HAd an IW but it came form we think the band. It was off the field, and not one of our "fox" whistles. We infomred both teams to disreuagrd it if they heard it again. Fortunality, we did not hear it after a very stern warning by the announcer. (good joB!)
Anyway, here is my question:
Why does the play continue when an IW has sounded. The rule I have been told is to dropyour bag at th espot you hear it, continue to officiate, the mark form there. I am only speaking of run plays, why do ou let the play continue? The choicesare for teh team in possesion are to: (a) reply down (b) take results of play at the bagged spot. So, WHY do we let the play go. Anything that happens will be immeterial

Next part, will you ever put time back on the clock if an IW? Pay last Fri night. :33 time. snap, handoff run . whistle is heard 3 seconds into play, bag dropped. Team continues to run and scores an appearant TD. time on clock is now :21. So, explain to coach (get my *** chewed on-not our fault) TD brought back. Coach then claimed that since ball is brought back, time should be put back on. I thought about it and did agree. COuld not find support in any book on this topic.
Thanks

You've gotten your wires crossed somewhere. You do not allow the play to continue if an IW occurs. When the whistle sounds, the play is dead.

No, you do not put time back on the clock.

I don't know who's teaching you guys to let the play continue but they are badly, badly mistaken!!

Here's the thing, if you heard a whistle, some of the kids probally did also. If even one of them heard it, they would have slowed down or stopped, an unfair advantage to the other team. Stop the play immediatly by then blowing on your whistle!! You were right, nothing later matters unless its unsportsmanlike so why let it go on.

If an official sounds his whistle inadvertently he should continue blowing it to kill the play and mark the spot of the ball accordingly. If one of your crewmates has an IW, you should not be the one to kill the play. Your crew mate should do it. Here's why. The only whistles that kill the play are from the officials. If someone on the sideline or in the band or in the stands blows a whistle it does not kill the play. If you hear a whistle and then you start blowing your whistle because of it, and it turns out the original whistle came from the stands, now you do have an IW but it is your fault. We had this sitch happen about 3 years ago. Someone in the stands blew thier whistle when a receiver caught a punt. BJ and LJ heard the whistle but neither killed the play. Player ended up going for a TD and the Coach of K was livid because he said we blew our whistles. We told him what had happend and had the PA announcer make an announcment.

Yes I would put time back on the clock. You made the obvious timing error by not stopping the play. Coach had a legitimate gripe there. He can't be responsible for the lost time if it was your fault for not stopping the play. His team did nothing wrong and yet is being penalized by time run off and no touchdown. It's one or the other here.

Is it really an inadvertent whistle if it doesn't come from the officials..? I don't have my book with me, but I remember being instructed that an IW has to come from an official...

You were instructed correctly.

The play ends when the IW is sounded (although it looks like you really didn't have an IW, but for sake of discussion we'll go with it). The clock also stops when play is ended for an IW (I don't have my rulebook with me or I'd give you the references) so the team in possession can be given their choices (replay the down, or have the down count at the spot when then IW was sounded). If time runs off after the IW it should be put back. Unless a team calls a TO in the interim, the clock always starts on the ready after a IW.

So what's the proper course of action when you've got a whistle from other than an official..? Obviously, you should take whatever steps are necessary to make sure it doesn't happen again, but what do you do about the play that just happened..?

You could make the case that there's no reason for the play to be dead, so let it go... If no one seems to stop for the play, then this might be the way to go...

If everyone stops for the crowd whistle, I guess you have to kill the play and start it over...

I guess you just have to wing it, and do what makes sense...

Here is what the rules say on when the ball becomes dead: "The ball becomes dead and the down is ended when an official sounds his whistle inadvertantly." Therefore the "band whistle" does not end the play. Here is my question for everyone out there: A rather loud whistle is sounded from the stands, and most players stop, but the runner keeps going for a TD. How would you treat this regarding the TD, especially if it came from the scoring team's band, stands, etc.?

This is exactly what happened on my play posted above. Touchdown counted and we went to the extra point try.