Timeout, inadvertent whistle situation

[fiasco]

Why are you thinking of this as an IW? I think you guys kicked this one big time.

Remember that, in essence, it doesn't matter when you blow the whistle (it may look that way to the crowd and the other coach, but it doesn't matter). It matters when the timeout is requested.

If the coach requests the timeout when his team is in possession of the ball, you grant him the timeout, regardless of what happens inbetween the time you acknowledge his request and you put air in the whistle.

Just make sure that interval is as short as you can make it.