Jim Burr's extra whistle

[Indy_Ref]

Originally posted by TriggerMN
That mystery may never be solved. I was just stunned to see a switch on live ball action.

Come on! He's JIM BURR!!! He can do anything he wants!

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by JLK
....I went to put it back on only to find out that the loop is broke. Now, usually I wear a noose style lanyard but I wanted to make sure my partner and I matched so I had not brought one along (I did have any extra whistle/smitty lanyard with me but with a busted loop, this was not going to help either).

When this happened to me, I just worked the clip at the end of the lanyard into the stitches at the base of the black neckline fabric. It stayed fine until I could get the thing home, and stitch the loop back into place.

[ref18]

Originally posted by JugglingReferee
In line with whistle problems, has anyone heard why the Fox 40 was invented?

ref18, being from Steel Town, perhaps you're slightly better to tell this story, but I've heard it quite a few times, having Ron Foxcroft as a guest speaker at various officiating conferences.

Go to fox40whistle.com and click on the Fox 40 Story.

[Edited by JugglingReferee on Mar 19th, 2004 at 08:28 AM]

I've haven't had the oppertunity to meet Ron yet, but they showed a video about him in business class, and the Fox 40 story on the website is the same as what he said in this video. I think now he's working as an NBA evaluator, and is looking for a Canadian to be the next NBA official.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally posted by ref18

I've haven't had the oppertunity to meet Ron yet, but they showed a video about him in business class, and the Fox 40 story on the website is the same as what he said in this video. I think now he's working as an NBA evaluator, and is looking for a Canadian to be the next NBA official.

Yes, in Toronto and Detroit from what I hear.

He's had quite the officiating career.

[ref18]

If i was done school, i'd probably try for that NBA carreer, but i'm too young now.

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by JLK
Needless to say, I didn't want the lanyard just flapping around when I was running so I took the lanyard off and did strickly the whistle (Just had to remember not to spit the whistle out when making a call). In watching the game tape, you can see me holding the whistle in my hand on dead ball situations in a couple of occasions.

Many NBA officials work sans lanyard all the time. Some tuck the whistle in their waistline when it isn't in their mouth. Steve Javie comes to mind.

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Indy_Ref

Come on! He's JIM BURR!!! He can do anything he wants!

I saw him earlier in the year on a 10 second count. He indicated on his fingers, where he was in the count. I wondered if that was a new mechanic. When I didn't see anyone else do it, your remark entered my mind.

[ref18]

How do they hook the Precision timing to their whistle if they work without the lanyard??

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by ref18
How do they hook the Precision timing to their whistle if they work without the lanyard??

The NBA version has two mics that clip to the shirt collar, instead of one mic the clips to the lanyard.

[ref18]

That makes sense. So they don't have a mic clipped to there whistle at all when they wear the lanyard??

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

The NBA version has two mics that clip to the shirt collar, instead of one mic the clips to the lanyard.

Interesting - the versions I've worked with had a microphone with a range of less than 2cm. (One ref's mic literally slipped that much and the system wouldn't register the whistle.) My guess is that it still doesn't have a great range, but I'd still be worried about a Fox40 in the stands.

[ref18]

One of my goals, is sometime in my officiating career to work a game using precision timing

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by ref18
One of my goals, is sometime in my officiating career to work a game using precision timing

Some states allow them for HS regular season and/or state tourney use (NC comes to mind). Of course, a nice ACC or NBA game wouldn't be too bad.

I was watching one crew at the intramural tourney this past weekend, and noticed one official with the PT lanyard. I was shocked, and asked if he used PT - he said he had at the high school level. I was about to get real jealous of his college's intramural program.

[ref18]

None of the high schools in my area have precision timing. And i don't think any of the universities do either.

Although i know they tried it once for a football game in my city's stadium. But i don't think they've been used since that one game.

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by ref18

Although i know they tried it once for a football game in my city's stadium. But i don't think they've been used since that one game.

How'd they adopt it for football? Only thing I can think of is using an "on/off" pushbutton switch instead of whistle control - too many dead ball whistles where the clock stays running in football.