[Freddy]

"When in Nome, do what the Nomans do." Here in the Alaska-like conditions of the area across the lake from Rut some crews include in the pregame the question, "Are you going to be crashing with an open hand, or with thumbs up?"
With the "crash with the open hand" option upon an apparent held ball situation, one official will whistle, close in with an open hand to stop the clock just prior to giving the thumbs up, then take a split second to glance at a partner to see if he also has a whistle. This allows the brief opportunity to see if your partner, having a better view of the play, is coming in with a fist in the air. If so, the fist usually wins and the open hand is lowered to yield to his call. If, as sometimes happens when two players firmly grasp the ball and one yanks the other across his/her body, the held ball caused the foul, then a brief caucus clarifies that and they go with the held ball.