Origin of pulling your whistle out of pocket when you're just about to tip off

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

+1.

But I do think you should take it out of your pocket in time so that if you do need to straighten it out, you don't delay the start of the game.

Up next: at EXACTLY what time during the introductions do you take off your jacket? Does it depend on whether the announcer alternates teams or doeas all of one team first followed by the other team? (Sorry -- flashing back to an overly detailed pre-game from many years ago)

When I feel like it? We used to always take them off after the visiting team was announced. Now I may take it off earlier, depending on how I feel at the time.

If both teams go in and we go back to the locker room, we may just leave them there. Hasn't happened this season, though.

[tomegun]

Another one of the "normal" rituals I don't participate in...I don't fold my jacket up when I take it off. What I do it close to balling it up and sometimes I do actually ball it up. I'm a rebel!

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Rich

When I feel like it? We used to always take them off after the visiting team was announced. Now I may take it off earlier, depending on how I feel at the time.

Oh. That's completely unprofessional. It even borders on affecting your integrity. You're just trying to "big-time" me. I'd never work with you if you do that.

Why? Because it's not how I do it and my way is the only right way.

Now if we could just make that the auto reply to all threads of this sort and then automatically close the thread we'd all be better off.

(First two paragraphs in blue. Third one is reasonably serious).

[bauzer714]

I have my lanyard hanging out of my pocket. I've done it for a number of years. I don't like having the lanyard around my neck, which is the style I wear, and I don't want it to ball up into a knot in my pocket.

Jacket comes off between national anthem and starters being announced.

[Brad]

I started putting my whistle in my right pocket after I forgot my whistle at the start of one game. If it is on your shirt / around your neck it is easier to think you have it on when you don't — at least for me it was.

Just started putting it in my right pocket and as I left the locker room I would pat my pocket to make sure I had it ... never forgot again!!

[VaTerp]

Originally Posted by tomegun

I think having the whistle hanging out of your pocket is just another ritual. I don't see it being a big deal either way. Really, people don't pay as much attention to us as some of us think.

Agreed on both points. I think it's funny that so many people think that anything other officials do that they don't personally like or do themselves then those other officials are trying to be "big dawgs" or "big time" or copying officials at a higher level.

And besides other officials, people do not pay nearly as much attention to us as many of us think.

Originally Posted by Brad

I started putting my whistle in my right pocket after I forgot my whistle at the start of one game. If it is on your shirt / around your neck it is easier to think you have it on when you don't — at least for me it was.

Just started putting it in my right pocket and as I left the locker room I would pat my pocket to make sure I had it ... never forgot again!!

When I transferred into my current association 4 years ago I noticed many of the veteran officials putting the whistle in their right pocket. I had never done this myself and didnt really like it at first so I didnt do it.

Then I forgot my whistle in the locker room one time because I thought it was around my neck. Another time I couldnt find my whistle only to discover it already around my neck. And as I started getting more R assignments and having to runn across the court with the ball in my hand prior to the toss/tip, I didnt like also holding my lanyard with the other hand to keep it from bouncing.

So I now put my whistle in my pocket because it lets me know I have it and I don't have to hold my lanyard or worry about it bouncing around before the game. I do check for knots prior to putting in my pocket and pull it out when I get opposite the table.

Bottom line is that IMO something like this is much more about personal preference/ritual and not about big timing it or anything that should bother anyone else.

[just another ref]

I put my whistle around my neck before I leave the house. I've forgotten it twice in 27 years but remembered it before I got a mile from home both times.

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by just another ref

I put my whistle around my neck before I leave the house. I've forgotten it twice in 27 years but remembered it before I got a mile from home both times.

Amateur. I wear a whistle around my neck 24/7. Yeah, it gets in the way in certain situations, but it's a small price to pay for being ready to go in a case a game breaks out in my living room.