I think that you need to go take a look at what Lake Wales experienced last year, Scott. That town was destroyed...3 times. The winds in Lakeland are mostly taken from Lakeland Linder Airport, so that is not always the full picture. I will tell you one thing...the winds in Lakeland Highlands were damned near hurricane force with Jeanne. All you had to do was walk around Lakeland to see the extensive damage done by Jeanne...100 year old oak trees snapped in half; power lines down, scoreboards ripped out of the ground, etc. My neighbor behind me had a humongous oak tree fall through their living room, nearly killing their teenage son.
I'm sorry, but I just don't agree with your statements in which you say the likelihood of Tampa Bay getting a direct hit is about as likely as a Cleveland team winning a national championship. As a met, I think you need to stop saying that because there are people here who take EVERYTHING to heart -- yes, some people do not read the disclaimer -- and what we say may affect what they do.
There is no way I am going to compare the Cleveland teams' wins or non-wins with what Max Mayfield is saying. Not to mention, even if we *only* experience TS force winds, they still are sustained to 74mph with higher gusts. That's nothing to play around with.