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Schlekeway Leaving Senate to Become Erector Director; Hilarity Ensues

Last updated on 2014.07.07

The following post is suitable for junior-high boys only... and maybe Mr. Kurtz.

The announcement that Todd Schlekeway is stepping away from his District 11 Senate seat to take a position as executive director of the National Association of Tower Erectors set my mind reeling:

The Watertown-based trade association represents tower erection, maintenance and service companies. Schlekeway says he's excited about the professional opportunity ["State Sen. Schlekeway to Lead Trade Association," AP via Rapid City Journal, 2012.06.12].

How, I wondered, just how could the AP editors allow the words excited and erection into the same paragraph? Do they realize the Santorum-scale havoc this will wreak on Google searches for Schlekeway? And if someone adds the word towering... oh my. This post alone probably gets blocked by 75% of work Web filters.

Schlekeway is not leaving the Legislature because he'll be too busy standing for "Safety First, Safety Always." He's leaving so he doesn't have to take crap in the cloak room from Senators Rave and Olson: "Hey, Todd! Let's hear a unified voice for erection!"

By the way, on a serious note, T-Schlek has a B.A. in history and political science, a B.S. in exercise science, and a master's degree in education. Consider that I'm a math and history major with a master's in information systems teaching French, and perhaps you've got proof that your college degree doesn't really matter.

And finally, all day I kept wondering which Saturday Night Live skit his determinedly straight face was reminding me of. Alas, linguistic mirth created too much static in my mental image search. When my wife got home, she rang the bell: Tim Calhoun:

Todd Schlekeway -- Tim Calhoun
Todd Schlekeway -- Tim Calhoun

But hey! Todd's got better hair than Matt Varilek, so it's all good, right?

16 Comments

  1. larry kurtz 2012.06.13

    Lemme see:

    Erect Schlek: it shouldn't be so hard!

  2. larry kurtz 2012.06.13

    how about:

    Schlekeway erecting to new heights!

  3. larry kurtz 2012.06.13

    Schlekeway's erectile dystopia swells.

  4. Bill Fleming 2012.06.13

    Schlekeway steps away to ride high hard ones.

    HiYo, Silver.
    (Pure poetry, baby.)

  5. larry kurtz 2012.06.13

    Schlekeway Toddering at new erection angle.

  6. Rachel 2012.06.13

    See, Cory. You say "Mr. Kurtz" and*I* think my father or brother, who would be similarly entertained by the erection connection. You have a gift, Larry.

  7. mike 2012.06.13

    Kurtz = not funny.

    Flemming has me ROTFL!

  8. mike 2012.06.13

    But in all seriousness this guy was a true advocate against HB 1234. He was independent minded and a good leader.

  9. Bill Fleming 2012.06.13

    Kurtz = Short = Funny. (Especially in this context.)

  10. caheidelberger Post author | 2012.06.13

    True dat, Mike! Schlekeway deserves credit for being one of the GOP Senate votes against HB 1234. Maybe he can help us hang some big anti-HB1234 banners on some tall towers during the referendum campaign!

  11. David Newquist 2012.06.13

    When I first read National Association of Tower Erectors, I thought it was something from The Onion. How many adults, let alone Junior high schoolers, would not think that name a joke, or deserving of one. It sounds more appropriate for a Nevada-based group devising a marketing program for that oldest profession, with slogans such as "our employees have the greatest Erector Sets in the world," and all manner of things Kurtz and I would entertain ourselves with.

  12. larry kurtz 2012.06.13

    Exactly, David. I've been digging for a close friend's business card to scan from his days with grain binning for Sky High Erections.

    It had a cartoon of a steel grain bin with an erect arrow growing from the door.

    Will keep looking.

  13. Owen Reitzel 2012.06.13

    maybe he supports Romney. Erect-a-sketch

Comments are closed.