It's about time...

[JRutledge]

I do not believe anyone has purposely tried to not blow the whistle if they see a play had been killed. But when you are looking for the ball and cannot found, I would think there would not be a whistle just for whistle sake. And that is what your voice is for as well. When I do not have coverage on a play, I use my voice to players around me. And even when you blow the whistle, that does not automatically stop players. Sometimes you still have to use your voice. To me this is much to do about nothing and does not address the real world on many levels.

Peace

[Rich]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I do not believe anyone has purposely tried to not blow the whistle if they see a play had been killed. But when you are looking for the ball and cannot found, I would think there would not be a whistle just for whistle sake. And that is what your voice is for as well. When I do not have coverage on a play, I use my voice to players around me. And even when you blow the whistle, that does not automatically stop players. Sometimes you still have to use your voice. To me this is much to do about nothing and does not address the real world on many levels.

Peace

You haven't worked with the guys who refuse to blow the whistle only because "there doesn't need to be one". I have. I get (and so does the memo) that you may not see the ball. But if you do and you're the covering official, there's *no reason* not to blow the whistle.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I do not believe anyone has purposely tried to not blow the whistle if they see a play had been killed.
Peace

I've worked with such a crew. I get not wanting several echo whistles all over the field... but this crew LOVED IT when a play ended without a whistle. I thought it was bizarre, and uncomfortable to work with.

[Texas Aggie]

I say slow, but not no, whistles. Plus, I only want the wings and occasionally the umpire, blowing and no echos without a good reason -- and on those, your voice usually works better anyway.

I've seen a fight start during a play where I didn't know where the ball was. You can not have an instinct to blow the whistle; you must know ALL the facts. So I would much rather no whistle occurred on a play than a whistle by someone who didn't know all the facts -- even if it didn't end up killing a live play.

[JasonTX]

It makes you wonder how a baseball umpire can get by without the use of a whistle. We use our voice to call time, out, safe, foul. In agreement with Rut, use of the voice will get you out of more trouble than a whistle.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by JasonTX

It makes you wonder how a baseball umpire can get by without the use of a whistle. We use our voice to call time, out, safe, foul. In agreement with Rut, use of the voice will get you out of more trouble than a whistle.

I work both sports at the HS/college levels and I find the comparison between baseball and football, in this context, to be completely absurd.

If you think the voice is more effective than a whistle, why do we have whistles in the first place?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Rich

I work both sports at the HS/college levels and I find the comparison between baseball and football, in this context, to be completely absurd.

If you think the voice is more effective than a whistle, why do we have whistles in the first place?

Well I had an umpire that did nothing but use his voice. He always got players to stop or react to his voice. The main people that need to use their whistle on most plays are the short wings. Everyone else can use them sparingly or not at all in many situations. I know as a Back Judge about the only time I use a whistle is on a score that I have coverage and a pass in the middle where I have to rule it incomplete. Otherwise runs and most plays outside of the kicking game I almost never use a whistle. I do not need to, I am around where my voice is used to stop players from continuing. And if a whistle is already blown, I do not use my whistle again in most of those situations, I use my voice. I am pretty loud, I can be heard.

Peace

[CT1]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Otherwise runs and most plays outside of the kicking game I almost never use a whistle. I do not need to, I am around where my voice is used to stop players from continuing.

The point of the memo (if you read it completely) was to let players away from the ball know when to stop. Voice-only might work when it's a long run or one-on-one pass (typical BJ coverage plays), but on plays in congested areas we really need the whistle.

I worked two HS games just this past season where the noise level was so high I could barely hear whistles on the field from a few yards away. I shudder to think what might have happened if I had some "no-blows" on my crew.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Rich

You haven't worked with the guys who refuse to blow the whistle only because "there doesn't need to be one". I have. I get (and so does the memo) that you may not see the ball. But if you do and you're the covering official, there's *no reason* not to blow the whistle.

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I've worked with such a crew. I get not wanting several echo whistles all over the field... but this crew LOVED IT when a play ended without a whistle. I thought it was bizarre, and uncomfortable to work with.

Agreed. I've worked with these types of guys as well. It must definitely is a real issue.