Every high school sports program in every community should have at least one person who is not only an avid fan, but is an integral part of the operation.
Joe Lombardi was that guy in Copperas Cove.
For 45 years, if you attended a Copperas Cove sporting event, you knew you would not just see Lombardi, but you would most certainly hear him.
Whether the teams were prosperous or lean, Lombardi was the unmistakable voice of the Bulldawgs. He didn’t just call the games in every sport. He was every bit involved in the proceedings.
Lombardi died last week at age 75 after lending his voice, personality and devotion to Copperas Cove sports and the town for so long.
“Big Joe was a friend to all. He truly bled blue and gold,” said Jack Welch, who was the Bulldawgs’ athletic director and head football coach from 1994-2016. “He was an absolute friend to all players and coaches.
“With his signature voice, everybody loved to hear him say, ‘It’s another Bulldawg touchdown,’’’ Welch continued. “He did not know how to say it without waking up all audience listeners. He would get so excited when the Bulldawgs scored that he actually fell out of his chair in the radio booth.”
It was one thing to hear Lombardi in the open air of football and baseball or softball games, but it was quite another when he held court at Cove volleyball and basketball games. There was never a dull moment. He made sure of that, emceeing the crowd on both sides.
“(Lombardi) is an institution and a legend in Copperas Cove,” said Cari Lowery, former long-time volleyball coach and current athletic director. “Thousands of athletes have grown up hearing Big Joe say, ‘Point, Cove’ and ‘Go Dawgs.’ He has been a loyal friend and supporter of the Bulldawgs for as long as most of us can remember. He’s been here for our successes and our failures and never wavered in his belief in our kids and our coaches.
“Joe came and found me the first day I was in Cove,” she continued. “He wanted to make sure I wanted him to announce for volleyball and that I knew how much he loved being a Bulldawg. He loved being part of the action. He could tell you story after story about getting the crowd pumped up, especially at volleyball and basketball games.”
Lombardi was honored with his own day last October at Bulldawg Stadium. He was the voice of numerous community service project groups.
He wasn’t just an exuberant fellow who could cheerlead over a microphone. It was an extension of his profession as a longtime disc jockey for KOOV, a country music radio station. In 1992, he was recognized as the “Small Market Radio Personality of the Year” by the Country Music Association.
Beyond that, he was a fixture at Copperas Cove sporting events, home or road, whether he was working the game or not. And you knew he would be adorned in his signature Bulldawg attire.
He was fair, but he was partisan. (I learned that during the mid-1990s when the Temple-Cove girls basketball rivalry was at its peak. My report following a Lady Dawgs win in Cove used turns of phrases leaning to Temple. Joe let me know what he thought about that three weeks later when Cove played in Temple).
“His love of the Bulldawg athletic program and community was very special,” said Welch, who is now the special teams coach at Texas A&M-Commerce. “He cared about our soldiers and community like no other person. Coupling this with his love for our sports teams and players, Joe was the full package. I don’t think Big Joe really understood how special and awe-inspiring he was. He just wanted to help people.”
Lombardi only missed three football broadcasts in his 45 years behind the microphone. And he oversaw some lean years that might have dissuaded a less devoted anchor. The Bulldawgs went on a stretch from 1977-93 without posting a winning record. He was a steadfast champion of Cove athletics well before their programs became champions.
That kind of longevity and loyalty are rare commodities.
But then, Big Joe Lombardi was a rare breed.
