I guess because I played IM & rec ball, I got used to officials holding the whistle in their hands and hesitating to bring it to their mouths to whistle a call. That irked me. I cannot imagine not having a lanyard or smitty. But that is my choice. I don't chew gum during games, either, but many do. If it works for them, I've got no problems. There are bigger fish to fry.

I wouldn't say it's a bunch of crap. Not everyone's brain and body works the same. Some folks might need that extra second to properly process everything that need to do after the whistle.

I've never understood chewing gum when you need to be able to blow a whistle. I just know I'd blow the gum into the whistle the first time I tried to call anything.

This is just a lame reasons people who spit (no lanyard) use to justify not using a lanyard.

A bunch of crap in that it doesn't work? Or that they're lying about their motive?

Some chew gum because they need it to keep their mouth from drying out. I've tried it and ended up finding a garbage can at the quarter break.

I don't see how you can apply that reasoning to everybody who doesn't use a lanyard.

Guess I'm just not that cynical.

Landyard or Carry
 

The manuals(NHFS & NCAA) say you must wear a landyard. I think you should wear one when doing games. What you do in the off season is your business. When you are in the BIG TIME, do what you want. Otherwise, where a landyard...WANT-A-BE!

If it effects my partners' performance, I am sure the supervisor will tell them. If supervisors don't, oh well. I will not say anything until it starts hurting the crew.

+1

I personally like going sans-lanyard but I only save that for rec league. I have no reason why I do. Do I care if my partner goes sans or not? Hell no. Should a partner care? That's another hell no...especially if it doesn't effect how your partner works the game, but many do for some reason.

If it doesn't effect the game I don't really care. I work with some college officials that work pro or pro-am ball and you would never know if the had a lanyard or not...but we have had a rash of high school officials in our area that starting going without a lanyard and IMO after watching and working with them it effects their performance and communciation skills...not acceptable.

How about this: If your supervisor/assigner cares, follow suit. If he/she doesn't, then it isn't a big deal. Period.

That's pretty much true about anything we do.

If both manuals say you should use a lanyard but your supervisor doesn't care you shouldn't care. So if my supervisor doesn't care if I wear white shoes it shouldn't matter...if my supervisor doesn't care if I wear shorts instead of pants it shouldn't matter?

Pretty much boils it down.
The rules currently do not allow for an optional shot clock, yet some states adopt it.
The rules say the jackets need to be black, yet I've seen crews wear white jackets.
The rules don't allow for the foul-tip signal, yet....
What's the NFHS manual say about side-panel shirts? Gray shirts? I don't know, to be honest, but it doesn't matter because they were allowed by my local association for the first time this year. Those working playoffs, however, have been instructed not to wear them.

With this stuff, it really comes down to what's acceptable to your supervisor.