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.

Naw, he can pick up some work in the WWE while he's off.

Look Joe is prbably the only person getting paid in that game who is thinking pass as a first option!!!

How can you guys possibly be blaming the fan in this instance?

DeRosa is a professional. He is suppose to act like one. Fans are allowed to heckle. It doesn't matter what they say. You guys on here always advocate ignoring fans.

Who cares if the fan was heckling you can't throw a ball at them. He's lucky it's only 1 game.

constable, I have failed to find one post in this thread that has blamed the fan or excused Derosa.

1. Because buying a ticket to a game doesn't include a license to conduct oneself like a donkey, nor does it permit a person to treat another with utter disrespect.

2. Because the CEO who was behaving very poorly himself and was apparently not in his proper location. What a wonderful way to represent one's company.

3. There is a difference between heckling and engaging in confrontational and threatening behavior. During halftime, when there is NO GAME ACTION, which is this fan doing by standing up and coming over to a position behind the table to yell at the officials?

Yep, the referee shouldn't have done what he did, but there is no question that the fan was clearly in the wrong as well.

Aren't his seats right near the scorers' table?

Unless they were right behind the table, he was still out of his spot. Unless, of course, walking behind the table is the fastet route to more beer.

I forgot one.

4. The guy threw the ball back at the official. So he did the same thing that the official did. How can he deserve any less blame?

Fan: I can do what I want I paid my money to get in.
Game Management: Yes you did. Good thing it is free to leave!

Really? (SNL)
 

Let's see if I can answer this question.

(1) "Fan" stays in seat and doesn't confront the official behind the table.

(2) See (1) above.

While I certainly don't condone what the official did, the official never does it if the fan doesn't initiate the confrontation.

DeRosa tosses the ball and the fan tossess it back. Then he gets security to take the fan away. If DeRosa skips the first part and just has the fasn removed; he doesn't get a one game suspension, he doesn't lose any money and he is seen as professional. Costly lesson for DeRosa but we get to learn from his mistake for free.

My take:
1. Dont engage in conversation with fanatics.
2. If you do & they happen to one-up you, don't try to "do the right thing" now.

Working with a guy last weekend & he chose to acknowledge a loud mouth in the stands. They went back & forth, then the loud mouth came over the top & obviously got a good one in.
Partner now looks to me saying, "red tie, red tie!!"
I gave him the look like, you got yourself into this now get yourself out of it... Dont you see me & lil' Johnnys hottt mom making goo-goo eyes :D

A couple games later, now dude is in a back & forth with a coach. After a couple trips up & down the court, coach must've got a good one in because... *WHACK*

My point is, WE (any level, any season) shouldn't take matters into our own hands, then try to get all professional & toss/whack fans & coaches when they get the best of us.

If Joe tossed the ball & the CEO tossed it back and they left it at that, it probably wouldn't have escalated the way it did.

How in the hell are you gonna have someone removed after you threw a ball at him??? Just my .2

Update
 

Any word on why he decided to leave the NBA?

I met Joe at Dale Kelley's Metro Conference camp in 1989. He had been in the league a couple of years, so he had over 20 years in the NBA. Joe worked HS ball just a couple of years before working D-1 and then to the NBA after 3 more years.

He's a tremendous official and worked the NBA Finals after the incident during the Conference Finals last year. I don't believe he was forced out. After 20+ years, it was probably time to get out. I would imagine he'll be seen on some high profile games.

Based solely on what the article said, I would agree.

I have been told that Joe owns Smitty Inc. Maybe he wants to spend more time on that and building to the size where it is a viable competitor to Honig's.

I definitely don't think that the NBA forced him out.

Joe decided to retire and return to officiating college basketball.

MTD, Sr.

Fixed it for you.

Fixed it for you.

Lol