Good morning, Cleveland! This is The 216 Scoop: If anyone sees the Guardians’ bats lying around Progressive Field, please return them immediately. They’re going to need them for Game 3 ⚾🏟️
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In today’s 216 Scoop Edition:
Con Man, Drug Addict, Socialist: Ohio’s $750 Million Ad War Hits Rock Bottom
Time Capsule with Extra Cheese: Inside Ohio’s Ultimate 1980s Pizza Hut
Win or Go Home: Guardians Need Bat Revival in Do-or-Die Game 3
Get Out of the House: Interpol, Aliens, Derf, Cavs, Doom & Drone
Fans to Six Flags: Keep Your Hands Off Cedar Point
John Petkovic & Jude Perez
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IN THE NEWS
Con man? Alcoholic? Criminal? Abuser? Socialist? Drug addict?
When the going gets ugly, the ugly get going.
Ohio’s airwaves are a multi-million-dollar swamp of political ad warfare overflowing with personal and ideological smears.
The Money:
AdImpact’s projects Ohio at $748–749 million in total political advertising -- fourth behind California, Michigan and Texas.
Big-money nastiness dominates races like never before.
The Senate battle between Republican Jon Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown has already exceeded $240–300 million -- the highest-spending race in the country.
The Governor race between Vivek Ramaswamy and Amy Acton has the Republican outspending the Democrat $77 million vs. $10.6 million.
The Max Miller vs. Brian Poindexter Congressional race has seen $4.1 million, with Democrats outspending Republicans 3-to-1.
The Reasons:
The races are competitive, and small shifts in voter perception could decide them.
The Senate race could influence control of the chamber.
Acton is seen as Democrats’ best shot at a statewide win in years.
Miller vs. Poindexter became a toss-up after abuse allegations against Miller.
The Negativity:
Each race offers ready-made attack lines rooted in selectively framed events.
Acton’s role as COVID-era health director and a 2019 personal incident (“substance abuse”) vs. Ramaswamy’s pharmaceutical business history (“con man”).
Husted’s ties to a bailout scandal and data-center policies (“corrupt”) vs. Brown’s immigration views and social issues (“socialist”).
Miller’s domestic abuse allegations (“wife-beater”) vs. Poindexter’s support for universal healthcare (“Communist”) and arrest as an 18-year-old (“drug addict”).
The Results:
Negative ads can keep likely voters at home on election day. But they often produce a backlash against the attacker.
🗳 Which Ohio race are you watching most closely heading into November?
- 🏛 Husted vs. Brown: highest-spending Senate race in the country and it could decide chamber control
- 🏥 Ramaswamy vs. Acton: Democrats' best shot at a statewide win in years against a $77M vs. $10.6M money gap
- 🏘 Miller vs. Poindexter: abuse allegations turned a safe seat into a toss-up and the ads have been brutal
- 😤 None of them: $750 million in negative ads has made me want to turn off every screen in Ohio
Time Capsule with Extra Cheese: Inside Ohio’s Ultimate 1980s Pizza Hut
Photos by John Petkovic
Red vinyl booths. Tiffany-style stained-glass lamps. Checkered tablecloths. A Pac-Man machine by the salad bar.
It’s a time capsule with pizza.
Sixty miles out of Cleveland and you’re in the 1980s at Pizza Hut Classic in Warren.
It’s one of 155 throwback locations in the U.S. and 11 in Ohio.
Warren’s is the closest to Cleveland – and has inspired pilgrimages from devotees as far away as Arizona.
Not just for the pies.
This is what sit-in dining looked and felt like in a long-gone era.
Opened in 1987 and reopened as a ‘classic’ in 2019, it boasts the red plastic cups, trapezoid windows, roof and mascot that made Pizza Hut an icon.
Its reputation waned in the early 2000s. A decade later, Pizza Hut converted most locations to delivery-and-carryout only.
Renewed interest in vintage culture inspired Yum! Brands to turn back the clock.
Hey, the prices are also retro: $11.49 for the pizza-and-salad buffet. Totally ‘80s.
🍕 What would make you drive 60 miles to the Pizza Hut Classic in Warren?
- 🎮 The Pac-Man machine by the salad bar: some things are worth a road trip
- 🍕 $11.49 pizza and salad buffet at retro prices: that alone justifies the gas money
- 🏮 The Tiffany lamps, red vinyl booths and trapezoid windows: this is a full sensory time machine
- 👨👩👧 Pure nostalgia: this is what family dinner felt like and I want to feel it again
Win or Go Home: Guardians Need Bat Revival in Do-or-Die Game 3
It’s like August and September never happened.
The bats went limp. The discipline and focus disappeared. And the Guardians are down 0-2 in the ALDS against the White Sox.
Their offense in the first two games?
Seven of 61 at the plate for a .115 batting average, three runs, zero HRs and 21 strikeouts.
Oh, and they went three-and-out in 10 of the 18 innings played.
Since 2017, they’ve lost 18 of 20 postseason games when scoring three or fewer runs & won 9 of 11 when scoring four or more.
Which means, the bats will have to heat up when they take on the Sox in Chicago at 4 p.m. today.
Daniel Espino will start on the mound and will likely be followed by Joey Cantillo.
“I’d go out of the pen in Game 3 if I got to,” said Monday’s starter Gavin Williams.
It’s do or die.
⚾ Do the Guardians survive Game 3 today in Chicago?
- 🔥 Yes: the bats woke up at the worst moments before and they will again today
- 😤 .115 batting average and 21 strikeouts in two games: I don't see where the offense comes from
- 🤞 Daniel Espino and Joey Cantillo keep it close and one big hit changes everything
- 💀 I have watched too much Cleveland October baseball to answer this question honestly
The 216 Rundown
Get Out of the House: Interpol, Aliens, Derf, Cavs, Doom & Drone
WEDNESDAY
Interpol: The neo-post-punk from New York is on tour to support its seventh disc, The Other Side of Make-Believe. 8 p.m. The Agora. Info.
Neil deGrasse Tyson: The astrophysicist and author hits the State Theater to discuss the life beyond Earth, aliens and the universe. 8 p.m. Info.
Derf Book Launch: The cartoonist and author presents his new book, Dissidents: Autocrats! Vigiliantes! Communits! and Cartoonists! At the Grog Shop. 7 p.m. Info.
THURSDAY
Cavs-Celtics: The exhibition season opener will give fans the chance to see newcomers Peyton Watson, Meleek Thomas and Mario Hezonja. 7 p.m. Rocket Arena. Info.
Sunn 0))): The drone-doom-metal mongers will don their robes and hit the stage at Globe Iron. 8 p.m. Info.
🔥 Today’s Hot Property
📍 1306-1308 W 73rd St, Cleveland, OH 44102
💰 Price: $550,000
📏 Size: Not listed
🏡 Built: 1900 (Updated/Remodeled)
🛏 6 Beds | 🛁 4 Full Baths (Quadruplex)
NOTES ON A COCKTAIL NAPKIN
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
Fans to Six Flags: Keep Your Hands Off Cedar Point
Six Flags is testing new names for Cedar Point that would incorporate its corporate name – and sent surveys to passholders for ideas.
How do you like the ring of “Six Flags of North Ohio”?
So, on Monday, we asked 20k subscribers what they thought about scrubbing the 156-year legacy of one of America’s most beloved amusement parks isn’t
Surprise, surprise – they don’t. Only 1.6% supported it.
88.1% of respondents said keep Cedar Point.
7.1% supported Cedar Point, a Six Flags Experience, as a corporate compromise.
3.2% voted “Cedar Point Data Center" – because “at this point nothing would surprise us.
VINTAGE CLEVELAND
“Sudden Sam” McDowell – who earned his nickname with his sudden emergence and blazing fastball – died on Tuesday. He was 84. The six-time All-Star is one of two pitchers in Cleveland history with more than 2,000 strikeouts. His turbulent off-field lifestyle became a redemption story: After retiring, he became a counselor for athletes suffering from addiction and depression.
Cleveland Memory Project
Ooh and don’t forget! Tag @The216Scoop on Facebook & @scoopcle on Instagram to get your photos in the Scoop!
Extra Sprinkles
WEATHER
Wednesday, October 7
75 °F 🌡️ 56 °F | ⛅ (Partly Cloudy) | 20% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 15 mph SW (≈ 13 knots)
Thursday, October 8
68 °F 🌡️ 52 °F | ☀️ (Mostly Sunny) | 0% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 13 mph W (≈ 11 knots)
Friday, October 9
66 °F 🌡️ 53 °F | ☀️ (Mostly Sunny) | 0% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 9 mph WNW (≈ 8 knots)
Please note that weather conditions can change rapidly. For the most up-to-date information, consider checking a reliable local weather service.
Live Shows in the 216
Top Shows on Wednesday, October 7
Iron Lung, Yambag, Hex, Smile — Foundry Concert Club, 7 PM
The Dream Syndicate w/ Non Bruises — Beachland Tavern, 7 PM
The Haunt — House of Blues (Cambridge Room), 6:30 PM
Top Shows on Thursday, October 8
AJJ, Greet Death — Grog Shop, 7 PM
Radel Ortiz — Hilarities, 7:15 PM
First To Eleven — Mahall's, 7 PM
Lily Vakili & Her Band w/ Mighty Joe Castro & The Gravamen — Beachland Tavern, 7 PM
Top Shows on Friday, October 9
Bruiser Wolf w/ Asaka The Renegade, Nuke Franklin, Hoodie BK, VENO, DJ Scottstradamus — Grog Shop, 7 PM
Drag Bingo with Veranda L'Ni & Friends — Music Box (Supper Club), 6 PM
Hyperpop Halloween — No Class, 9 PM
Ian McConnell — Foundry, 7 PM
Open Mike Eagle w/ Me:You — Beachland Tavern, 7 PM
Punchis! Punchis! Banda Rave (18+) — House of Blues, 9 PM
SLIFT w/ Rhododendron — Beachland Ballroom, 7 PM
Sugar w/ J. Robbins — Agora Theatre, 7 PM
The 216 Sports Area
Upcoming Games
Browns
Away vs. Jets, 1 PM October 11 (Sunday)
Cavaliers
Home vs. Celtics, 7 PM October 8 (Thursday)
Home vs. Magic, 6:30 PM October 11 (Sunday)
Guardians
Away vs.CWS, TBD October 7 (Wednesday) — ALDS Game 3
Away vs. CWS, TBD October 8 (Thursday) — ALDS Game 4 *if necessary
Home vs. CWS, TBD October 10 (Saturday) — ALDS Game 5 *if necessary
Thanks for reading The 216 Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who thinks icicles are “nature’s warning signs.”