S-L-O-W Whistles

[Rich]

Originally Posted by sir_eldren

I still prefer the whole idea that no whistle is needed. Occasionally, when working the wings, I'll have a play come down my side where the guy is tackled, everybody stops and walks away. No whistle. Some white hats are fine with that. Others have a big problem and come in and blow their whistle really late, and it's really odd and out of place.

Earlier this season a "Big Guy" came down from the state offices and gave a great presentation on the fact that whistles are NOT needed if action is stopping or particular things occur on the field. He made a point that even wings don't need to blow their whistles if it's obvious that a play is over. I find it odd, however, that many white hats just sat there and ignored everything that was said by a guy who has more officiating experience at a higher level than these guys will ever get to experience and insist on there being a whistle every play. The whole idea makes me jumpy in a game and I feel prone to have an IW.

What's the story with these guys who think we need a whistle everywhere every time? I think it's great when the next whistle after the ready-for-play is a ready-for-play on the next down. It shows more than just good officiating, but great observation by the players and excellent coaching.

While I'm perfectly happy with a slow whistle, there has to be (in my little opinion) a whistle at some point acknowledging the play is over. From the covering official, of course.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

While I'm perfectly happy with a slow whistle, there has to be (in my little opinion) a whistle at some point acknowledging the play is over. From the covering official, of course.

I think if you don't have one, chances are good that some player who wasn't looking in that direction at the time it became dead will get the idea the ball is still in play, and wind up delaying the game at best, hitting a defenseless opponent at worst. With deaf players the hand-up dead ball signal should work.

Robert

[Suudy]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

With deaf players the hand-up dead ball signal should work.

I love this mechanic. It makes it clear to everyone that the play is over, even if there is a whistle. Coaches and players recognize it, and it is useful when the crowd is noisy.

Myself and others discussed this and thought it would be great. Then we had our state evaluator notice this during a quarter-final we were doing notice us doing this. We were graded down for using an unapproved mechanic. If this makes it into the mechanics manual I'd welcome it.

[Forksref]

Originally Posted by Suudy

I love this mechanic. It makes it clear to everyone that the play is over, even if there is a whistle. Coaches and players recognize it, and it is useful when the crowd is noisy.

Myself and others discussed this and thought it would be great. Then we had our state evaluator notice this during a quarter-final we were doing notice us doing this. We were graded down for using an unapproved mechanic. If this makes it into the mechanics manual I'd welcome it.

When I started doing HS FB in the 70's, the hand up was the mechanic. I don't remember when it went away. You see it at higher levels still.

[Jim D]

I think the key to having fewer or no IW's (in addition to keeping the whistle out of your mouth) is to only have one whistle on a play.

We tend to have three, four or five whistles at the end of a play and, not only is it over kill, it shows we have too many eyes on the ball.

The covering official(s) should blow the whistle. The rest of the crew should be cleaning up off the ball.

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by Forksref

When I started doing HS FB in the 70's, the hand up was the mechanic. I don't remember when it went away. You see it at higher levels still.

REPLY: You see it in the NFL because it's the signal for the play clock operator to restart the 40-second clock. You see it in NCAA (at least in some conferences) because the 40-second rule is also coming there soon.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Forksref

When I started doing HS FB in the 70's, the hand up was the mechanic. I don't remember when it went away. You see it at higher levels still.

The odd thing is that at that time, Fed (and even HS officials in non-Fed games) was doing it, and NCAA & NFL were not! NFL adopted it when they changed their play clock from the RFP to a fixed time from dead ball.

It's an old, old signal meaning, "ball dead here and now". It was the original signal for a touchdown ("ball dead here, which happens to be beyond the goal line"), and is still used in rugby for that purpose. The other hand points by finger downward to the spot.

Considering that deaf people do play this game, what's the excuse for not allowing officials to give this signal?

Sure, it can also be used for other purposes. With a palm inward, it can mean, "Bring a medic." It can mean, "Help me line up an aerial out-of-bounds spot." But usually the hand would be held in the air longer for those meanings.

Robert

[drh898]

OK, so I've read where the WH shouldn't be blowing a whistle, he should leave that up to the wings. I've read in the Officials Manual that the U shouldn't be blowing a whistle and I've been told in our association that the wings only blow the whistle when it is on their side of the hash marks, so who blows the whistle for a play between the hash marks?

[Texas Aggie]

As R, I'm not blowing the whistle unless my QB that's already grasped by defenders is about to get slammed to the ground. Whistle drops after snap unless its a clear kneel down situation.