Playing through the whistle...

[kaorder1999]

I got so frustrated at our game this past Friday night because the officials were not blowing the whistle at the end of the plays. In fact, Im guessing that maybe 5 whistles were blown all night to end a play. There were cheap shots being thrown around ALL NIGHT.

[firstcat]

We seem to always have late whistles! I think it probably has to do with the fact that it takes the referrees a while to actually figure out where the ball is!

[HM33]

I know that sucks but players are taught to play through the whistle no matter when it is blown. If both teams played through the whistle there wouldn't be cheap shot ;)

[Bullaholic]

Originally posted by kaorder1999
I got so frustrated at our game this past Friday night because the officials were not blowing the whistle at the end of the plays. In fact, Im guessing that maybe 5 whistles were blown all night to end a play. There were cheap shots being thrown around ALL NIGHT.

And that can lead to injuries as well as causing unnecessary unsportsmanlike calls, and in extreme cases, loss of control by the officials.

[kaorder1999]

Originally posted by HM33
I know that sucks but players are taught to play through the whistle no matter when it is blown. If both teams played through the whistle there wouldn't be cheap shot ;)
but what sucks is when you have a kid that is right beside the ball carrier and he sees the ball carrier go down and knows he is down and about 3 seconds later the kid is ear holed because there wasnt a whistle blown. The officials kept telling us that they didn have to blow a whistle and that the play ends itself. Im not saying there were late whistles...there were NO whistles...

[HM33]

well in that situation then the refs are retarded and there is a reason to be mad :)

[kaorder1999]

it was the weirdest thing Ive ever seen. Ive never been a part of a game where officials didnt blow whistles.

[Rabbit'93]

Originally posted by kaorder1999
it was the weirdest thing Ive ever seen. Ive never been a part of a game where officials didnt blow whistles. I would send a email to their chapter. That seems odd. How would anyone know the play was over if you didn't hear a whistle? Even if 20/22 players saw a runner go down what about the two still giong at it. How do they know to stop.

[trojan37]

I remember playing in a game in 87 against Glen Rose. They ran an option to my side and on the pitch the RB fumbled the ball, fell on the ball but the ref didn't blow the whistle. I was coming up on the ball, and since I didn't hear a whistle I tattooed the guy, and they threw a flag. Our coach came out on the field complaining that he didn't blow the whistle. The ref's response was " the whistle doesn't matter." :confused:

[kaorder1999]

Originally posted by trojan37
I remember playing in a game in 87 against Glen Rose. They ran an option to my side and on the pitch the RB fumbled the ball, fell on the ball but the ref didn't blow the whistle. I was coming up on the ball, and since I didn't hear a whistle I tattooed the guy, and they threw a flag. Our coach came out on the field complaining that he didn't blow the whistle. The ref's response was " the whistle doesn't matter." :confused:

thats what we were told many times. They said the whistle doesn't end the play...the runner going down or an incomplete pass does. So confusing!

[HM33]

well i think both are right. if the player is clearly down then yeah the whistle shouldn't matter, but it should still be blown no matter what circumstance.

[Silverback 04]

I've always said that the 2 most dangerous places on earth are a minefield in a combat zone, and STANDING next to the pile in a football game!

[TexDoc]

Originally posted by kaorder1999
but what sucks is when you have a kid that is right beside the ball carrier and he sees the ball carrier go down and knows he is down and about 3 seconds later the kid is ear holed because there wasnt a whistle blown. The officials kept telling us that they didn have to blow a whistle and that the play ends itself. Im not saying there were late whistles...there were NO whistles...

The official is right. Football is not just a game about strength, agility and speed, but about brains as well. Many officials do not blow a whistle because of the chance of an inadvertent whistle, probably one of the most embarrassing things that can happen to an official. I would imagine a coach being a lot more upset about the TD that is called back because of a IW than a kid being flagged for a late hit.

If you think officiating is easy, and can do better, please look up and join your local chapter. They need help desperately. More and more schools are being built and the average age of officials is gradually getting higher. Very few young guys want to officiate because of the treatment by coaches and the expectations of perfection. Replay at the NCAA level has just made it worse.

My crew will have 5 or 6 plays a game without a whistle, and those are always when the ball is dead between the hash marks and the wings cannot see the ball in possession on the ground. They are pretty sure that it is down, but you don't blow the whistle until you leather in possession. The referee and umpire rarely blow the whistle.

Those players almost always know when the ball is dead, even without a whistle. Good officials are talking to them instead of using a whistle in these cases. It just may look bad as a fan because you cannot see what's going on or hear what the officials are saying.

[c-town_balla]

The whistle is a necessity to lineman blocking down the field or with their backs to the ball. You have no idea what is going on behind you and you need a whistle to let you know when it is ok it stop.

[kepdawg]

Originally posted by TexDoc
The official is right. Football is not just a game about strength, agility and speed, but about brains as well. Many officials do not blow a whistle because of the chance of an inadvertent whistle, probably one of the most embarrassing things that can happen to an official. I would imagine a coach being a lot more upset about the TD that is called back because of a IW than a kid being flagged for a late hit.

If you think officiating is easy, and can do better, please look up and join your local chapter. They need help desperately. More and more schools are being built and the average age of officials is gradually getting higher. Very few young guys want to officiate because of the treatment by coaches and the expectations of perfection. Replay at the NCAA level has just made it worse.

My crew will have 5 or 6 plays a game without a whistle, and those are always when the ball is dead between the hash marks and the wings cannot see the ball in possession on the ground. They are pretty sure that it is down, but you don't blow the whistle until you leather in possession. The referee and umpire rarely blow the whistle.

Those players almost always know when the ball is dead, even without a whistle. Good officials are talking to them instead of using a whistle in these cases. It just may look bad as a fan because you cannot see what's going on or hear what the officials are saying.

Is it possible for KA to be a ref and a coach? Seems there might be a conflict of interest! ;)

[c-town_balla]

Originally posted by TexDoc

Those players almost always know when the ball is dead, even without a whistle. Good officials are talking to them instead of using a whistle in these cases.


I will say in my four years of high school ball I can only recall a few instances of a ref telling me the play was over. Now, on passing plays they nearly always say balls away or somthing to that effect to tell the lineman to let up.

[Troybuilt]

Originally posted by TexDoc
The official is right. Football is not just a game about strength, agility and speed, but about brains as well. Many officials do not blow a whistle because of the chance of an inadvertent whistle, probably one of the most embarrassing things that can happen to an official. I would imagine a coach being a lot more upset about the TD that is called back because of a IW than a kid being flagged for a late hit.

If you think officiating is easy, and can do better, please look up and join your local chapter. They need help desperately. More and more schools are being built and the average age of officials is gradually getting higher. Very few young guys want to officiate because of the treatment by coaches and the expectations of perfection. Replay at the NCAA level has just made it worse.

My crew will have 5 or 6 plays a game without a whistle, and those are always when the ball is dead between the hash marks and the wings cannot see the ball in possession on the ground. They are pretty sure that it is down, but you don't blow the whistle until you leather in possession. The referee and umpire rarely blow the whistle.

Those players almost always know when the ball is dead, even without a whistle. Good officials are talking to them instead of using a whistle in these cases. It just may look bad as a fan because you cannot see what's going on or hear what the officials are saying.


Not as much brains as the others

[pirate4state]

Originally posted by TexDoc
If you think officiating is easy, and can do better, please look up and join your local chapter.

LOL same thing coaches tell "super fans"

.....'why don't you get your degree if you think you can do my job!'

HAHAHAHA

[VAMike]

To all who say players MUST hear a whistle to know the play is over.....

There are schools for the deaf all over the country playing football and they seem to do very well without the whistle I have reffed one game with a deaf school and had more problems with the non-deaf school not letting up whne they should than I did with the deaf kids.

Players know when the play has passed them by and there is really no longer a need for them to engage opponents where they are.

Sometimes I think linemen especially want to keep pounding on the opponent at the line of scrimmage because that will excuse them from running their fat butts down the field and trying to help with a block down where it might matter.;)

[c-town_balla]

Originally posted by VAMike
To all who say players MUST hear a whistle to know the play is over.....

Players know when the play has passed them by and there is really no longer a need for them to engage opponents where they are.

Sometimes I think linemen especially want to keep pounding on the opponent at the line of scrimmage because that will excuse them from running their fat butts down the field and trying to help with a block down where it might matter.;)

There are times when you can just tell the play is over...But more often than not when you are more than 10 yards in front of a play it is more difficult to know if a play is over

[VAMike]

..and I would hope most refs would realize when a player legitimately does not know a play is over versus when he is trying to take advantage of an opponent who knows it is over and has eased up

[GATAPride77]

The kind of offense (wing-T)can dictate how quickly the whistle is blown (if at all) to indicate the play is over. You Liberty Hill and Caldwell folks know exactly what I am talking about. Some of the deception and fakes can be very very good and yes even fool the zebras at times.

[c-town_balla]

I would agree that most are like that....I had a few instances where when I saw the play on film it had been over for 2 or 3 seconds but there was no whistle and I was about 10 yards ahead of the play I and just blew some guys up. In retrospect it would not have been out of line for me to get a late hit call but the refs were understanding that there had been no whistle

[garciap77]

Originally posted by firstcat
We seem to always have late whistles! I think it probably has to do with the fact that it takes the referrees a while to actually figure out where the ball is!

:iagree:

[WylieBulldog92]

:D this is my thread!
I loved playing THROUGH the whistle, if you're standing by a pile just looking I was gonna knock on your butt regardless if you are looking or not :)