Final dispatch Mazzo Mistrial II … Judge Andrew Guilford was sort of a wildcard. “He’s such a huge sports fan,” one former prosecutor told me. “Angels?”
“Hates the Angels. Lost the L.A. Angels of Anaheim trial when he was a lawyer for the city.”
I saw no Arte animus directed at the prosecution. Of course. But Guilford sent the jury into deliberations and the alternates into standby with this: “I think it was Vin Scully who said, ‘Good things come to those who wait.’”
Wasn’t Vin’s maxim first. But it’s Jim Mazzo’s now.
Follow the Bankers … If you do in Peter Brennan’s Q&A with top OC bankers in our Special Report p. 22, you’ll come away sanguine about 2018, at least on banking:
Sunwest, Carson Lappetito, upped 401K contributions
JPMorgan Chase, Rick Nogueira, minimum wage $16.50 to $18
Wells Fargo, Keith Kobata, beat state to the punch, raised min. wage to $15
US Trust, DeAnne Steele, higher wages, employment … and three Fed rate hikes
Farmers & Merchants, Henry Walker, upping lending $1B
And Blue Gate’s Chris Walsh plans to cross St. Andrews off the bucket list. I was there in 2005, Chris. Jack’s last, Tiger wire-to-wire. Enjoy the Olde Course and the Scots, sweetest people in the world …
Sam DeOpsomer owns DeOpsomer Insurance Brokerage in Tustin. 50 years. Life member, Million Dollar Roundtable. Big deal in insurance sales. And Sam sells 98% life. “Lots of rejection,” my Wednesday night tennis partner shared.
I’d been working a lot—well, a whole lot—hadn’t hit balls in 5-6 weeks. That never happens with DeOpsomer, who turns 80 in April. Finds time for tennis. Somehow.
“Five times a week, two here, two in the desert, once in Mexico.” Impressive. We play three sets. I cramped on match point, Sam’s of course, felt like a shotgun wound. Gentleman Sam waited, helped me to the bench. A banana later, I offered to help Sam pack up.
“I stay, jog 20 minutes around the court.”
“Really. After three sets?”
“Then I’m going back to the office, work till 11:15, then Tustin Fitness to work out.”
“How often you do that?”
“Work out? Twice a day, seven days a week.”
As I debated which to treat first, throbbing tennis elbow or cramped left calf, the undisciplined columnist had to ask Sam.
“Where did it come from? Father? Friend?
“I taught myself,” Sam said. “I just feel better when I follow that routine. Keeps me healthy and younger and happier. Relieves the stress.”
OK, living problem solved.
“How ‘bout a business credo, Sam?”
“Keep with it. Plug away. You can’t give up, especially in my business. Sales.”
I pointed toward home for night editing, writing. Sam was already jogging the perimeter. Wonder if he’ll work out twice on that 80th birthday?
