I am new to this forum and so far I appreciate everyone's feedback. Being emotional and forthright about officiating is part of why I like doing it.

I just wanted to solicit some opinions on a mechanic that I do. It gets mixed reviews from some coaches and positive responses from my partner(s).

I have the ability to delay my whistle until I see that the goal is good or not. Whether it is a hit on the forearm or a player control or whatever the play.

The response I get from coaches sometimes is, "Kinda late wasn't it?" Of course my standard answers are, "I saw the whole play and I had to go get it." or "Better late than never." or "I believe my partner got blocked out and needed help coach"
I always ask my partner(s) if they are OK with my delayed whistles because I seem to have 5 or 6 in a HS school game and 2 or 3 in my college game.

I haven't received anything negative from a partner and only an occasional, " . . .could you call it when it happens next time please . . ." from a coach.

What do you all think about a delayed whistle?

Thanks in advance.
TR

Whistle when the foul occurs. Nothing wrong with the ball going through after the whistle. Otherwise it looks like you're deciding whether or not to call the foul based of if the ball goes in or not.

If the shot is made more difficult by the contact, it's a foul whether or not it goes in. Delayed whistles are good, but I'm delaying it to see if the shot was affected; not whether the shot goes in. Hell, half the time I don't even know if the shot goes in.

Rather than call it a delayed whistle, we refer to them as "patient". I see nothing wrong with a patient whistle when the action is in the grey coverage area, or when you are calling something a little out of your primary. If every whistle you blow is patient, however, you will look a little less confident in your game to many coaches. For example, on a block/charge call I like to be right on it with my whistle because you know one team is probably not going to like the outcome so I want to look as sure as I can.

Good point. I'd like to add something. On the block/charge call in a dual coverage area WITH a double whistle:

Make eye contact with your partner

Preliminary signal should be a fist in the air (stop the clock)

After the eye contact, the calling official (decided in pre-game) should immediately complete the appropriate signal.

Nothing looks worse than having two officials with different rulings = blarge!

And a great point about eye contact, especially working 3 man.

I got lucky on this last night. I'm T far side, partner is L table side. A1 starts at arc just barely on table side, and heads into the lane, jumps, and plows into B1. I didn't even hear my partner's whistle due to my own, but fortunately, we both had our hands on the back of our necks. I think it looked good, but any officials in the crowd had to be cringing inside like I was.

[Edited by Snaqwells on Feb 1st, 2005 at 04:57 PM]

I didn't even hear my partner's whistle due to my own, but fortunately, we both had our hands on our necks.

Isn't giving the choke sign on the court a little unsportsmanlike? You should have t'd yourselves up (notice I used the term "t'd" instead of whack for obvious reasons).

Welcome to the forum.

I love a patient whistle. I'm ok with a <i>real </i>delayed whistle once in a while, especially when it's a "gotta go get it" call in someone's secondary coverage area.

For a high school game, I'm not real thrilled about a whistle that is so late that it's obvious that the official was waiting to see if the hoop went in or not. I know a college assignor around here that hates "and ones," but I don't think that's appropriate for an NFHS game. Just my opinion.

Z

Thanks
 

Thanks everybody - I believe patient does sound better than delayed.
Thanks again.
TR

Should have seen the free throw shooting. ;)

Sometime a "patient whistle" may appear to be an "indecisive whistle". (Don't have spellchecker)

IMO

Call what you see when you see it. Or Don't!

i agree a patient whistle can be looked at as indicisive...and you dont want to lose credibility...call what you see when you see it...its like a reaction..

It's a rhythm thing.

Obvious calls and block/charge should be contact..whistle.

Advantage/disadvantage and grey area calls can be contact...whistle. These are patient whistle calls.

The only truely "delayed" whistles should be help whistles in secondary areas, where we are reacting to our partner and not the contact. That is when we have the "late" whistle, contact..partner, nope..whistle.

I can only speak for my area and somewhat for the original posters area. A patient whistle is something I do knowingly and am in total control of. It depends on time, severity and situations among other factors. In some game situations I wouldn't dare to do this because I would just need to look for security as soon as I make the call. I would do this in a game on any level except college. IMO a college evaluator and/or assigner does not want this to be a habitual thing. Also the theory of just getting it right or helping your partner in their area is something that is talked about more than it should be put into practice. Once again my opinion. I'm dedicated enought to officiating that I want to work to get my own angles in my primary and will be pissed at myself if I continually need help in my area.

I had more to say but I have to go paint! :D 5 or 6 in a high school game is too many TR.