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*The Specialist, Issue #8: Joseph Lombardi - Printable Version

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*The Specialist, Issue #8: Joseph Lombardi - run_CMC - 06-06-2018

[div align=\\\"center\\\"][Image: PSTQtb3.png]
Issue #8: Joseph Lombardi

”Professional football’s only Special Teams focused publication.”[/div]

In this article, we spotlight a kicker who retired during season six: Joseph Lombardi. After an uncertain rookie season that put him through three uniforms, the young kicker spent multiple seasons with the Yellowknife Wraiths, where he was consistent and a staple of their special teams unit. Today, we tell his story.

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Early Life[/div]

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Joseph Lombardi grew up in Voorhees, New Jersey, a small township with a population of 29,000. The son of a National Hockey League veteran, Lombardi had an affinity for the ice even from a young age. Time passed (as it typically does), and his hockey skills continued to improve. He found himself starting on state and regional teams; teams that were perennial contenders for national youth championships. But one day Lombardi was in the car, riding home from practice, when he had a revelation: he didn’t love hockey, his dad did. This wasn’t an immediate end of the ice for him, but it was the beginning of the end.

Lombardi’s hockey practice lapsed as he searched for other sports he enjoyed. Brief, successful stints in soccer, volleyball, track, and baseball came and went. None of them brought him the fulfillment he sought. During this time, he also tried tennis... and he loved it! But, wow, he was absolutely awful at it. The one sport he fell in love with immediately... he sucked at. He lay awake at night, questioning his place in the universe. Questioning if there was any place at all. “Am I doomed to the folly man? Doomed to disregard the blessings I have, and only want what is unattainable?”

When Lombardi moved into his freshman year of high school, at Eastern Regional High, he quit all sports he still participated in and buried himself in academics. A naturally intelligent man, his grades soared as he finally gave them attention. He was the top of his class in every subject, and he showed intense interest in biology. After just one year of high school, Lombardi had self taught himself his school’s entire biology track, and to continue learning new material, he had to go to the molecular biology professor of a local college. Always in the back of his mind, though, was sports. It irritated him that he never found a sport which overlapped between those he enjoyed, and those he had a natural talent for.

Junior year rolled around, and in the second week of the new school year came the school’s first football game of the season. Lombardi was sitting in class when the PA system came on. “The football team needs an emergency kicker for tonight! Come to the west field after school to try out.” Apparently the regular kicker had broken his leg, and the entirety of the soccer team was multiple hours away at a match of their own. At first Lombardi thought nothing of it, but after some nagging by his friends who knew his sports background, he finally decided he’d go see if he couldn’t help the football team for one game. As it turns out, he could help them. He went out to the field and sent his first two kick attempts - from extra point distance - wide left then wide right. His next eight went through. Then they moved him back five yards; five more down the middle.

That night, Lombardi skipped his math homework and took to the field. He scored two field goals on three attempts in a game his school won by three. He was a temporary hero around the school, and it felt good! But the soccer team returned, and the next week, it was one of them kicking through the uprights! At least, Lombardi assumed that; he never watched much football, much less keep up with a high school team. As it happens, Lombardi assumed wrong. The soccer player they replaced him with kicked it exclusively outside the uprights. He walked into class and found himself face to face with the football coach: “I want you as our kicker.” Lombardi went on to make 90% of his field goal attempts and all but one of his extra point tries. During this time, he realized that he had found it. He had found something he was good at, and that he thoroughly enjoyed. Lombardi couldn’t wait to play football again his senior year! Unfortunately, on his last day as a junior...

He graduated.

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]College Career

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The genius that he was, Joseph Lombardi graduated high school a year early with credits to spare and went to the University of Vanderbilt for Pre-Med. In what would turn out to be an incredible stroke of luck, Lombardi visited Vanderbilt over the summer one more time before moving into the dorms in the fall, at the same exact time as walk-on tryouts were being held for what would be Lombardi’s freshman year. He signed up and tried out that same day, and although it wasn’t easy, he outperformed the scholarship kicker (who was moved to kickoffs only) and was officially on the roster.

His first season was rough. Lombardi was smart and a hard worker, but the jump from high school to college was a big one. He was in a difficult area of study at an academically prestigious school, and while he never missed class, he did miss a handful of practices which put him on thin ice for a while. His freshman year, the Vanderbilt Commodores had an average season, and Lombardi had an average kicking performance. For a walk-on he was doing well, but there was nothing differentiating his play from that of other SEC kickers. Sophomore year that began to change. Vanderbilt football once again had an average year record-wise, but Lombardi went 100% on extra points and 86% on field goals, only missing attempts from a distance greater than 45 yards, while nonetheless tallying a long of 53 yards.

At that point, Joseph Lombardi still saw football as a fun hobby, not as a possible career. For this reason, he didn’t hesitate to accept a position in a study abroad program that would have him spending his entire fall semester in France and Italy, learning about different healthcare systems. A great educational opportunity for sure, but one that meant he missed the entire football season his junior year. Despite this, he returned to Nashville in the spring and eagerly returned to workouts and practices (for the following year) with the team. He had to compete to earn his starting spot back, and during this time he became more versatile. He not only knew how to kick field goals and kickoffs effectively, but he also learned how to punt - a very different and difficult skill, but one he picked up with ease.

Senior year football arrived, and the Commodores soared. They went 11-2, narrowly missing the College Football Playoffs, but dominating the opponent in their bowl game. The team’s success helped bring attention to Lombardi’s spectacular season: 100% on extra points and 96% on field goals, while also setting a school record long field goal distance of 62 yards. Teams came knocking immediately after the bowl game. Even as he worked towards finishing his pre-med program, Lombardi grew to realize that professional football could be an option for him, so even while he was applying to medical schools, he continued to work out and practice his kicking skills. Graduation came and went, and not long after came the National Simulation Football League season three draft:

September 4th, 2017. Joseph Lombardi sits at home among family and friends. He has been assured by several teams that his name will be called, but he’s been unable to get a concrete answer of when. The draft begins, and the first four picks are unsurprising. Then the commissioner comes to the podium to announce the fifth overall for the San Jose Sabercats, and from his lips emerge a name Lombardi knows well: “Iyah Blewitt.” Blewitt was the nation’s top kicking prospect, but to select him fifth overall was a surprise to everyone. In theory it should be good thing for Lombardi though; if other teams see kickers going high, teams with a need at that position will try to fill it sooner rather than later so they can get the prospect they like most. Unfortunately for Lombardi, no NSFL teams seemed to agree with his logic. The second, third, and fourth rounds passed without another special teams player leaving the board. Finally, in the fifth round, the Otters took a kicker! But not Lombardi. With the 38th overall pick, the Orange County Otters selected Al Sims, the kicker out of LSU. The Vanderbilt product began to feel dejected as another whole round passed without his name being called. Finally, the commissioner returned to the stage for the 51st time that night: “With the 51st pick in the NSFL draft, the Philadelphia Liberty select kicker/punter Joseph Lombardi from Vanderbilt University.”

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Professional Career

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The room erupted with joy as Lombardi sat in his chair, confused but similarly ecstatic. His phone buzzed and, unsurprisingly, the Philadelphia Liberty general manager was on the line. After a brief conversation that promised another the next day, Joseph Lombardi entered the festivities without a concern in the world.

Just three days after the draft, Lombardi became the first rookie on his team and one of the first in the league to ink his new contract. Six million dollars spread evenly over the next three seasons promised him job security and financial safety. What made his position slightly less secure was that Philadelphia already had a kicker on the roster: Stephen Harris. The slightly older kicker who we now know as one of the best to play the game was at that point just as unproven as everyone else, so Lombardi eagerly approached the challenge of beating him out for the starting spot. In the end, however, he couldn’t do it. Harris was the starter for all four preseason games, and despite being shaky and missing several kicks, he retained his starting role.

As the preseason closed, the general manager had a meeting with Lombardi: he would still be a member of the Liberty, with the same contract he signed with them, but for the time being he would be sent down to be selected in the inaugural draft of the newly created Developmental Simulation Football League. Minorly disheartened, but nonetheless resilient, and, frankly, having no choice in the matter, Lombardi resolved to make the best out of whatever opportunity was presented to him. If he had to spend a season in the DSFL to prove himself as capable of playing at the highest level, then that’s what he would do. DSFL draft night came, and Lombardi was selected by the Kansas City Coyotes with the 23rd overall pick - the fifth pick in the fourth round. He flew out the next morning to sign a six month lease on an apartment near the stadium, and that night he toured the practice facilities.

Having been on the sidelines for four preseason games already in the NSFL, Lombardi was happy to be starting in each of the four DSFL preseason matches. He went 10 for 10 on extra points over the four games, and had a successful short field goal on his one attempt in the first game. His one attempt in game two was a bit of a wake up call. Despite routinely making 40+ yarders in college, Lombardi missed a 44 yard attempt wide right. The defenders at this level jumped higher, moved quicker off the line, and were all around more athletic, and it would take some getting used to. He redeemed himself somewhat with a successful 40 yard kick in game three, leaving him at 2 for 3 on field goals over the course of the preseason. Not great, but not terrible for his first professional games; plus, better that mistakes be made in the preseason than the regular season. Speaking of it, the Coyotes played the San Antonio Marshals at home in Kansas City in the first ever DSFL regular season game; it was not pretty. However, even while his team struggled to a 23-6 loss, Lombardi shined with personal achievement as he scored his team’s only points on two successful field goal attempts.

His season would end up being a bit inconsistent. In multiple games he hit three plus field goals, including an impressive week 10 performance where he hit on field goals from 44, 46, and 47 yards out, but he also had many games where he missed short field goals, or even extra points. At the end of week 12, which would end up being the last DSFL game he played, Lombardi had a statline of 21 for 23 on extra points (91.3% and 5th in the league*) and 23 for 27 on field goals (85.2% and 4th in the league*) [*minimum 10 attempts]. In terms of punting, he was similarly average, with above average accuracy but below average kick distance. As Lombardi was driving home from the stadium after that week 12 victory over Tijuana, he got a call from the Coyotes general manager: “the Yellowknife Wraiths traded to get your rights from Philadelphia, and they’re calling you up to the National League right away.”

This was quite the surprise to Lombardi, who hadn’t been in contact with the Wraiths since well prior to the NSFL draft, but looking at the situation now it makes sense. Yellowknife was 5-5 at the time (it was only through week 10 in the NSFL), while conference rival Baltimore was 7-3, and Philadelphia was 4-5-1. Their current kicker, Archibald Booter, was struggling in both kicking and punting, and they had no other kickers on the roster to compete with him. When they brought in Lombardi, however, he only earned himself the starting punting job for NSFL week 11. Luckily for him, Booter went just 4 for 6 on field goals from weeks 11 to 13, including a miss that cost the Wraiths the game in week 12, so when week 14 rolled around and the Wraiths were officially out of the playoff race, they gave Lombardi a go starting at kicker. The game went well initially, with Lombardi going 2 for 2 on extra points and 1 for 1 on field goals in the first half, but midway through the third quarter he missed a routine extra point attempt. It wouldn’t affect the outcome of the game, but was an unfortunate smudge on his record nonetheless.

The offseason came and went, and season four in the National Simulation Football League began. Both Joseph Lombardi and Archibald Booter remained on the roster, but Lombardi was awarded sole kicking and punting duties for his superior play in training camp and the preseason, while Booter was demoted to second string. The season progressed and, despite the Wraiths winning their conference with an 8-6 record, Lombardi’s level of play left something to be desired. He finished the regular season fifth in the league in extra point percentage at 94.7%, and sixth in the league in field goal percentage at 85.3%. In NSFC championship game, Philadelphia at Yellowknife, Lombardi sunk field goals from 39 and 46 yards in a match that finished regulation 20 to 20 and would be won by an overtime Wraiths touchdown. In the Ultimus, Lombardi came in clutch again, going 3 for 3 on field goals from 46, 37, and 41 yards, though his team would lose by seven points in the end.

After another uneventful offseason came NSFL season five: the last season of Lombardi’s original rookie contract. And boy, he stepped up big to make a case for a resigning. As the Wraiths once again led their conference, finishing 10-4, Lombardi went 45 for 47 on extra points (95.7%, second in the league) and 28 for 30 on field goals (93.3%, third in the league, behind second place by only 0.2 and ahead of fourth place by 4.8). In the first game of the playoffs, Lombardi continued to perform at a high level. 4 out of 4 extra points and 3 out of 3 field goals helped the Wraiths to a 37-21 victory over the Baltimore Hawks. The Ultimus rematch arrived and it was a kickers game for sure. Lombardi went 3 for 3 on field goals while Madlad went 4 for 4. In the end, the Otters won again: 26-15.

Once again came the offseason, but this time with a new challenge: free agency. The Yellowknife Wraiths had declined to offer Lombardi a contract extension, and the league was pretty full on special teams players. The Hawks, Liberty, Sabercats, and Otters had veterans in Turkleton, Harris, Blewitt, and Madlad. Arizona, Colorado, and Yellowknife had promising young kickers in Jackson, Micycle/Peg Leg, and Forfeit. The one team without a kicker? The NSFL’s recently relocated and rebranded franchise, the New Orleans Second Line.

Despite his improvement since his time as a rookie, the contract Lombardi signed with New Orleans was very team oriented. Only $1 million guaranteed, with seasons seven and eight being million dollar team options. The season began, and Lombardi started strong. Through the first five games, Joseph Lombardi was 9 for 9 on extra points and 7 for 9 on field goals, only missing once from 50+, and once from 40+. Then, out of the blue, the New Orleans Second Line traded with the Colorado Yeti to obtain kicker/punter Peg Leg, who became the new starter right away. After three weeks on the bench with no promise of starting again, and with no indication of when he’d get another chance to play, Joseph Lombardi announced his retirement and applied to medical school for the spring semester.

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Career Stats[/div]

(Stats are National League only, not Developmental League)

37 regular season games, with a record of 20-16-1
4 playoff games, with a record of 2-2
2 Ultimus appearances
0 Pro Bowls

93 extra points converted
98 extra points attempted
94.9% extra point success rate
65 field goals converted
74 field goals attempted
87.8% field goal success rate
288 points scored
57 yard longest field goal

258 punts
11,263 punt yards
43.7 yard average punt distance
38 punts inside the twenty
67 yard longest punt

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Life After Football[/div]

Joseph Lombardi is now in his second full year of medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, where he’s on a path to becoming a General Practitioner. He’s not made himself available for extensive interview, but has voiced his happiness for the time he spent in professional football. Still a young man, Lombardi is now on to a new chapter in his life, but the previous shall forever be part of National Simulation Football League history.

(3,137 words. The Specialist logo was made by @infinitempg )

*The Specialist, Issue #8: Joseph Lombardi - Beaver - 06-06-2018

NSFL legend.

*The Specialist, Issue #8: Joseph Lombardi - run_CMC - 06-08-2018

(06-06-2018, 04:42 PM)Beaver Wrote:NSFL legend.
fact

*The Specialist, Issue #8: Joseph Lombardi - bluesfan55 - 06-08-2018

wow thank u for the kind words my friend

*The Specialist, Issue #8: Joseph Lombardi - Bzerkap - 06-08-2018

(06-08-2018, 12:03 PM)bluesfan55 Wrote:wow thank u for the kind words my friend
wow he's back

*The Specialist, Issue #8: Joseph Lombardi - run_CMC - 06-08-2018

(06-08-2018, 02:03 PM)bluesfan55 Wrote:wow thank u for the kind words my friend
np my friend