A short time ago, in a city not so far away, the Journal Tribune hired a new sports editor.
Greetings, York County, it’s Anthony Lombardi, your new editor of sports at the JT. This is my first full week on the job, and I wanted to introduce myself as we begin this saga.
I also want to extend a sincere send-off to the Journal Tribune’s former sports editor, Pat McDonald, and I want to thank him for all the hard work and dedication he gave the paper and the community. In the one conversation I had with Pat, it was evident he cares deeply about the athletic programs in York County. So, thank you, Pat, and I wish you well in the next chapter of your life.
About Me
I won’t waste too many words on sharing my previous work experiences – the Tribune’s executive editor, Ed Pierce, wrote a much-appreciated intro column about me in Tuesday’s edition of the paper – but I will give the basics just in case you don’t get a chance to read every day.
Since I graduated from Ball State University – the home of David Letterman – I have served as a news reporter in Peru, Indiana, and a sports and managing editor in Noblesville, Indiana.
Anthony Lombardi has joined the Journal Tribune staff as Sports Editor. JOURNAL TRIBUNE PHOTO
With a last name like “Lombardi,” I guess I was destined to work in sports. Before you ask, yes, I am related to Vince Lombardi, but not to the former Green Bay Packers coach. My grandparents didn’t even name my dad after coach Lombardi – they just liked the name Vince. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked if we are related. One time, my family was able to score some free tickets to an NHL game between the Nashville Predators and the Detroit Red Wings. The game was a sell-out, but someone affiliated with the Predators thought our last name was cool so he hooked us up.
Sports are a huge part of my life. My first memory is of watching a Yankees game in the 1990s. Yes, I am a Yankees fan. Yes, we will learn to cope with our rivalry.
The coolest moment of my life took place in Yankee Stadium during Game 2 of the 2009 ALDS. In the bottom of the ninth inning, with the Yankees trailing the Minnesota Twins by two, Alex Rodriguez hit a 3-1 fastball off of closer Joe Nathan into the right-field bullpen for a two-run homer. My dad and I were sitting with the “Bleacher Creatures,” and I watched the ball soar from home plate to basically right in my lap. The stadium (and I am not exaggerating) shook like an earthquake had just hit, as the crowd celebrated with pure, childlike joy.
That’s why I love sports. What else can produce that type of raw emotion, excitement and ecstasy that unites a community multiple times a week? In my experience, nothing else does.
A new chapter
As we start this new adventure together, I’d like to express how excited I am to get to know all of you and how grateful I am to everyone who has welcomed me in my brief tenure. I have a lot to learn about Maine sports, but I can already tell this area loves its athletics.
That’s great to see, and I can’t wait to be a part of the York County sports community.
Sports are fun, and I want the physical and digital pages of the Journal Tribune to reflect the enjoyment. That means the sports staff is going to integrate some new segments in the coming weeks, as we look for new ways to highlight what athletics means to us on a daily basis. I think you will like our coverage, and I want you to feel that “JT Sports” is as much yours as it is ours.
So please feel free to send a message to the sports section at sports@journaltribune.com, or to me personally at alombardi@journaltribune.com. Whether you’re a coach, an athlete, a part of an athletic department, a city official, a parent or a community member, we want to hear what you have to say. Did you enjoy (or not enjoy) an article we wrote? Do you have a potential gem of a story waiting to be told? Are you involved with a rec league? A bowling league? Surf? Just want to introduce yourself? Let me know – maybe we can grab lunch and discuss what’s going on in our community. And there’s a lot that’s going on, which leads me to my final topic.
We want you
We have a great staff at the Journal Tribune and a lot of talented journalists across MaineToday Media’s properties, but it’s impossible to be everywhere at once. So if you have a passion, such as taking photographs, that can help us document as much of York County sports history as we can, please send me a message. I’d love to talk about your interests and see how we can best fit your skills into our content.
I feel like I’ve been typing for awhile, so I am going to wrap this up. Again, I am excited to be here. I’m excited to continue to grow my craft in Biddeford, and I’m excited to get to know all of you.
To the athletes who are about to start their spring season: Good luck.
Although, like Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi says: “In my experience, there’s no such thing as luck.” (I’m also a “Star Wars” fan if you couldn’t tell.)
Have a great day.
– Anthony Lombardi is the sports editor at the Journal Tribune. Contact him by email at alombardi@journaltribune.com. Follow Anthony on Twitter @TheVigilanthony.
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