[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

How about this: Don't allow yourself to think you're 'backed into a corner' over something trivial like the color of a whistle. As others have said upthread, don't pick a battle you can't win.
Other options:
1) Explicitly tell officials that the use of pink (orange, blue, silver, white, etc) whistles is allowed prior to the start of the season.
2) If pink (orange, blue, siliver, white, etc) whistles are explicitly not allowed

a) let this go for now, address it at the end of the season.
b) Say nothing about the whistles, and don't assign the officials in question to any playoff games that they haven't previously been assigned. If asked, make up something about the officials "not rating higly enough" or somesuch. (NOTE: I strongly oppose this option, but would have been an option).

I completely agree with this. In my state in another sport we had a huge controversy with a uniform violation (with a team not the officials) that took place in the State Finals. Well to make a long story short the officials that had had this team all playoffs long and did not apply the rule properly were not assigned games the following year. No media story or even fanfare. Of course in the officiating community and coaching community this went around, but not a national story. No public explanation was given and we have since moved on. Todd S. decided to talk about this and decided to say things that could be questioned. It would have been better if he left it alone and said nothing. Then if they did not follow the procedure properly do not assign them games. Then let them figure out what the reasons were (and it would not be hard). Then no one would be discussing this here or at least we the perception might be differently. I know I would probably have sided more with the WOA if that was the case instead of their position which seems to be over a minor issue in the bigger picture.

Peace