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Question of the day
Thursday, May 22, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller * State Sen. Dan Kotowski, his chamber’s softball coach, was noticeably peeved with the way I wrote my story today about last night’s game. The Senate won, 7-3, yet Kotowski thought I should have placed far more emphasis on the Senate’s alleged “skills” rather than the innumerable blunders by House players (which I found far more entertaining). So, today he rose in debate, and for several fiery minutes Kotowski tore into my story and regaled his legislative audience with heroic tales from last night. * It was all in fun. I teased him afterward by asking him what he (the chairman of a Senate appropriations committee) and Bruce Rauner have in common. The answer? Neither guy has a budget plan. * From Kotowski’s Facebook page…  * The Question: Caption?
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- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 2:49 pm:
“On one hand, Rauner has no plan, on the other hand, I have no plan…what do you want from us?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 2:50 pm:
“Hey! There’s no crying in softball.”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 2:52 pm:
“Sen. Murphy was safe last year by about THIS much, and still hurt his knee…”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 2:54 pm:
This is about how far apart the House and the Senate are on in budget funding…
- Jeff Trigg - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 2:55 pm:
Next year, instant replay. Those folks on the clock at the Illinois Sports Facility Authority have plenty of spare time to review whether the House was making errors or if they were legitimate hits.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 2:55 pm:
And Kryptonite will destroy him. Any questions, class?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 2:57 pm:
“I took that pitch, this far outside, and dumped it into right field. Not everyone can “go ” with a pitch like that, it’s a skill…”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 2:57 pm:
“Who likes RoboCalls?”
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 2:59 pm:
“Why were we playing softball when the state has so many issues!”
- OldSmoky2 - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:01 pm:
“And so, my fellow senators, I do not oppose using state aircraft to import prairie chickens from Kansas; I just want to see us get more value from this program by exporting something to Kansas on the outbound flights, such as Illinois journalists who fail to properly extol the softball skills of this esteemed body.”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:02 pm:
“They call me Kotowski, it’s no lie,
I hit far, I hit them high
When the Senate needs a single, I’m their man,
It may turn to a double, I run as fast as I can,
So bring on the House Team, bring on that chamber,
We can beat them now, we can beat them later,
I’m not here to cause no trouble, I’m just here to do the Senate Softball Shuffle!”
- Team Sleep - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:05 pm:
I told Senator Rose that the gap between last year’s unpaid bill backlog and this year’s unpaid bill backlog was THIS BIG!
- John A Logan - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:08 pm:
Whats killin ya Kotwoski? Bases on balls.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:10 pm:
“You give on little speech braggin’ on your softball, and magically, all 42 of your Bills, that were sailing through the House are sent to ‘House Rules’? All 42? Today? Is that fair? Am I right, or am I right?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:14 pm:
“I look over at who is calling balls and strikes, and low and behold, its Jason Plummer.”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:16 pm:
“Ready? ‘The Sun will come out, Tomorrow…bet your bottom dollar that…Tomorrow…they’ll be sun…”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:18 pm:
“Stella! Stella!!…”
- Wensicia - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:24 pm:
“But when Miller compared us to the Cubs, that was inexcusable!!!!”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:24 pm:
“I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That’s my dream; that’s my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight razor… and surviving. That is what the Illinois Senate is like …”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:25 pm:
“I told Captain Willard, he was an errand boy…”
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:25 pm:
“I rise to regale you with tales from last night”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:37 pm:
“I have two books at my bedside, the Illinois Senate Rules of Conduct and the King James Bible. The only proper authorities I am aware of are my President John J. Cullerton and the Lord our God. Ok?”
- NewWestSuburbanGOP'er - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:38 pm:
I did it Myyyyyyyyyy Wayyyyyyyy!
- Anon. - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:38 pm:
“I’ll show Rauner mine if he’ll show me his . . . why is everyone giggling?”
- Nonplussed - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:39 pm:
Nothing gets past my manhand
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:52 pm:
“What happened? Senate Bill 7996 is dead in my Committee, and that is a tragedy. But the Bill is dead because it had no Illinois Statute Code. It is dead because he had no Sponsor present, and President Cullerton was watching. Ok?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 3:58 pm:
“I love the smell of fresh coffee at my Committee meetings in the morning. You know, one time we had a Bill to bomb, had to hear testimony for 12 hours. When it was all over, I stood up, gaveled the committee adjourned. We didn’t find one of ‘em, not one Proponent left to testify. The smell, you know that coffee smell, the whole Bill. Smelled like…victory. Someday this Spring Session is gonna end…”
- Upon Further Review - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:00 pm:
The Dude abideth. Who is that “Big Lebowski” looking fella?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:02 pm:
“As an Appropriations Chair, it was inappropriate that Rich Miller focused on the House failings, and not on the Senate’s skill. I’m a ‘Half-Full’ guy, right?
- Upon Further Review - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:02 pm:
@Oswego Willy:
Liked the “Apocalypse Now” reference.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:07 pm:
(Out of frame) “If you’re blue, and you don’t know where to go to, why don’t you go where fashion sits?”
“Puddin on tha witzzz!”
- Upon Further Review - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:07 pm:
A man becomes preeminent, he’s expected to have enthusiasms. Enthusiasms, enthusiasms… What are mine? What draws my admiration? What is that which gives me joy? Baseball! A man stands alone at the plate. This is the time for what? For individual achievement. There he stands alone. But in the field, what? Part of a team. Teamwork… Looks, throws, catches, hustles. Part of one big team. Bats himself the live-long day, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and so on. If his team don’t field… what is he? You follow me? No one. Sunny day, the stands are full of fans. What does he have to say? I’m goin’ out there for myself. But… I get nowhere unless the team wins.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:08 pm:
(Tips cap to - URF -)
“Friends….friends…FRIENDS!!!”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:16 pm:
[Explaining why the Committee Room speakers play music during Committee Meetings] “We use Wagner. It scares the heck out of those having to testify. My Committee loves it!”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:22 pm:
“Help me! Help me find Annie and her dog, Sandy! No one has seen her?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:32 pm:
“Why did the Senate win? Scouting. That Sandack, he went 6 for 6 last year. Looked at the tape, went through the pitch by pitch for each of his at-bats, and bingo! You don’t cool off a Sandack, with two ‘K’s, without understanding the game. We won, no one lost. How can anyone see that different? Huh?”
- LBJ - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:33 pm:
Do you guys like to hear me talk as much as I do?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:35 pm:
“No one got hurt this year, so the big winner is all of our medical insurance providers, is THAT fair to say?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:36 pm:
“I thought the winning team got Cannoli this year. What gives?”
- x ace - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:38 pm:
” Not proper here to tell Miller what I really think ,so am sending him the Elia tape. Says it all.”
- A guy... - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:38 pm:
Whether it’s out there on the softball field or in here in the Chamber, People! Remember, it’s all just a game. We’re here to entertain you and hope nobody gets hurt.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:42 pm:
“What do ya say, Miller, Senate takes on Capitol Fax Commenters, and you? I am right here, Rich, you get YOUR team and meet us and then report who won, and who got beat! You know where to find us…”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:45 pm:
“I stood there, thinking, who swings at a ball that far outside with 3 balls and no strikes? You ‘take’, all day you ‘take’, every day at ‘3-0′…”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:47 pm:
“…then I hear Rauner is going to have HIS ‘Caucus’ that he buys, take on the rest of us in the General Assembly next year!”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:50 pm:
“The biggest challenge for the Senate this year? All the Republicans were ‘Righties’, even the ones who were lefties last year…”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 4:54 pm:
“Usually this game is all fun, but when Leader Currie slid into 2nd…spikes up… The game went up a notch, not gonna lie. I mean, really, Leader Currie, spikes up? Really?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 5:05 pm:
“You take Senator Harris out of the mix with 5 RBIs, and all his… athletic … stuff… just throw that out, MVP for the Senate has to go to Mulroe…makes sense to me, right?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 5:34 pm:
“I don’t know how funny Ray Romano is, ok? I have never met Ray Romano, never been on his show, never met Gene Wilder either, ok? Are we clear? Any other questions? None? Really?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 5:47 pm:
I can’t believe the House is blaming ‘Fan Interference’ on the loss. Really? Could the Left Fielder make that play, I dunno. The error by the shortstop there after and the flood gates were not opened by a guy and his Walkman on the 3 rd base side. Ok? Got it? …”
- 4 percent - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 5:50 pm:
Not only am I the Non Hair Club for Men President, I’m also a client.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 5:54 pm:
“When I asked a GOP Senator to sacrifice the runner over, the Senator said, ‘there are only 19 of us on our side, we can’t afford to lose any more of us’, See what I had to work with?”
- Howard - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 6:04 pm:
Take me out to the ballgame………. and I am a pension thief.
- ash - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 6:17 pm:
Nero — As Rome burns, we play softball…..
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 6:44 pm:
Sen. Dan Kotowski,
You are a good sport.
“I will say this about Sen. Mulroe; he’s got a million dollar arm and a five cent head…”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 7:03 pm:
” A good friend of mine used to say, ‘This is a very simple job, Senator. You propose a Bill, you vote on a Bill, you sponsor a Bill. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.’ Think about that for a while.”
- A Citizen - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 7:07 pm:
OW be careful or you will get Typist Laryngitis.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 7:10 pm:
“Sen. Mulroe was struggling and I went out to talk to him and I asked him, ‘what’s wrong?’. He said, ‘Well, I’m scared because my eyelids are jammed. He needed a live… was it a live rooster? He needed a live rooster to take the curse off some of those gloves out there too! Was that about right? Yeah, they were all dealing with a lot of stuff.”
- Allknowingmasterofraccoondom - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 7:43 pm:
Are you crying?! There’s no crying in softball!!!!!!!
- Etown - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 7:49 pm:
Great stuff from Oswego Willy today proving he continues to be the top cap fax blog commenter
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 8:19 pm:
- A Citizen -, I will only type in hushed tones or whispers.
- Etown - thanks for the props, I would be honored to just be in that “conversation”, everyone brings something really great here and Rich is the ringleader.
“Caption?”
“That was NOT a signal we used, and I am sure it means something else…”
- Etown - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 9:27 pm:
Oswego you are too modest Rich certainly is ringleader but as they said about Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson you are the straw that stirs the drink
Peace from Etown
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 10:05 pm:
(Tips cap humbly to - Etown -, and also with deference to all those who I think are really great too. Rich runs a great shop.)
“Caption”
@FakeSenKotowski - here I am explaining why I told Sen. Mulroe to throw at a certain Rep. ‘What are ya gonna do?’ #UnwrittenRulesOfChamberSoftball
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 10:07 pm:
@FakeSenKotowski - I had to answer for making fewer switches the the House. ‘I manage to win, not to be liked.’
#YikesDidISayThatOutLoud
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 10:10 pm:
@FakeSenKotowski - this is me having to explain my support now for all Bills sponsored by Sen. Harris from now to …ever. #ManagingAndLegislatingForNextYear
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 10:15 pm:
@FakeSenKotowski - This is me explaining that having a DH in softball is not a reflection on Sen. Mulroe’s hitting, just me getting more players involved #HowAboutWeMakeYouMVPandWeMoveOn
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 10:19 pm:
@FakeSenKotowski - this is me doing my best to get everyone to understand what it’s like managing legislators in softball. #HerdingBatsInsteadOfCats #MuchRespectToThe4TopsFromNowOn
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 10:23 pm:
@FakeSenKotowski - the Gov’s Office asking me if my Chamber will accept the challenge to play. As you can see I gave a simple answer #Meh #Really #AreWeRequired
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 10:25 pm:
“We can quibble about this all day kids, but what should I have done, not manage to win? It’s only camaraderie when you win!”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 10:27 pm:
“My short rant on the Floor was built on modesty, didn’t you hear it?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 10:31 pm:
“In reality, the House is our farm team. They get seasoned losing softball games there, then we run them for Senate seats and the rest is just Softball…”
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, May 22, 14 @ 10:45 pm:
Turns out no one likes Scott Drury.
- zatoichi - Friday, May 23, 14 @ 4:45 am:
It’s time for some champagne music with Myron Floren on the keys. Myron, kick it off.