I think I look a little stiff...
 

see link
photos 19 and 20

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Do you always keep your whistle in your mouth?

A little???

:)

It looks like you are not moving at all.

I think you asking us is really just confirming what you already know. Not a problem, seeing yourself on film (or still shots) can show you a lot!


I would also suggest you watch your TD signal in front of a mirror. Make sure you are not looking like a "V" or like you are in a "bank hold up." Mechanics, field stature, and signals are little things that make a big difference in how you are viewed by coaches and supervisors.

As mentioned above, I'd get the whistle out of your mouth. I never have it in my mouth at the snap, or during the play, no matter what position I am working. I normally work R and have FT's to blow, but even on the wing I have it in my hand and just below my chin before the snap and carry it with me until I see the ball dead in player possesstion.

Bad habit from a basketball official.

Also if you look the tackle is being made at the line of scrimmage thus the reason I am stationary.

Without knowing much about the exact play, but in our mechanics we go to the backfield and let the play pass us. It just looks to me like you never moved and I cannot think of a run play (or pass play for that matter) where I would not have moved a step or two. This would be a better thing to judge on tape, not a still photo.

Peace

Pic #20 is a pretty cool shot with the ball in his hand and on the ground.

That makes the ball dead, right? :D

Wow, I bet you never thought you'd get critiqued this much for sharing a picture.

Thanks for sharing, though.

Not many guys have the cajones to throw a photo or video of himself into the waters here knowing it is filled with us circling sharks. But anyone who is not willing to open himself up to evaluation is not gonna get far in this avocation.

Just remember, those photos are just a fraction of
 

a second. The photographer may have snapped a whole sequence that did not get posted up on the web.

Most of the photos I get to see of me are of my shoulder, elbow, back of my head. Those side angles with my "spare tire" are what depress me.

I assume the smile means youare joking, however for those not in the know, it does not make the ball dead. Any part of the body that touches the ground other than the hand or ball makes it dead.

It sure looks like your cheeks are puffed and the whistle blasting in that pic. :)

Not yet, don't remember the play, but I know I didn't have any early whistles that I wish I had held. In fact, I usually have a late whistle.

Actually if the part of the body that is a ball touches the ground, you're down. Probably out, too. :D

Someone earlier had a problem with your lack of movement, but I don't have a problem with you standing still. Main problem I have with officials when I assess them is that they have "happy feet" and move too much when they don't need to. In addition, when they do move - they move using the wrong style of movement. You should try to stay facing the field with your body shape for as long as possible only turning when you need to chase down a long run or pass.

Your initial position is nice and wide on the sideline which is good. The play seems to still be a distance from you (beyond the numbers), so there is no need to move into the offensive backfield for your own safety as you are not in danger. It is coming to the LOS so it is fine to stand still and let it come to you. If the runner makes yards beyond the LOS then stay with him moving with a side-to-side boxer shuffle for as long as you can. Only if he breaks out for long yardage, do you need to turn and pursue.

Whistle in the mouth would get you a ding if I assessed you. :)
No need for it and it will eventually get you into trouble one day. Try a finger whistle, try a wrist lanyard, try holding it in your hand as suggested earlier - find one of them that works for you as it will save you from an embarrassing IW.

How much room on your sideline do you have? There appear to be folks who might be in your way if that runner made yards. When you move side-to-side, you cannot afford to be looking where you are going, you keep your eyes on the players. Therefore you must be sure there is no-one in your sideline area.

This game was particularly challenging with the visiting coach...
 

We had a sideline warning in the first qtr that ended up with an USC on the head coach when my WH informed him of sideline procedures. The coach insisted I need to work on the field if they are in my way, my WH backed me up. He started enciting the crowd by speaking loudly to his coaches and using BIG gestures for them to get back. Worst part was if they had just remained calm the home team would have punted as it was 4 and 7 before USC. They were OK but still were not angels. (The JV coaches were better although I did accidentally knock an assistant on his azz.) In the second half of the varsity I had an assistant coach threaten me after I accidentally brushed him as I ran by on a punt that his team was R. I sent up for first down and he got my attention to tell me, "If you run into me again, I'll take you down!". I flagged it and probably should have ejected but didn't. Best part, they lost 48-15 and it wasn't that close.

I try to get my whistle out of my mouth, I spit it out about 1/2 the time right at the snap. Like I said, just a bad habit from a basketball official. I use the shuffle step the majority of the time unless, like you said, I am chasing a play down. I think that while there is definite room for improvement with my mechanics that they are pretty good and I am getting much better at squaring off on my spots.

I am the person that raised the issue of movement. There is a difference between movement and "happy feet." I cannot think of too many times where I am not moving a step or two. And certainly that is not the case as a wing. Even when the wing has to stay home, I still would be moving a little.

If you have forward progress, you tend to be moving with the ball or making sure you are following the ball. Standing completely still might take away your angle on a block or even the forward progress stop.

Nothing looks worse than an official with a finger whistle. I would stay away from those because officials get in a habit of doing the "one arm" mechanic. You do not need a finger whistle or a wrist lanyard (which does not look good either) to just keep your whistle out of your mouth. All you have to do is either hold the whistle or let it drop from your lanyard that is around your neck.

Peace

Me neither. I think you and I are actually on the same page here. Either the run endangers me and I have to move for safety reasons, the run makes positive yards so I have to take progress, or the run makes negative yards so I have to go back to take progress. But occasionally a play (such as in w-sohl's picture) makes it back to the LOS and you do not need to move North/South at all, you just let it come to you and then take a few steps in bounds to tke the spot.

What I do see too much of when I do assessments is :-
- officials who cannot relax and stand still even for a second and simply let the play unfold and then move accordingly.
- officials who can instantly mirror a progress spot on runs away from them - ie they are ball watching instead of performing their clean up duties.
- officials who (on a pass) fixate on their wide receiver and turn and pursue him, and therefore never see anyone running a short pattern.

Heh, heh, I guess we are into dangerous ground now if we start talking about personal preferences for whistles. Several officials in my area use finger whistles, none of them would dare to do one arm mechanics because they have been taught not to and they know they would get a ding for it :) I simply listed all the alternatives in my earlier post for w_sohl to choose from.