No Lanyard

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

I know there is one mistake I never make when I go sans lanyard then I make when I do have a lanyard: Forgetting to put the whistle back in my mouth. Seems at least once a season I forget to put the whistle in my mouth and I don't realize it still I have a foul call.

I always wear a lanyard, and I have made the same mistake. Earlier this season, as the umpire, I found myself in front of the home bench to start the second period. Before my partner, the referee, put the ball into play at the division line, the head coach politely asked me a question about a play that had occurred at the horn to end the previous period. I gave him a short answer, and preceeded to begin the second period. Within seconds there was an intentional kick in my primary coverage area. I tried to blow my whistle for the violation to find that I never put it back into my mouth after answering the coach. By the time I found my whistle to put it back into my mouth, my partner had already blown her whistle. Embarrased? Yes. First time? No. Will it happen again? Probably.