Held Ball Signal

[bucky]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

More than once I have not heard my partner's (double) whistle, but I've seen his had up -- and that avoided a blarge.

Why were you looking at him? Weren't you watching your area? If you had a whistle and did not hear his, what would make you stop providing a mechanic? (just kidding about the 2nd question)

Seriously, whistles/mechanics are about communication, nothing more. Whistles involve our sense of hearing while mechanics involve our sense of sight. What is purpose of doing both simultaneously? (blarges and other contradictory signals can't be avoided using either method)

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bucky

Whistles involve our sense of hearing while mechanics involve our sense of sight. What is purpose of doing both simultaneously?

As a service to the hearing impaired and the visually impaired?

[bucky]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

As a service to the hearing impaired and the visually impaired?

The stop clock signal is specifically designed for, yes you guessed it, the clock operator. I have never seen a visually impaired clock operator. If one was hearing impaired, they would be watching the action until it stopped, at which point they would see the mechanic, if quick enough to pick up the ref, and understand what happened. Only players/sub need to hear whistles. It communicates to others of course but generally speaking the whistle simply means "look at me".

If someone was visually impaired, why would they be watching? And if they are watching, they are listening to the announcers to understand what happened.

People infrequently look at the actual hand (fist/open) in the air. Just stop and think what harm would occur if we did not put an arm in the air during a whistle. Maybe I am missing something glaringly obvious but I can't think of any and it would be one last thing we have to do while officiating. Happens all the time in the NBA and there does not seem to be any problem, especially with communication.

And the blarge double whistle was mentioned. Good point..kinda. During a blarge, aren't you looking to your partner anyway? Just like a blarge with arms in the air where you immediately communicate to one another who is taking the call, do the same. Only difference is you do not have your arms in the air. I can live with it, just don't think it is entirely necessary. That is a foul situation with fist in the air. Let's eliminate the hand in the air for everything else. It will help my distal clavicle osteolysis.

(by "impaired" I mean not having the sense)

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bucky

... the whistle simply means "look at me".

... "I'm stopping the clock with a signal that will hint at what I'm about to call, and then I'll give a signal that will tell everybody exactly what happened".

We have a few college officials working high school games who simply point the direction without an open hand stop the clock signal on out of bounds violations. It's only a minor point, not really a big deal, but they are still encouraged to stop doing it, to set good examples for the younger up and coming officials who must eventually learn correct IAABO high school mechanics.

Note: The "hearing impaired and the visually impaired" post was supposed to be facetious.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bucky

The stop clock signal is specifically designed for, yes you guessed it, the clock operator.

If it was a single signal, I could agree with you, but it's three different signals, closed fist, open hand, or thumbs up. These three "stop clock" signals also tell everyone; partners, players, coaches, fans, table, police officer in the corner, ladies in the concession stand; what type of call is about to be made, a foul, a violation, or a held ball.

Coaches, and fans, need this extra split second to decide whether, or not, to get ready to lay into us for a missed call against them.

[bucky]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

If it was a single signal, I could agree with you, but it's three different signals, closed fist, open hand, or thumbs up. These three "stop clock" signals also tell everyone; partners, players, coaches, fans, table, police officer in the corner, ladies in the concession stand; what type of call is about to be made, a foul, a violation, or a held ball.

Coaches, and fans, need this extra split second to decide whether, or not, to get ready to lay into us for a missed call against them.

Lol, yea suppose so but the ensuing mechanic does all that and a whistle tells all of those same people that a call is about to be made. Not sure why telling them the type that is coming matters.

Ex. A1 travels = whistle, travel mechanic
Ex. B2 fouls = whistle, foul mechanic (hold, push, etc.) (I also believe that doing the foul mechanic at the table is redundant/unecessary. Do at either spot or table, not both.)

Ex3. A1/B2 have held ball = whistle, held ball mechanic

OK, I am done with this topic. I did not mean to derail the thread. Everyone makes good points. I will continue to shove an arm in the air.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by bucky

Why were you looking at him? Weren't you watching your area?

Today's quote worth requoting:

You don't have to be looking at something to see it.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by bucky

Why were you looking at him? Weren't you watching your area? If you had a whistle and did not hear his, what would make you stop providing a mechanic? (just kidding about the 2nd question)

I look at my partner to see if there's something else -- and it helps me slow down so I don't rush through the rest of the calling sequence.

(And, no I don't do it immediately if there's a chance for some extra-curricular activities between those players involved in the play.)

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by bucky

Why were you looking at him? Weren't you watching your area? If you had a whistle and did not hear his, what would make you stop providing a mechanic? (just kidding about the 2nd question)

Seriously, whistles/mechanics are about communication, nothing more. Whistles involve our sense of hearing while mechanics involve our sense of sight. What is purpose of doing both simultaneously? (blarges and other contradictory signals can't be avoided using either method)

I do not know about you, but there is this thing called peripheral vision that helps you see many things at once. It is the case you can watch something directly and see something else in another part of your vision. If you could not do this, you probably could not drive or look at a movie very well or officiate with much knowledge as well.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I do not know about you, but there is this thing called peripheral vision that helps you see many things at once.