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I don't get hung up on most double whistles. They happen, as many times contact happens close to the line dividing areas of responsibility.
Plus, to me it doesn't look bad if there are two officials with a fist in the air as long as the two officials handle what comes next properly.
This is where you have to make eye contact with your partner -- and if the play is going away from you let your partner take it to the table. Drop your fist once your partner heads to the table.
In 2-man mechanics, the lead official should take most fouls on a double whistle for 2 reasons:
(1) The play is coming towards the official and this has always been fairly standard 2-man mechanics.
(2) It forces the switch, which if you are following NFHS mechanics you are required to do anyway. So lead comes out and reports while the trail gets in position and observes the players.
Sometimes when I'm working with an unfamiliar partner and this situation happens I'll even take a step forward and say, "You have it." If I'm the lead and this situation happens, I'll start heading to the table unless my partner has already turned to report.
There's nothing I hate more than a partner calling something right in front of my face (happened Friday -- I was lead and the 2 players were three feet in front of me and my partner called a nothing foul from trail across the court) but if the play happens near the division (or even in the lane) I'm not going to get upset.
Rich
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