Attorney: Angry Miami Heat Fan 'Distressed' Over 'Needless National Attention'
(CBS) It may seem like months ago, but it was just last week when the world was reintroduced to Filomena 'Phyllis' Tobias.
Phyllis is better known as the angry Miami Heat fan, who flipped Joakim Noah the single-finger salute after his ejection in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
After she was identified, sordid details of her past began to surface, with questions popping up about her fourth husband's suspicious death.
In the wake of these events, Tobias has released the following statement through her attorney:
"Ms. Tobias is distressed at the needless national attention that this incident has garnered and the unwarranted invasion of privacy by the press into her personal life, including the malicious and untrue reporting about her husband's tragic passing. What started as a simple and ill-mannered gesture that was made towards a member of the opposing team who had just been ejected has now transformed into a very ugly and despicable intrusion into Ms. Tobias's past. Ms. Tobias has been a devoted Miami Heat fan for as long as she can remember, and like many other devoted fans, she unfortunately allowed her passion for the team to disregard proper fan etiquette. She is only human and her emotions got the best of her. She offers her genuine apologies to anyone she has offended and she requests that her privacy as well as he privacy of her family be respected at this time. With that said, Ms. Tobias remains loyal to the Miami Heat."'
