After returning to the striped shirt after a little over 15 years, some things have changed, alot for the better.
One thing that has changed though from my previous years I dont see much anymore is this use of the arm signal marking a dead ball (arm up) on each play. This is a highly effective tool to indicate when a ball has become dead, when a whistle is avoiding your hand, or the little ball is frozen inside.
I was curious how many officials still use this as common practice, if it is no longer accepted as common practice, or I am just one of the few that see this as a good mechanic especially as an LJ.
Sure does let the coach on the far side know what I'm thinking quickly !!

No longer accepted.
 

Maybe it was a signal, but it is not anymore. It is not acceptable at least in pure NF mechanics. Does not mean an area might do something different. There is really no point in doing that, but that is my opinion.

Peace

REPLY: The raised hand on a dead ball is an NFL technique. It's purpose is to alert the play clock (40 sec.) operator to start that clock. This weekend however, I was watching a college game where the crew also used this signal. I think that it might have been the Big East crew doing the Purdue-Syracuse game, but I'm not sure. Just my opinion...if the signal has no real purpose, I would say don't use it. Reason--by common usage, it's meant to indicate a dead ball. So if an official uses this signal, it is virtually the same as a whistle. And for NCAA rules (NCAA 4-1-2a), they say specifically that this signal or any signal which would normally accompany a dead ball (incomplete pass, TD, TB) is equivalent to blowing the whistle. Can only cause you grief. Just my humble opinion.

Back in the day, (dang I must be getting old), the association I belonged to schooled officials in this matter as a way to indicate that there was a dead ball, and it was quicker than getting a whistle blown. We were encouraged to use finger whistles even then. The thought process I believe was that by using a visual signal it didnt matter how loud a crowd was, where you were on the field, a coach knew what you were thinking immediately. If there was a pile up and forward progress was stopped and the ball came out. He knew by the hand going up that the ball was ruled dead.
I completely understand that a dead ball is a dead ball is a dead ball. This mechanic was used to let the coaches, fans, and pressbox know that, without the benefit of a whistle.

Why do they need to know? The ball is already dead right? If you blow the whistle, the ball is already dead? Why do you need another signal to let people that are not in the equation? The NFL uses this to signify when to start the 45 second play clock. That is the only reason it is used. Are we not going to call dead ball fouls because our hand is up?

Peace

REPLY: And (no offense) that's exactly the problem I have with this technique. These days--and I go back quite a number of years myself :)-- everyone is advocating <u>slow</u> whistles. We should not be in a hurry to blow (or signal) the ball dead. Let the play kill itself. Blow when only after it's abundantly clear that the play is over and the ball is dead.

With one crew I work with, we might go 4-5 plays in a row without a whistle AT ALL. If the play is dead, it's dead. The ball is dead BY RULE, not by whistle. It takes some getting used to, but once you do, you can't help but like it.

I agree, and just to follow up...the only reason to in some way "signal" (either with the hands or with a noise) in NCAA or NF ball is so that the players don't keep "playing" after the play is over. They will not be looking at you so giving the "hand up" signal is a waste of energy. Plus, some players choose to ingnore this whistle anyway, so giving a hand signal would not help.

I like the idea of trying to wait as long as possible in blowing the play dead. I called 3 games last night, 7-8-9 and intentionally tried to hold off until I was absolutely, positively sure the ball was dead and in posession of the runner. Even to the point of watching the runner go down, but stepping up into the pile and making sure I wsaw the ball still in his posession. I found myself concentrating more on the play and players as a whole, than concentrating at what millisecond the play ended.
Great advice !!