Held Ball Signal

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by bucky

I never really understood the stop clock signal (open hand in air). What is the purpose? And if the response if "to stop the clock" well then what is the purpose of the whistle? The whistle is enough.

Whistles occasionally failed to sound? (The motivation for the inventor of the Fox 40)

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Going back to the ancient days of NFHS (or whatever) mechanics, there must have been a pretty good reason for the three stop the clock signals (fouls, violations, held (jump balls back then) balls). I wonder what that reason was? Maybe, the more information communicated the better?

My guess is that the initial signal set didn't necessarily indicate the nature of the infraction with a 2nd signal but that the fist/open hand was the entire signal.

[Adam]

1. There are some games where a whistle can't be easily heard.
2. It also tells everyone which official made a call.
3. The hand/fist tells your partner(s) what your about to call. This comes in handy on a DW.

It really isn't more complicated than that, IMO.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Adam

1. There are some games where a whistle can't be easily heard.
2. It also tells everyone which official made a call.
3. The hand/fist tells your partner(s) what your about to call. This comes in handy on a DW.

Bingo.

Now we can finally put this to bed for good. "Say goodnight, Gracie".

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Whistles occasionally failed to sound?

Originally Posted by Adam

There are some games where a whistle can't be easily heard.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by Rich

Most know what the book says. Personally I prefer the whistle and no signal till it's clear none of tne 3 are coming in with a foul or violation. A couple of tweets, we look, we signal a second or two later, and the official facing the arrow signals direction. After all, the whistle stops the clock....or should immediately.

This makes it sound like the foul or violation would always take precedence. What if you have a held ball and it happened first?

[Rich]

Without a hand/fist up there's no way I'd know I have a double whistle with a partner. The sound of my whistle overwhelms the sound of a partner's whistle.

I see officials work lower level games that blow their whistles then give some non-standard signal to describe what they're calling. Always seems to me they have no clue what's going on amd they're making something up.

[bucky]

Originally Posted by Rich

Without a hand/fist up there's no way I'd know I have a double whistle with a partner. The sound of my whistle overwhelms the sound of a partner's whistle.

I see officials work lower level games that blow their whistles then give some non-standard signal to describe what they're calling. Always seems to me they have no clue what's going on amd they're making something up.

Hmm, so every time you have a whistle(violation/foul), you technically might have a double whistle. That tells me that every time you have to look at your partner. So if he has something, you are talking anyway, the same if you both had an arm in the air. Nothing is different.

I know the idea won't happen, but to me it is simply unnecessary.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bucky

Hmm, so every time you have a whistle(violation/foul), you technically might have a double whistle.

Every time? No way. It depends on where in the primary coverage area the play occurs. Black and white? Probably no need to look. Gray area? It might be worth taking a peek.

[Rich]

A held ball isn't a violation.

[Kansas Ref]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

I've noticed while watching D1 men's officials this year, and in particular during the tournament, that many while signaling a held ball will use the stop clock signal first, then close down on the action, and after exhaling first, finally use the held ball signal.

I've always been taught that this is the one instance where you go straight to the signal without "stopping the clock" first. Was there a philosophy change on this in the last couple of years while I wasn't paying attention? If so, what's the rationale?

They do it for at least two reasons: 1. to differentiate their mechanics from the NF, and 2. to show an effort to calm the players prior to demo of signal.