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!

Soccer officials carry their whistle in their hand. I guess they all must be "bad and arrogant." :)

Many football officials use a finger whistle. I guess they all must be "bad and arrogant." :)

Before you criticize, perhaps you should try it. During the spring and summer AAU season, I don't use a lanyard. Why? Because it's an excellent training mechanic. It's makes you much more aware and in tuned with when you blow your whistle. It makes you think! It's makes you see the whole play before you blow it. Yes, at first, you'll drop it. But the more you use it, the more comfortable you become.

I don't use it during the high school season because roughly a third of the schools we work use Precision Time. You have to use a lanyard using PT, because the microphone must be within an inch or so of the whistle, so that the air from the whistle stops the clock. To go back and forth between a lanyard and sans lanyard is a little more difficult.

Hopefully that helps you have a little better understanding, as opposed to just making assumptions.

In our local association we require all officials to wear a lanyard. Even if you are visiting from another association we require this. It is felt by our board that it looks better and makes for some conformity among our officials. Tried not using one before, and it wasn't for me. My back kept getting sore from having to bend over and pick up my whistle. As far as visiting officials go, we require them to use one to conform to our local people. Hard to tell our locals to use one when visitors don't

Visitors? :confused:

Ed, Thanks for the response. That's what I was wondering. If any associations out there had any "local" rules for this.

To another post, I did not say they were bad. Just arrogant and are known for this. It's a group that act like this together. They are the type of officials who like to be seen and this one little thing is just another way they like to be seen. We like to call them the "whistle-in-hand" gang.

First, there's no need to be offended. I placed a :) at the end of those two statements. It was a joke to remind you that there are plenty of officials who carry their whistle in their hand.

Second, yes, you did say they were "bad and arrogant." From your thread starting post:

Finally, read the other info in my post and try to look beyond your prejudice with regard to this situation. It just might make you a better official. IOW, get you a$$ off your shoulders. It's unbecoming. ;)

I work without a lanyard, but that is just how I feel most comfortable. It's a personal preference, but our HS association requires us to wear one and I do so, but I come close to breaking my smitty everytime I call a foul.

I do feel this adds a sense of style, but not why I use it. I think having a string hanging from your neck or your shirt looks bad, but that is just my personal preference.

Man I wish schools in our area used PT, that would solve a lot of timing headaches!

It can be good and bad. I enjoy using it and it's great from a timing standpoint. But some schools have soured on it because the batteries are so expensive. And it can be a pain if they don't change the batteries after every two games.

The NBA uses a much more complex (and expensive) system. The microphone is worn on the collars and will pick up the whistle. It also has a recording system that records when every whistle is blown and who blows it.

Basketball the whistle stays in my mouth when the ball is live.

But I also officiate soccer in which I always hold the whistle in my hand.

They both work just fine.

The only thing I could see being a problem is that you can't correctly signal a jump ball with a handheld whistle.

Really?

You don't blow your whistle when you signal a held ball? :)

Also, having to hold the whistle in your hands increases the chances of you missing a call. The time it takes you to put the whistle in your mouth or grab the whistle to blow it, increases the amount of time you actually put air in the whistle, and thus you are a second slower in making a decision or getting to the call. I like the thought of forcing you to see the play thru before you put air in it, but this can also be accomplished thru self discipline, or just being a good official.

People with the whistle in the hand tend to miss more calls because they have to do more. It takes a little bit more effort to hand carry a whistle than to have a lanyard. I have gone to the lanyard around the neck, I think this looks better then the one hooked on my shirt. All in all, I really don't care about this. However, I will say this. Having the lanyard and whistle in your mouth ready to blow at the precise time you may need to get in there and kill a play is better than hand carrying the whistle.

One example I can think of is getting in there to break up a scrap for the ball, and tempers are flaring. I can jump in there and break up the mee-la, while blasting my whistle loudly (in hopes to irritate the players into stopping) and using my free hands to break up the action. I can do so much more as an official by going with the lanyard. People that hand carry the whistle are just trying to be cute and different, imo. Johnnie is right in his assessment, to these guys, it's all about them.

Happy Holidays

LOL! Now I know why everyone has been giving you such a hard time! :D

A second slower in making the call is a bad thing, eh? College supervisors across the country would be astounded! :p

Do what works for you. If something new doesn't, then ignore it. But don;t chastise those who want to improve. ;)

Umm, I do blow my whistle, but also put TWO hands into the air. I don't see how you can put two hands into the air and hold the whistle with your third.

Maybe you don't have to. Try keeping the whistle in your mouth until you put your TWO hands <b>down</b>. Then take it out and talk. That's what the hand-held guys do.

The only difference between a lanyard and hand-held usage is spitting the whistle out after making a call versus reaching up and removing it with a hand.

Sigh......

Um, Mr. Old School, Sir........

Haven't you noticed in your <b>pro</b> games that your fellow <b>pro</b> officials who don't use a lanyard usually keep their whistle in their mouths when the ball is live? They remove the whistle <b>after</b> they blow it. Iow, the only real difference is that instead of spitting the whistle out like you do with a lanyard, they reach up with a hand and remove it.

Try this: put the whistle in your mouth, bite it or hold it with your lips, and then when a held ball occurs, whistle while raising your hands. When you lower your hand(s), you can remove the whistle if you desire. It's very effective, especially for those of us who don't have three hands! :p

brianbrain, just because I go sans lanyard, it doesn't mean that I can't put the whistle in my mouth. I can put it in my mouth. I can remove it to address a player or a coach. I can hold it if I desire. I remove it with my hand when the ball is dead, just as you let yours fall out of your mouth. There's not a call I can't make. If it's out, I put it in and whistle. Simple as that. NBA officials don't seem to have a problem doing it. Do you think David Stern would allow them to do it if it was a problem?

Don't be so closed minded to things. Open up and you may even learn something. ;)

There is no improvement in this tactic, it's all about looks and being different. As I said earlier, it doesn't matter to me. In fact, I support using anything that makes you stand out, as long as it's legal.

Let's not fool ourselves though. Because you use this tactic doesn't make you a better official. That's BS. I'm thinking that the NBA might go to this. If they do, I know I'll never get there.

I don't think David Stern would be the guy to address this problem. Maybe Stu Jackson or Ronnie Nunn. I believe it was the NBA that started this new craze.

Yeah......that's the reason.

Okay Old School, whatever. If you're afraid to try something new, continue with what works for you. :(

Well, as long as you know what's holding you back.

Seriously, you've got to be joking with us. No one can be this obtuse in real life.

What the heck are you talking about now?

Does the microphone not fit inside your smitty loop on your shirt? I was supposed to use the PT system during some preseason games and that is how my mentor told me to use it since I work without a lanyard most of the time.

And as far as playcalling and calling jump balls and everything else, there is nothing I can't do while working without a lanyard as compared to someone who works with one. If I call a jump ball, I hammer on the whistle a couple of times and while putting my hands up for a jump ball I pull the whistle out. During a scrap I hit the whistle plenty of times while running in and if I need to use my hands I can easily slide it in my pocket if I need to and handle business accordingly without something hanging from neck and hitting me and players in the face. I also feel that the whistle is in more of a ready position for me. If I need to whack a player or coach I don't have to search for the whistle, I know where it is and don't have to look like a dummy searching for it. When you have done it for a while you can make it look really good and fluid. I had someone come to me and asked where my lanyard was and I said I work without one and he said he hadn't even noticed.

Once again some people like this and some people don't. Some shun others for working sans lanyard and some don't. You just have to be careful where you are working and know who accepts it and who doesn't.

My brother's first wife was a lying cheater. She drove a blue car. Can I make that connection? No.

I said it looks bad ... not that they are bad. And maybe to me it is just the people who are doing it. Just wanted to see what people thought and if any associations frowned on this ... I see it is mixed results. Thanks!

No. There's a small black click that connects just below the whistle on the lanyard. You have to buy this specially made smitty or regular lanyard to get the clip. It won't work if the mic is too far away from the whistle.

People say it's the sound of the Fox 40 that the mic responds to but it isn't. To test PT prior to the game, we just blow into the mic to see that it will stop the clock. The Fox 40 works with the mic because the air exits the bottom of your whistle, which is why the mic mounts just below the whistle. It's not the "distinctive Fox 40 sound."

I'm not afraid, it just doesn't work for me. The only way I will do this is if they force me too. I have far too many other things to worry about than my whistle. Perhaps, when I have mastered it like you have. I will look into it. Now, if the NBA said they would hire me tomorrow if I used only my hands. I would throw all my lanyards away.

Happy Holidays

So why didn't you say that to begin with, rather than just criticizing everyone else who has ever tried it?

I know a couple guys in our assn. that do it. It just so happens that they are also college officials. Don't know if there is a correlation. I have done games with these individuals and have laughed when they have either dropped their whistles or blown them across the floor. I personally don't know why anyone would hold them in their hand when a lanyard is acceptable. I think they are just trying to differentiate themselves. These are the same guys that voted to go to greys for no apparent reason.

I'll bet their cell phones are chocolate. :)