by Tom Morrow
I often look back on my 20-plus years of writing for the Blade-Citizen ala North County Times beginning in 1991. Here are a few regarding readers and contributors who helped me along the way.
I wrote this item on Jan. 24, 2009:
TOP PUNTER – University of Kentucky punter Tim Masthay, grandson of Carlsbad’s Mary Rose and Maurice “Sonny” Masthay, awaits this year’s NFL draft with crossed fingers. He has been one of the nation’s top college punters with an average of 45.3 yards per kick.
And for the past two years (2008-2009), Tim has been a thorn in the side of Vanderbilt University’s team. In 2007, his tackling skills iced the game for Kentucky tackling a Vanderbilt halfback who, in the final seconds, was running one of Tim’s punts back for a would-be touchdown. Kentucky won 27-20.
This year, Tim was Kentucky’s leading rusher in the first half against Vanderbilt running 17 yards for a first down on a fake punt.
Today, Tim is the lead punter for the Green Bay Packers.
Many readers of this column at the North County Times will remember Neal Mars, who, for many years, contributed little humorous sayings. He passed in 2009. Here’s his last contribution:
“Whenever I stay at a hotel that provides Ivory Soap, the first thing I do after opening the bar of soap is scrape off the .0056 part that’s impure. I mean, who wants to wash themselves with that stuff?” – Neal Mars, January 2009.
Another of my regular contributors from days gone by was Oceanside’s Frank Imbilli. One of his contritutions had to do with attending church every Sunday, but when there he never misses a chance to get in a quip or two. Such was the case at a recent Christmas mass at St. Mary’s By the Sea Catholic church.
“I go early to get my usual seat,” Frank told me. “Weather permitting the celebrating priest is outside, greeting parishioners. As I approached, I could hear that he was asking people a question.”
When he got up to the priest, he asked: “Frank, what does Christmas mean to you?”
Without missing a beat, Frank replied: “It means that Santa Anita opens tomorrow.”
WILL ROGERS: “Never miss a good chance to shut up.”
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