Fox 40 Whistle Condoms
 

Just got some feedback about the new spit catchers that attach to whistles.

Seems they diminish the volume and result in a sound like sneakers squealing on the court.

Quite a change from the distinct sound of an unmodified Fox 40.

Link?


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This?
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/01...g?v=1595437587

Fox 40 Whistle Mask ...
 

https://fox40shopusa.com/collections/whistle-mask-1

https://fox40shopusa.com/collections...0-whistle-mask

Better buy a few now before officials start hoarding them like people did a few months ago with toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

https://shawglobalnews.files.wordpre...y=85&strip=all

Can anyone tell me the difference in the mask in the two links? They look the same to me. They also look like they were made for this guy:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...49def8f5cb.gif


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Condoms On The Forum ??? Sign of the Apocalypse ???
 

They are the same, one's folded, one's not folded.

If it gets to the point where basketball officials will have to wear masks, will state athletic associations (and state governments) really allow high school basketball games (and other sports) to be played?

Won't there be bigger fish to fry if the "plague" is still raging over the next several months, like in-school learning, on-line learning, day care, the economy, and everybody's health?

There's also a little pouch that just fits over the whistle. Either the pouch or the nask with a pocket is compatible with precision timing (not really an issue for msot of us, but it is at the D-1 and some D-2 levels.

The electronic whistle is not compatible.

Then why is one $20 and the other is $25?


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There are three sizes and different configurations to fit the various Fox 40 whistles--the Classic, the Sonic Blast, etc. I think that may account for the price differences.

You can see the various options in the second link BillyMac provided.

Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price ...
 

"From $19.99"

https://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.U...=0&w=305&h=172

The mask is 20. Adding a whistle makes it 25.

That makes sense and would explains the "none" option under the heading "whistle." Mask, no whistle: $19.99; mask, with a whistle, $24.99.

That's what I get for assuming without adequate investigation.

Sorry, I got the impression it was just a cover for the whistle. Will investigate further and report back.

Was mentioned as made by Fox.

There is one of those. I have seen it on a conference call. I don't know where to get it.

Whistle Bags ...
 

Seek and you will find. (Matthew 7:7)

https://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIF.b...=0&w=242&h=162

https://www.fox5ny.com/news/nba-cove...spreading-spit

substantially the same article with more pictures here:

https://sports.yahoo.com/bag-even-wh...1894--nba.html

What benefit is that whistle cover in preventing dissemination of droplets from breathing through the mouth and nose?

It's designed to prevent (well, reduce) the droplets from getting in the air to infect others. The same purpose as the "mask with pocket" and the electronic whistle.

I get the "droplets from spittle" mentioned in the article, but it would not do anything for respiratory droplets from breathing, either through the mouth or nose, it seems to me.

Spittle Bag ...
 

It doesn't.

This "spittle bag" just prevents the official from forcibly spraying possibly virus containing respiratory droplets several feet away (possibly more than six feet) when the whistle is sounded.

Remember that sound is nothing more than waves of compressed air, the louder the sound, the more compressed the waves are, the farther the sound travels, and the farther possibly virus containing respiratory droplets can travel from their source, i.e., the lungs via the whistle.

Imagine the red lines in this image represent possibly virus containing respiratory droplet spray.

https://tse4.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.a...=0&w=300&h=300

That's why here in Connecticut the Catholic Church (not the State) isn't allowing singing at masses (even with masks). Singing tends to be louder than regular talking, and can more easily spread possibly virus containing respiratory droplets.

We still haven't opened up bars here in Connecticut. There are many, many reasons why bars seem to be super spreaders of the virus, one of them is the loud talking of people talking over the sound of the music, or loud noise in sports bars. For that reason Connecticut is considering limiting the background noise (no music) in bars once it's decided to open them. Loud talking results in a greater spread of the virus, not observed to the same extent with softer, quieter talking.

It was a rhetorical question.

Neither does the mask with the pocket, or the mask you (well, I, and almost all I've seen) wear every day (unless you are wearing an N95 mask or similar.

About the effectiveness of masks, even the ones we wear daily:

"Despite the overwhelming consensus among public-health experts that face masks can help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.... As late as February 29, Surgeon General Jerome Adams was telling Americans on Twitter to stop buying masks, saying they are "NOT effective." But the guidance soon changed, and by early April the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began recommending that Americans wear face coverings in public." [https://www.kpcw.org/post/fauci-mixe...back#stream/0]

"But health experts say the evidence is clear that masks can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and that the more people wearing masks, the better." [https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/41...masks-prevent]

We're In This Together ...
 

I believe that LRZ is referring to the fact that while this spittle bag will reduce droplets from a sounded whistle it won't stop droplets coming from the nose or mouth of an official who is simply talking or breathing (as would be reduced if one was wearing a surgical mask).

And he's correct.

By now most people realize that surgical masks are worn by people to protect others, not themselves. Only N95 masks can offer some protection to one's self.

Yes, thank you for clarifying, BillyMac. I should have been clearer.

In any event, this was likely to be my final year. But my retirement may have already occurred.

Thank you. I misread. I will say that the little bag is better than nothing, and the full mask is better than the little bag.

Where one gets "enough" benefit with an acceptable amount of discomfort is beyond my pay grade.

So has anyone purchased one of these masks for use this year?

If we are mandated to wear a mask, I'm hanging up the whistle. I was only planning on running 2-3 more seasons starting with this year anyway...

I'd like to keep going until my younger daughter gets into her Jr year of college (she's a Freshman at IU this year)...my child support obligation will be fulfilled at that point and the money I make officiating, while nice and helps out with that and some personal stuff, won't be as much needed at that point.

Got A Basketball Jones, Oh Baby, Oo-Oo-Ooo ...
 

I was just assigned to my board's rookie mechanics training and evaluation committee. If that seems to satisfy my need to keep some skin in the officiating game, I may also be ready to get off the court.

I have a consultation with a foot/ankle orthopedic specialist next week to see if my painful bone spur can be fixed. If not, it will be another year of middle school games, or no games at all, for me.

If my ankle can be fixed, and if I can get my varsity schedule back (I voluntarily gave it back two seasons ago), I may consider a few more years on the court.

While I like doing middle school games (I was definitively needed and appreciated for doing these mid-afternoon games), I didn't "like like" them.

I missed the camaraderie of four officials, including at least two veteran officials, at a site for a junior varsity game and a varsity game, observing each other's games, discussing the games, and catching up on our personal lives.

Middle school games here are just stand alone single games. These schools often lack secure dressing areas, and do not have shower facilities available, so it's more of a come dressed, get in, get out, and get paid situation.

For the young'uns (poor audio quality):

https://youtu.be/moeY_ZGWD5o

Hell, I never intended for Officiating to be anything other than a way to stay connected to the game after I couldn't play anymore...(lateral movement is just not fun for me).

I still work Middle School during the week and Freshman and JV ...Our Middle School games here in Indiana are 2 games, typically. Most places have a dedicated room for the Officials...sometimes a shower, sometimes not. But I'm working close enough to my house that it might only be 15-20 minutes drive home so that's not terrible.

As many games as I coached and officiated in the Sunday youth travel league my kids were a part of when they were younger...I didn't want to deal with the parents any longer...I was the Dir of Bball Operations for a new Varsity Coach at our HS a few years ago...helping him with his feeder program and the youth "travel" teams...One of our own parents (who didn't seem to know who I was when wearing stripes) decided to go there with me during game...she shut down quickly when the Asst Coach walked over to her and told her what my role with the HS program, that her daughter was playing for, was...Too many idiots in the stands at the youth games.

Truth be told, I love officiating but I love Coaching even more and helping kids better themselves as people and players. My next stop will be to try to get on with a school staff, likely Middle School....my FT job is just not conducive to 315p practices...and that's why I typically Coach in travel leagues or AAU in Spring...

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother ...
 

I also did both, and I also loved coaching for reasons similar to yours, but after over twenty years of doing both I figured out that I loved officiating more.

The only way one could get me to coach again is if I were approached to coach a basketball team of orphans, if you catch my drift.

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.D...=0&w=300&h=300

Fox 40 Protective Pouch ...
 

A Forum member buddy of mine with intimate knowledge of the WNBA and NBA sent me this photo of the whistle "spittle bag" we've been discussing.

I can't find it anywhere on the internet, so I don't know the cost, or how to order it.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1a730257_m.jpg

Not so. The *primary* benefit is to others, but there is also a benefit to the wearer. The understanding of masks is evolving.

https://www.npr.org/2020/07/20/89322...aring-them-too

They're posted at the Fox40 web shop with an expected ship date of mid month as of earlier this week.

https://fox40shopusa.com/collections/whistle-mask-1

Even Rocky Balboa did not use condominiums.

MTD, Sr.

Whistle While You Work ...
 

The Pouch is best used with a Fox 40 Classic Cushioned Mouth Grip ...

While many love the Fox 40 Classic Cushioned Mouth Grip, I've tried it several times and for some reason I chew the soft "cushion" and quickly rip the "cushion" to shreds. I don't seem to chew on the Fox 40 Classic.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...r_high_res.jpg

Whistle Mask, Redux
 

Sorry for the monster-sized image, but I don't know how to shrink it. In any event, try this version of a whistle mask:

https://www.allsportsofficials.com/c...ghtwhistlemask

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/16...g?v=1597086020

Choices, Choices, Choices ...
 

With the two large "whistle masks" that we've seen in this thread (not the small "whistle pouch"), it seems that it would be difficult for the official to remove the whistle from one's mouth to speak, and to put the whistle back in one's mouth to officiate, something officials do dozens of times in every game. But these two large "whistle masks" would do fairly well (though not great) at protecting others and possibly one's self (according to very recent studies).

Not so with the small "whistle pouch", easy for the official to remove the whistle from one's mouth to speak, and easy to put the whistle back in one's mouth to officiate, although not protecting others (nose isn't covered) and possibly one's self.

Of course, an official can wear a surgical mask (protecting others and possibly one's self) and speak freely the whole game if one were to use an electronic whistle.

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.n...=0&w=266&h=189

I finished reading the book The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History (the 1918 Spanish Flu), by John M. Barry, a few weeks ago; and I'm about halfway through the twenty-four thirty-minute video lectures of Great Courses: The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague, by medieval historian Dr. Dorsey Armstrong.

COVID-19 is a pussycat compared to those pandemics, but even pussycats have sharp teeth and claws.

"Built in clearance in the front of the mask to allow the whistle to be removed from the mouth which allows the individual to talk while using the Lightweight Mask."

That Works ...
 

Thanks LRZ. Didn't understand that the first time through, does it mean that the whistle stays under the mask when the official "drops" the whistle? If so, sounds good (no pun intended), and would do well at protecting others and possibly one's self.

Peripheral Vision ...
 

Today was the one day during the week when I venture out of my secret underground COVID shelter to hunt and gather food. Of course, to protect others, and possibly myself, I wore my surgical mask, and I noticed something that I never noticed before that may impact the ability of officials wearing full masks (not the small "whistle pouch) to call games.

Wearing a full surgical mask limits my peripheral vision downward. Being able to clearly see downward is important to basketball officials. Boundaries. Pivot foot. Travels. Legal guarding position. Etc.

Billy:

Interesting observation. At my age my family won't let me out of the house because of COVID but last week we received mailings from two different funeral homes, so I might have to start worrying, LOL!

MTD, Sr.

Not to mention the altogether necessary action of walking up and down steps. Can't count the number of times I have nearly tripped/slipped while traversing strange stairs while wearing a mask.

Upstairs, Downstairs ...
 

Hold onto the railing. Better yet, take the elevator. Wait ... I'm being told ... COVID ??? Never mind ...

Don't take the elevator, take the escalator.

https://milkcaramelblog.files.wordpr...pg?w=510&h=265

Arthritis ...
 

Turns out that it isn't the bone spur that's causing me my ankle pain, it's the arthritis under my right ankle. My new foot/ankle orthopedic specialist fitted me with an ankle brace that he believes will relieve some of the pain.

He also diagnosed me with a torn meniscus in my right knee. It happened back in October 2019, I thought it was a torn MCL. He advised me to keep wearing the knee brace that I've been wearing which worked great (self-diagnosed, self-prescribed) last season.

I'll probably start with middle school games next season, my fortieth (if there is a basketball season). If I feel good, I may try some varsity games.

It's tough to get old. Why is it that the players stay the same age every year while officials always get a year older?