some Lightning fans were dead certain that Stamkos' days in Tampa were numbered, especially when renown rumor-mongers played up the idea that Stamkos wanted out.

All of this transpired, in part, because Steven wasn't signed before or by July 1^st and there wasn't much tangible information about negotiations after July 1. It turned into end-of-days pandemonium ("Repent, repent!") And with the panic that ensued through the social networks and broader Internet, the age of Stammergeddon was born. Every day, every moment that Stamkos was not signed was another sign of the Stam-pocalypse.

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I'm not even sure how I should go about phrasing this one.

Last weekend, there was a brouhaha over Dwayne Roloson and several Tampa Bay Lightning players visiting Tropicana Field and donning Minnesota Twins hats.  Dwayne Roloson explained his connection to the team, from his time with the Minnesota Wild and his friendship with Justin Morneau.

I thought the Times aptly named the situation as the "from the Get A Life department", and I also made sure to remind people the Rays decided to don Chicago Blackhawks jersey's on a road trip late last May...

Well, the tide turns.  The Rays are heading on a road trip to Toronto, Ontario and another Joe Maddon special themed road tirp is in order...  And lo and behold who the Rays showed solidarity for in their pre-trip photo.

Thank you, Rays.  Thank you Joe Maddon.  And apologies for highlighting last weekend's "situation" that I still find absurd.

I honestly can't tell you that I've read criticisms of the Tampa Bay Lightning receiving (and wearing) Minnesota Twins paraphernalia during this weekend's Tampa Bay Rays / Minnesota Twins series this weekend.

Apparently, it's out there, however.

It was brought up in News and Notes in the St. Pete Times, and Dwayne Roloson had to defend the entire situation:

"To me, friendship goes beyond team boundaries," Roloson said. "I've known Justin for a lot longer than I've been here, and my ties to Minnesota are a lot."

But for any Tampa Bay Rays fans who feel aggrieved or slighted by players from the Tampa Bay Lightning dawning the logo / attire of an opponent, and feel like there's a need for solidarity in the Tampa Bay sports community, and the Bolts somehow defiled that notion and committed a cardinal sin:

Hello, Pot?  This is the kettle.  You're black.

And if you don't bother to recall all the brouhaha over this picture last May, let me remind you how it came to be:  It was through a Rays staff member who had ties to the Chicago Blackhawks.  A connection.  Much like Dwayne Roloson has a connection to Minnesota.

And the 'Hawks were, at the time, playing the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals.  Philadelphia.  The Rays and Philadelphia Phillies played against each other in the 2008 World Series.  Philly hate justified it all...  

But I digress. I think the Times summarized things perfectly in introducing the "issue" as "from the Get A Life Department."  It's not worth dwelling on.  It's stupid.