Metro Writers Honor Official
by Ray Floriani
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – We have some items of importance from the notebook, starting with an award for an official.
A number of players, coaches and personalities were honored at the Metropolitan Writers banquet this Spring. Among the group of very deserving recipients was someone we all have seen numerous times this year, and in recent years for that matter. The person in reference is not a coach, but one who dealt with them on a nightly basis. The Met writers made a great call of their own by giving Tom Lopes an award recognizing his outstanding service to the college game.
Lopes has been a college basketball official for the past 34 years. Tune in on ESPN over the past decade or two and you would see him work an ACC, Big East or SEC game. His schedule called for games in huge arenas, before big crowds and quite frequently the presence of television. Still, Lopes never changed in demeanor over those years. He was and is always willing to give back and help younger officials improve.
Lopes began officiating during his college days in West Virginia. “We did JV games and got paid five dollars,” he recalled. “We were thrilled, we thought it was great money.”
A pure love of the game made it a dream situation. Simply, getting paid for doing something you love. Today those fees are laughable, as officials on a Division I college game command 100 or more times that, plus travel.
Through his three-plus decades the college game changed immeasurably. Lopes remained the same in one vital way: he always had a method to deal with volatile situations. Knowledge of the rules is essential, and mechanics are important as well. But Lopes’ value was in his innate ability to diffuse a tense moment. He was always in charge, but approachable just as well. A case in point was a Maui Classic game several years ago. The crew was hearing it from one coach all game long. Finally that coach stepped on the court and was hit with a technical by Lopes. The coach pleaded his case, saying he went off the bench to retrieve a water bottle that spilled on the floor. Lopes noticed the bottle on the floor emptying its contents and took away the ‘T’. Now he had to explain this to the other coach. As he began his explanation to the opposing mentor Lopes began by saying, “Coach, the lord giveth and the lord taketh away”.
He has been to several Final Fours and was an alternate this Spring in Atlanta. He has been to the NCAA twenty straight seasons and credits Edgar Cartotto, the Northeast Conference Supervisor, in giving him his first break in the ‘Big Dance’. As his schedule built and the marquee conferences came calling, Lopes remembered his roots as a young official and set aside nights to work a number of NEC and MAAC games.
Lopes lived at the New Jersey shore until retirement as a school administrator. He now makes his home outside of Ocean City, Maryland. He would talk in clinics about the college officiating business as one where you are hired and ultimately fired. He had a few more years in him but you get the idea he wanted to exit on his terms, not those of the supervisor.
He has been an administrator in CBOA (College Basketball Officials of America) for years, and as previously noted, he’s been active on the officiating clinic circuit for quite some time as well. One of his practical “off the floor” axioms is “be careful where you park at games. Always leave yourself an easy exit following the contest”. He rarely, if ever, had a problem with fans and felt those he instructed shouldn’t. But you never know and as a thinking man’s official he stayed a step ahead.
One of the greatest tributes to Lopes was the officials in attendance the night he received his award at the Giants Stadium Club in East Rutherford, N.J. Long time partners from the greater metropolitan area such as Tim Higgins, Ed Corbett, Ray Perrone and Edgar Cartotto were in attendance. Several others also made a significant trip as Bob Donato (PA), Mike Kitts (Syracuse) and Jim Haney (Boston) were also there. In addition several local officials such as Dennis Allocco and Phil DiDomenico, CBOA officials who have worked for Lopes and benefited from his advice and guidance, were also present.
Lopes probably summed up his career best saying, “at the end of the day we (officials) all strive to establish a level playing field.” Tom Lopes did just that every night he walked out on the court.
Soderberg Out, Majerus Back In
The release of Brad Soderberg from his St. Louis University coaching position came as a mild surprise. He just finished his fifth year at the school, posting an 80-74 mark during that time. St. Louis won 20 games this past season, advanced to the Atlantic Ten semis but was left out in the cold during post season. Athletic Director Cheryl Levick saw enough positives in Soderberg’s performance to give him another year while addressing areas needing improvement.
At the end of the day it wasn’t Levick’s decision. Father Lawrence Biondi, the school’s president, decided to pull the plug on Soderberg’s tenure. Biondi wants St. Louis to be a “top 50 program” on a regular basis. Plus, there was the factor of finishing the funding of Chaifetz Arena, which is set to open in a year, and getting a product to put people in that facility.
St. Louis fired Soderberg in mid-April but ultimately scored a major coup with the hiring of Rick Majerus. Bringing Majerus on board gives the school and conference added credibility. Why Majerus to St. Louis?
- SLU is a Jesuit institution, he attended Marquette High School and University always admired the Jesuit philosophy.
- His health, which sent him packing shortly after accepting the USC post, is better.
- His mother lives in Milwaukee, about an hour by plane from St. Louis.
- He enjoyed his ESPN work, but Majerus is a coach and loves breaking down tapes, planning and going to practice.
- Finally, Majerus relishes the challenge of getting the Billikens on track and turning them into a marquee program.
Since his hire season ticket sales have improved, there is excitement among the fan base and Majerus has made significant inroads regarding recruiting. Southern Illinois, Missouri State et al, will no longer be able to walk in and automatically grab the local talent. Majerus has yet to coach a possession and the St. Louis program is already gaining attention.
Other Notes
- I had the opportunity to meet St. Patrick’s High School principal Joseph Picaro at a luncheon. A personable gentleman, Picaro discussed his school when a mention was made of Jeff Robinson. Picaro has a policy that all seniors take turns reading morning and afternoon prayer at the school. The idea is reading in front of peers builds self confidence. When the Memphis-bound Robinson was told it was his turn, he initially said he would opt for detention instead. “I called Jeff into my office and simply told him the benefits of reading and public speaking,” Picaro recalled. Robinson complied and did a good job. A few months later Robinson was chosen as player of the game on a televised contest. He had to get interviewed after the game. “He handled it perfectly,” Picaro said of Robinson’s interview,” and later told me he thought of morning prayer while he was handling the questions.”
Picaro has been at the school for three decades. He is a big basketball fan but can be seen at track meets, baseball games or almost any other activity as well. “I’m a basketball fan,” he said, “but I’m a fan of the kids.” - Interesting note from the officiating front: I worked a game involving St. Anthony’s JV against Create Charter in the Hamilton Park Summer League in Jersey City. St. Anthony’s won by three in a good contest. The Create team was run by the JV coach, who just moved from North Carolina and accepted a teaching and coaching position at the school this spring. “From what I’ve seen so far,” he said, “the basketball here is quicker and faster than down in North Carolina. A lot of teams there play at only half the speed of these kids.”
