Oh, I don't know. Part of the advice he got was, "Maybe the coach is right."

If it's not affecting assignments, it doesn't matter.

OTOH, he might want to know how it looks to other officials (who may agree with the coach's sentiment, if not his precise words.)

I know there's a guy around here who works like this.

It draws attention to him, IMO, unnecessarily -- from other officials and probably other people, as well. To me, that's a good enough reason to reconsider doing this.

All wise cracks aside, my thinking.

We have an official here that does not use a lanyard & he is a skilled and highly respected official. However his whistle is always in his mouth, when he reports at the scorers table the whistle stays in his mouth whenn he calls a foul or violation the whistle stays in his mouth. Several other officials and I watched him beofre our game and all commented that we couldn't understand his verbalizations. A lanyard would surely alleviate this. I'm sure he doesn't realize the confusion caused.

A lanyard is a simple tool to use which may help us be clearer to our patners & table..

I just do not see the point of not using one. I hear the "whistle control" justification and it makes no sense to me. Not sure what the big deal is to wear a lanyard of some kind. Then again as said it really comes down to who you work for, but I do know some people that do not get games because of this. Oh well.

Peace

wvumpire
 

I am guessing you are from West Virginia.

In looking at the state website for officials it says something along the lines of

The WVSSAC subscribes to the uniform recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations:

NOTE 1: Officials may only wear the patch adopted by the WVSSAC Officials’ Advisory Committee, and said patch must be worn on the left breast of the shirt. If the patch is worn on the jacket, it will be located on the left breast of the jacket and must be worn by all officials in the contest.
NOTE 2: In the sports of track, swim and volleyball, the patch can be embroidery as long as it’s placed on a white polo shirt and it must be done by Officials Call.
NOTE 3: Officials are not permitted to wear jewelry; however; officials may wear a wedding band or ring but it is not recommended.
NOTE 4: Shirt tails shall be tucked in at all times.
....
2. BASKETBALL: Black and white striped shirt, short sleeve V-neck. Provided however, that if a tee shirt is worn under the V-neck and any part of it is visible that it will be black in color and that all officials will either wear tee shirts black in color or they will wear the V-neck shirt so that no undershirt is visible. Black trousers, black shoes with black laces, black socks and black belt are required. Black Jackets: not mandatory, but if worn, all officials must wear the same style and color. All officials in a given contest must be uniform in their dress.

And just for fun, I checked back with the NFHS uniform that is listed in the Officials Manual on pg 14, G. Whistle - black lanyard.....

There are associations (ask anyone from Washington) that have sanctioned officials for not wearing the prescribed uniform (specifically whistles). You have the information, you have been offered suggestions, the rest is up to you.

Here are the first four responses to his request. They all appear to give some form of advice! You need to be able to do more than read...you need to comprehend what you are reading.

I have went without a lanyard, but not during high school or college games. I don't really care one way or another. I know more officials who look dorky running and giving their signals. That bothers me more than the officials I know locally that don't wear a lanyard.

BTW, an official will not lose games in Southern Nevada for not wearing a lanyard (our association president doesn't wear one). In the list of things officials do, this is smaller than an ant provided the officials aren't constantly dropping the whistle.

But if you want to get really technical about it, nothing says the whistle must be connected to the lanyard. So you could, theoretically, wear a lanyard hanging loose around your neck and still carry the whistle in your hand.

Not that I'm advocating this, of course... hard to imagine a look that would be more dorky then wearing a lanyard with nothing attached to it.

Personally, I use a lanyard, and I don't give a dang one way or the other if my partner wears a lanyard or not.

I can't say I've ever seen anyone I've worked with go sans-lanyard, but I've never bothered to look. If the Powers That Be (tm) care, then you should follow their direction.

It's the same message as black belts -- if you use a belt or lanyard, it must be black.

And just cause a partner wears a belt doesn't mean I will. I'm not thinking uniform means exactly that -- otherwise, we'd have to match brands of shirts, pants, and shoes, too.

Which makes think of strange bedfellows, a ref who wears a belt but not a lanyard.

I worked with a guy who for a few years didn't use a lanyard, we gave him plenty of good natured grief about it. He went back to lanyard, never asked him why.

I'm still waiting for why someone would do this other than to big time it.

I haven't paid enough attention to see even the "big timers" doing this.

1) I cannot remember the last time I saw a college official at any level NOT using a lanyard.

2) I do know that there are one or two still NOT wearing a lanyard in the NBA, but that does NOT make it correct.

3) The lanyard is hitting you in the face? Use a Smitty; they come in a variety of lengths. Tell Torch I sent you (referee, umpire, supplies, equipment, basketball, football, baseball, shirts, shoes, accessories, athletic, price, quality, face masks, whistles, officials, sports).

4) I personally know a number of college assigners who require their officials to use a lanyard or they do NOT officiate.

5) Every official who took my officiating class knew that I had better NOT see them without a lanyard when officiating.

6) An official who does NOT use a lanyard looks like a juggling clown on the court.

MTD, Sr.

Not that I give a damn if an official goes sans-lanyard or not but:

There are a LOT more than one or two who officiate sans-lanyard. I can think of four or five right off the top of my head, that go sans-lanyard, including playoff and Finals officials. The NBA does it right IMO (and has the luxury of doing so) in not worrying about silly things like this and leaving it to a personal preference.

Lastly, I have to disagree with your last point. Some of the best officials with the best mechanics that I see are without the lanyard. As long as one practices their mechanics with either method, you're bound to look fine.

A little history
 

Those of us that started doing baseketball in the 1960's had a great example to follow: Mendy Rudolph

Of course he used a "finger whistle" -- the philosophy in those days was if your whistle was not in your mouth then you would not make calls to quickly.

I do believe with all the training we get there is no need for a finger whistle. There is no need ever for a "palmed whistle."

This thread is an example of how many, many threads go.

OP asks for opinions and when the opinions are not supportive the poster gets defensive then nasty.

I always give the same advice: When it is you against the world I always take the world.

T