OF ALL the positions on a foot- ball field, kickers are called upon the least, yet their performance is often pivotal to the outcome of the game. By A.P. McCredie Sports Reporter To a fcotkall coach, a kicker is like an insurance policy: he isn’t needed. that often, but when he is you better have a good one. Fittingly, football and insurance are two things that West Van- couver resident Tony Martino knows. Even Bo don’t know in- surance. As the kicker for the Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders daring the Canatlian Football G&A After four years in B.C, I realized that _ Pasaglia would never retire. 39 — Tony Martino Veague (CFL) season, and an in- _ surance breter in Vancouver dur- ing the 4if-season, Martino is viding high these days. ‘But things weren't always so secure for the West Vancouver secondary school graduate. “‘-After playing ball for four years in the.U.S. college circuit — two years at Eastern Arizona and two at Kent State — Martino had every: football player’s dream “come true: he was making his - professional football debut for his .home team. The B.C. Lions drafted him in the first round of _the 1988 draft, seventh overali. Once the elation of playing for - the Lions wore off and it was time to get,down to business, Martino faced a two-word problem: Lui Pasagiia. Revived ‘GOAL.-LINES. ‘ALL: THE Siiper Bow! hype aside, “the absolute best quote of the week canie from the Jips of Chuck “Armstrong, president of major " league baseball's Seattle Mariners. The legend of Lui was hard to surpass, and Martino played sporadically for the Leos the next four years, sometimes being released outright by the club. “fT was an insurance policy for the Lions,’’ recalis Martino. “They knew 1 was in town work- ing, so if anything happened they could have me at practice the next day.” Martino holds no grudge against his former team and speaks fondly of the support and teaching given to him by Pasaglia. During the off-season Jast year, Calgary was looking for a kicker who could run with the bal! to replace all-star kicker Matich. Martino, both a_ kicker and punter in college, and a good scrambler, was contacted by the Stampeders and offered a two- year contract. . “It was the best thing that could have happened to me,’’ said Martino. “After four years in B.C., 1 realized that Pasaglia would never retire.’* He also liked the idea of going io a team that was ‘a pre-season favorite, due in large part to the team’s acquisition of highly touted, and former Lion, Doug Flutie, Martino worked on his tech- nique with former Montreal Allouette kicker Don Sweet at the ‘request of Sweet’s college room- mate, Calgary head coach Wally Buono. “} changed my form so that now | drop the ball lower, driving it at less of an angle froz: the ground,’’ Martino said of his style _ change. In the Canadian game, often playec ‘with swirling winds, this style of kicking fairs much better than the impressive-looking, but not as effective, National Football League (NFL) ‘thang-time”’ style. With this change in his arsenal, Martino took the punting job away from Matich and proved his ability as a CFL punter, helping the Stampevers to their first Grey Cup victory in 21 years. This upcoming season is one in which Martino hopes to build on Greg. last’ season’s success and prove himself as a field-goul kicker. As far as the big picture of the CFL is concerned, Martino says the expansion south of the border is a sound business decision, though he is a litde more hesitant to back the deal as a player. “The biggest issue from the player’s point of view is what's happening with the Canadian/ American player ratios,’’ Martino offers. ‘*‘Without a doubt there are Canadian players in the league: that can compete with the best Americans, but without a written guarantee of using Canadian players I think many won't get On SUCCESS West Van secondary grad Tony Martine riding high as punter with CFL champs ” even an opportunity to play. Currently, CFL teams must dress 20 Canadian players per team, per game. With expansion to at least one U.S. city in the works, talk at the league office hints that exceptions to the rule may be made for new teams. But Martino likes other aspects of the expansion. “T Jike the idea of playing American teams, and creating tivalries with them. 1 think the fans will also like it because it breaks up the schedule so that they don’t have to see Edmonton four times a year.”’ And, with the mischievous grin famed for a member of the eccen- tric-filled kicking fraternity, Mar- tino adds, ‘‘our per diem wilf last ionger on road trips since beer is cheaper in the States.”’ Martino is married with a two-year-old boy. ‘‘Ryan’s a real Stampeder fan," according to his proud papa. He and his wife Sandy are ex- pecting their second child in March. With training carnp a mere four months away, Martino is realizing that hard work, both on and off the football field, does have its rewards, NEWS photo Cindy Goedmen } Silver anniversary IAN AND Lee Hickman hoid up daughters Rebecca, 3, and Megan, 2, to get a better view of the ice at West Vancouver Arena. Team coaches took on their players Sunday, dan 17th in a game celebrating West Vancouver Minor Hockey Association’s 25th anniversary. ariners expanding promotional horizons Speaking at a Vancouver Board of Trade luncheon last Friday, the chief executive officer of the Mar- ‘iners said to'a sold-out gathering of high-profile local businessmen: “Our new: field manager, Lou Piniella; is like a kid with a ‘new toy. He hasn't stopped smiling since. he signed his contract with us. I asked cne of our people why Lou was so happy. The aaswer came back: ‘If you’d spent the last 10 years of your life working for George Steinbrenner © and Marge Schott, wouldn't you be? Now I understand!”’ Prior to his stint with Schott's - Cincinnati Reds, Piniella was the on-again, off-again field boss with the New York Yankees under Steinbrenner. “Less than a year ago at this time,’’ Armstrong went on to say, “the Mariners didn’t. have an owner in place and it looked as though the franchise would be moving to Florida. Today we've “Place Stadium increased our players’ payroll by $10 million and for the first time since I began working for this ball club in 1983, I don’t hear any negatives. The Mariners ‘are on an upswing, make no mistake about it.’ It was on the Ist of July when major league baseball finally ap- proved the purchase of the Mari- ners by Hiroshi Yamauchi, presi- dent of the Nintendo Company. Now it’s the mandate of Arm- strong and his revitalized front office staff to expand its promo- tional horizons throughout the Pacific Northwest. The Vancouver mission is al- ready in high gear with the Mari- ners taking part in a two-day ma- jor league basebali bash at B.C. the -weekend of April 3-4 with three other teams — including the world champion Toronto Blue Jays — engaging in four pre-season games, The schedule breaks down this way: Saturday, April 3, Milwaukee vs, Seattle at 2 p.m.; Detroit vs. Toronto at 7 p.m.; Sunday, April 4, Detroit vs. Seat- tle at noon; Milwaukee vs. Toron- to at 6 p.m. Since the Mariners launch their 1993 regular season schedule at the Kingdome against the Blue ~ Jays on Tuesday, April 6, both Armstrong and his Toronto counterpart, Pat Gillick, agreed it would be best to avoid each other during the Vancouver pre-season exhibitions. “We're actually staging two of- ficial openings,’’ Armstrong said. “Opening Nignt will be Tuesday, April 6 and Opening Day will be Wednesday, April 7. with a mati- nee to facilitate fans from British Columbia.’’ Slick move, considering . the Mariners established a four-game series attendance record with 165,000 paying customers last July against the Blue Jays. Mariners “Our survey showed that over 40% of those fans were from out- side the U.S.,’ Armstrong related to the Vancouver Board of Trade audience. “The vast majority of that 40%, obviously, was from B. Cc. ” Under the direction. “of chief operating officer Bits -Winnett,. a company named’ Vancouver’s Basebail Club Inc. has been form- ed with the goal to convince the they should “‘regionalize’’ their operation by playing a series of regular season major league games as soon as the 1994 campaign. Armstrong is seriously consider- ing the pitch. Prior to his luncheon appoint- ment last Fridzy, he huddled with Vancouver Canadians’ vice-presi- dent and general manager Brent Imlach to discuss the territorial issucs that would have to be worked out in order for the Mari- ners to invade our local market.