Joe DeRosa
 

What do you guys think about Joe DeRosas actions with the fan tonight? Its on sportscenter if you havent seen it. I do have issues with Joe considering he went two a H.S game a few years ago in ohio and had nothing good to say about the refs. I would think someone of his stature would give constructive criticism. But instead he chose to yell form the stands...

There's not much to say. He shouldn't of done what he did. I'm sure the NBA will be swift to react.

He'll get in some trouble. Perhaps suspended for the remainder of the postseason. There aren't many games left and he may or may not have had another assignment or two.

For those who don't know what he did, SportsCenter is showing a clip of the crew approaching the table at halftime of the Boston/Orlando game and a fan rises behind the table and is yelling at them. DeRosa has the ball and he tosses it to the fan, who catches it and throws it back. The fan is obviously upset with the referees and screaming at them the whole time.

I understand how Joe felt, and it was amusing to see what he did, but as a professional one can't get involved with the fans, especially if the interaction constitutes tossing a physical object at the person.

Official throws basketball at fan in Game 2

By Shannon J. Owens / The Orlando Sentinel
Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - Added 2h ago

ORLANDO, Fla. - Players were not the only ones getting physical on the Amway Arena court. The NBA will review a confrontation between veteran referee Joe DeRosa and a fan that occurred at halftime.
Referees DeRosa, Marc Davis and Bill Kennedy walked to the scorer’s table at midcourt after the second quarter to retrieve their jackets to a chorus of boos and fans chanting "Refs you suck."
One fan, Wyndham Vacation Ownership CEO Franz Hanning, heckled the refs from behind the scorer’s table and DeRosa threw a ball at Hanning, who then threw it back at DeRosa.
DeRosa called over Amway Arena security officials, who relocated the fan to another seat. DeRosa has officiated over 1,000 regular season games and 75 playoff games and five NBA Finals according to basketballrefs.com.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank, who attended the game, told The Orlando Sentinel that the league was aware of the situation, which was replayed on ESPN’s telecast.
"The situation will be reviewed after the game," Frank said.
Hanning, 55, is an Orlando resident and an acquaintance of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

It appears that Franz Hanning, Mr. CEO, wasn't behaving very professionally either. :eek:

But, my, he has good $eat$. No way he would ever be escorted out of the building early. Just guessing.

I stayed at Mr Franz Hannings resort in Vegas in April. (Insert "Holiday Inn Express" joke here) and it was very nice. Call me petty, but I might rethink staying at one of his places in the future. It would have been funnier had Franz shot a Mid Court shot from the stands. Now THAT I would have respected!!

This is what the announcers speculated at the time of the incident.

They chastized both sides - fans can't do what they want just because they pay to be at the game, and - the official should show more restraint.

It seems Joe DeRosa was acting more like Joe DeRita (he's the one in the middle, in case you didn't know).

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/im...SS/130-045.jpg

That applies to all of us, no matter the level, no matter the sport.

I know it's unprofessional, but....
He has to think it was worth one game....

Really Snaqs? As much negative publicity as this is bringing? I think he would take it back if he could. JMO

You're probably right.

I don't know the exact amount of a check for a game in the NBA post-season, but I'd say that this was a pretty expensive pass for Joe.