DENVER – If there’s one thing veteran transition talent Joey Cupido loved more than the game of lacrosse, it was playing the game with his teammates. Playing with his Mammoth brothers.
Playing the sport he holds dearest with the franchise who drafted him more than a decade ago, “Lightning” burgundy and black have been a trio Colorado fans have enjoyed and endeared for as long as we can remember.
Just like his energetic tunnel runs out onto the field during pregame introductions. Regularly stopping to high-five as many fans as possible while flying through some pyrotechnics and truly getting the LOUD HOUSE at maximum decibel output, Cupido knew the show started long before the opening whistle.
He was a showman.
Fans assemble each winter inside Ball Arena for one reason: To be entertained and support the team they love. And the longtime Mammoth assistant captain never took his opportunity to put on a show for granted.
Long after any given game was over, he was usually one of the last guys on the turf signing autographs, taking pictures and sharing stories with supporters.
He, more or less, was Colorado Mammoth lacrosse for a long time.
And while his on-field production, speed and overall shiftiness may have declined over the past few seasons, fans and teammates alike realized he was just as much an asset at practice, in the locker room and in the community as he was sprinting from one end of the turf to the other.
But boy oh boy, do we remember the days “Lightning” used to ignite the LOUD HOUSE like none other. Which says a lot, considering he’s played alongside NLL greats like John Grant Jr. and company.
Outside of the team’s most recent 2023-24 campaign, the Mammoth organization had qualified for the postseason in every other season than Cupido was around for. Which takes a team effort, of course. But it’s not by accident that Joey happened to be around for that successful stretch.
He, of course, played a vital role in the team’s 2021-22 NLL Championship-capturing campaign, eventually giving his all once more the next year to help the team return to the NLL Finals the following season.
But it’s his presence and overall “Joey Cupido” ways that the team and fans will miss most.
A huge wrestling guy but an even bigger Green Bay Packers fan, he was a walking chirp waiting to happen. Which, thankfully for the team’s chemistry, was always answered by a fellow teammate’s chirp, often resulting in some good laughs. A common character called upon in Kangaroo Court, there’s honestly no replacing Cupido’s character.
The team will get a bit younger on defense this year, which is part of the league and sport’s overall personnel cycle. But they won’t have their fourth coach on the floor this season, a role Cupido took very seriously. Robert Hope is the team’s captain, no doubt. But the way Joey used to almost challenge Pat and defensive coordinators to ensure the team was executing XYZs to perfection showcased not only his understanding of the game, but his unrelenting passion to win. To dominate as a defensive unit.
Which is very much what the Mammoth have been known for the past 10 years or so.
It’s also not a coincidence the squad has established that reputation since drafting the most talented athlete the city of Hamilton, Ontario has ever produced (IYKYK).
Originally drafted by the Colorado Mammoth in the fifth round (38th overall) of the 2011 NLL Entry Draft, he’s regarded as one of the biggest steals of the talent-selection showdown. We know there were plenty of skilled guys taken during that draft, but how many went on to become franchise pillars and potential NLL Hall of Famers?
Ending his career in Colorado ranked amongst the franchise’s all-time leaders in games played (2nd: 169 GP), loose balls (2nd: 921 LBs) and caused turnovers (1st: 214 CTOs), it’s easy to see why the two-way threat has been beloved in the Centennial State for so long.
Recording 166 points (73g, 93a) in 169 regular season appearances with the Mammoth, it’s not easy to average nearly one point per-game when you’re stuck in the D-zone for a majority of your minutes. But No. 82 found a way. He always found a way to impact the team, even if he stuck with his same triple-fake move for most of his scoring days.
Adding 16 points (11g, 5a), 93 loose balls, 20 caused turnovers and six penalty minutes in 17 career postseason games played, he contributed a career-high seven points (4g, 3a), 37 loose balls and eight caused turnovers during the team’s NLL Championship run.
We aren’t saying the burgundy boys don’t capture that cup a few seasons back without him. But it sure would’ve been a bit harder without the wheels of Cupido. Thankfully, we’ll never have to consider what it would’ve taken without him, as he’ll forever be enshrined in Mammoth history.
We won’t say goodbye. We aren’t saying farewell.
We’re saying thanks for the memories, Joey Cupido, as Colorado Mammoth lacrosse wouldn’t be, and won’t be, the same without you.
Signed by the Georgia Swarm to a one-year agreement Tuesday, Cupido will return to the LOUD HOUSE Dec. 29 as the longtime squads renew their rivalry inside Ball Arena. Get your tickets today to see what could likely be the veteran’s farewell tour.
Mammoth fans are encouraged to stay tuned to coloradomammoth.com and Colorado Mammoth social media channels, where supporters can share their thank-you thoughts, farewells and favorite “Lightning” memories from over the years!
