Whistle in hand
 

How many of you officials out there hold the whistle in their hand? Personally, I think it looks bad and arrogant. Nothing personal - just want to see what many of your takes are on this.

LOL.
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No opinion scrapper?

Sure. My opinion is that you're not going to get a lot of people to admit to something that you say is "bad and arrogant". :)

That's just my opinion. Some might think it matters none at all. I can live with that. It's something that we did not see until the last couple of years and just curious to see what many on this board think.

I saw an official in a game one time make block call that he was emphatic about and was trying to see it and the whistle flew out of his mouth on the floor. Look like a jackass at that point.

Is this something that should be allowed or is it just me and it does not matter to most?

I don't do it, and haven't seen anyone else do it. I believe there is one or two members of this board who have at least experimented with it and like it. Personally, I like the safety net of my smitty.

I wouldn't say it looks arrogant, though. :)
Now, ask me about waitresses who don't write down your order.

It's an NBA thing. Some officials are doing it to set themselves apart from the others in the NBA. NBA is big on style which is why they don't do half the mechanics the NCAA and NFHS is required to do. It's all about style when you see someone using this and they are trying to get into the NBA. They feel the strap around your neck or the lace hooked to your shirt looks ugly, or by not having this, they look better. It looks like a lot more work to me.

I am so use to using the straps, I could not referee any other way. I remember my strap broke in one game and I continued to officiate. I blew my whistle across the court so many times that I now make sure I have an extra strap with me.

Allowed? What, is the big and bad officiating police gonna get those that do this?

O.K. I guess it is not a big deal to most of you. And it is not really to me - just don't think it looks all that well. Sorta like a kid who keeps untucking his shirt.

Where I work we have many guys holding the whistle in their hand and then placing it in their pocket ... in and out, in and out.

I was really not trying to start anything. Just wanted to see what people thought.

As for what Rich Fronheiser said about the big and bad officiating police, that was a little out of line. What i meant is you always hear people saying what type of pants or shoes and this was just something I thought would or would not be frowned on.

Again, I was just curious to people's thoughts.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

Come on, lighten up -- you said "personally" and "nothing personal" in consecutive sentences.

Yes I did. What I was trying to say is it really no big deal to me. I just think it looks unofficial (no pun intended) and most of the ones who do it where I work are known for being arrogant.

For the life of me, I can't figure out how anyone could equate how someone carries a whistle to being arrogant. That makes about as much sense to me as saying that an official who ties his shoelaces differently than most other officials is arrogant too. It's just a personal preference. Personally, I tried it a few times and I don't like it. Others do. Whoopee. I'd rather worry about what they're blowing the whistle <b>for</b>. That seems a little more important imo.

Now that the couple of you who have responded I need to say that the officials in my association that do this are arrogant and try to have that be there style ... that has most likely made me think this.

Could be true, Johnny, but don't you think that those officials would probably be just as arrogant if they used a lanyard?

Also, arrogance can sometimes be confused with self-confidence. In my experience, most good officials <b>will</b> exude an air of confidence when they're working.

True. I should have left my opinion out, because what I was after was just to see what others thought and if it was something that wasbecoming more common in their areas.

Revamped:

How many of you officials out there hold the whistle in their hand? Curious to see what many of your takes are on this. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!