Did I really say that stuff?

Here in the patch, some guys over at the fire hall have started taking bets on which Vince Zapotosky will show up to co-captain a joint county-newspaper softball team with Herald-Standard editor Mark O'Keefe in a charity game set for June 26.

Will it be the Vince Zapotosky, who as a candidate for Fayette County commissioner in 2003, held this opinion of the long-overdue countywide property tax reassessment courageously implemented by then-Commissioners Ron Nehls, Sean Cavanagh and Vince Vicites?
The reassessment should have been done 20 or 30 years ago, says Zapotosky, who theorizes that the matter was probably delayed by previous administrations for the sake of "political convenience." -- "Five compete for Democratic county commissioner nominations," Herald-Standard, May 15, 2003

Or will it be the Vince Zapotosky, who, as a sitting commissioner, voted in 2009 to cancel a scheduled assessment update, wasting $600,000 of county tax dollars?
"This (suspending the reassessment) wasn't about politics. It's about people," Zapotosky said. -- "Reassessment suspended," Herald-Standard, Aug. 6, 2009.

Will the guy sitting in the dugout next to O'Keefe be Zapotosky the candidate, who in the five-way Democratic primary in 2003, held this opinion:
"I'm running this race individually ... I don't think we should force-feed the public a ticket," says Zapotosky. -- "Democratic commissioner candidates square off for primary showdown," Herald-Standard, March 17, 2003.

Or will it be Zapotosky the incumbent, who in 2009 had this to say about his forming a ticket with fellow Commissioner Vince Vicites:
"Not one man rows the boat ... It has been great to work with somebody who shares a positive vision." -- "Vicites, Zapotosky take 'team approach' to Fayette office bid," Herald-Standard, March 6, 2011.

Will attendees of the game be treated to an appearance by Zapotosky the candidate, who in 2007 said this:
"We need teamwork," Zapotosky said, mentioning House Majority leader State Rep. H. William DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, Murtha and Mahoney as people he could work with to help the county. -- "Zapotoskty seeks nomination to run for commissioner," Herald-Standard, January 9, 2007.

Or will they be casting their gaze upon Zapotosky the sitting commissioner, who in 2010 demonstrated his commitment to teamwork thusly:
Fayette County Commissioner Vincent Zapotosky, a Democrat, compared Mr. DeWeese to an "old shoe that causes blisters." He encouraged audience members at a recent meet-and-greet event for Ms. Snyder in the village of Penn-Craft, in Luzerne, Fayette County, to toss out the offending shoe. -- "DeWeese battlling for seat," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 11, 2010

Regardless of which version of Zapotosky shows up for the game, we hope that O'Keefe takes along a reporter's notebook and a pen, so that between innings he can ask Zapotosky for his view on a few other of his published comments:

Zapotosky says the job of county commissioner is administrative, not legislative, and should be carried out from that perspective. He pledges to impose a two-term limit on himself, vowing to serve no more than eight years if elected. -- "Democratic commissioner candidates square off for primary showdown," Herald-Standard, March 17, 2003.

He said the problems in the county have to be looked at as a whole, including those in Brownsville and Connellsville as well as problems in the boroughs of Masontown, Republic and Point Marion. "We need to bring people back to these areas. One of my goals is population growth," Zapotosky said. -- "Zapotoskty seeks nomination to run for commissioner," Herald-Standard, January 9, 2007.

And, finally, our favorite Zapotosky quote:
" ... and God knows, we need a level of integrity." -- "DeWeese battling for seat," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 11, 2010