Dennis Dearie

Dennis sends his bio picture with the caveat that we are free to “…purge the pic”.

Now, Dennis may not be Brad Pitt.  But, he apparently hasn’t properly seen the mugs of many of the other personalities of Jon Fine Productions, particularly Jon…Skeptical sports fans might say that this is apropos, as Dennis is a Louisiana high school football referee, having officiated high school football 25 years in two stints. He started working high school football in 1979 until taking a medical time out for 12 years. He’s returned to the field in a limited role. He also umpired baseball for 15 years but bad knees caused his doctors to end that endeavor. Before wearing the stripes he coached the “D” league football team at Central Private… He also coached his men’s softball team for 6 years.  Never made the Softball Hall of Fame, but reportedly received a plaque from both Budweiser and Miller for all the beverages his softball teams consumed…A very serious back infection caused Dennis to hang up his stripes and cleats for some twelve years before his latest “come back”. He’s presently working football in the South Louisiana Football Official’s Association. On his own long before digital recording was possible he compiled his own small library of VHS tapes of those regular season and playoff  games  He worked because he knew watching those tapes would uncover what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong. Back when he started he’d call coaches and ask for a copy. Most coaches would provide a copy since they knew it would make him a better official if he could “see” what needed improving. He made training tapes for other officials to use for education of rules…Some claim he’s disappointed that we have not followed suit and taken clips from HEY REF columns and distributed them as an educational tool for sportswriters throughout the country…During his time away from football he was a time keeper and wrap inspector for MMA events in Louisiana. He was born in Alexandria, La. On January 17, 1956…Grew up on Burgundy Street just three blocks from the French Quarter in New Orleans.  Exposure to the Saints of the late 60’s almost as painful as his back…Family moved to West Monroe, where he graduated from West Monroe HS in 1974…Moved to BR and became a Master Electrician…Ultimately completed his 30 year electrical career with Stone and Webster…Prides himself on not yielding to political correctness in HEY REF, where he says he writes like he referees “I CALL ‘EM LIKE I SEE ‘EM. If I don’t see ‘em, I make ‘em up”! Dennis has had a weekly e-mail column at JonFineProductions.com Newsletter (formerly SportsGumbo.net Newsletter) since August 2010.  Especially likes writing the column because he knows that, unlike a prior avocation, when people vehemently disagree with him, he loves to hear them boo him!

Dennis Dearie writes a weekly column HEY REF in our weekly e-newsletter JonFineProductions.com Newsletter.