I got some input from a fellow referee this weekend that I'm pondering, and interested in other views. He observed that on a foul I had given a tweet-tweet rather than a solid blast. Thinking through, he is certainly right -- I realized that I often do this for handling (and I believe only for handling and not all handling) the whistle saying, in essence, "yeah, we all saw that, too." My colleagues view was that the multi-tweet should be reserved for things like telling a player to move the restart or to correct direction on a TI or acknowledging the bell left the field if it isn't obvious to everyone. No one has ever commented on how I do that before, but I thought I'd seek out some additional view points.
Has there ever been any official directive on one blast vs multiple tweets for stopping play (other than at the end of a period of course)? I often use multiple short tweets for fouls. For a hard foul if for some reason I'm worried about misconduct or retaliation, it's definitely one long hard continuous blast. For benign stuff though I often just use a couple very short tweets in rapid succession.
I was always instructed the double whistle (tweet-tweet) is reserved for bringing to light certain things. I noticed you said restart location on throw-ins or to correct direction (I do the same). That's mostly what is used for in my style of officiating. I also use it delay the restart for substitutions. Especially when another team is substituting on another team's possession. I sometimes use it to signal that play has been stopped when teams continue to play or when there is an injured player I may need to assess. At the moment the double whistle (sometimes triple) is sometimes in my arsenal after I call a foul that I plan on awarding some type of misconduct. So ill call the foul (vary the tone depending on the severity of the foul) followed by a tweet-tweet, and that usually lets the attacking team know that this restart is ceremonial (only some can hope nowadays with players). For most simple careless fouls, however, its almost always one tweet and thats it. The double whistle is just there if there is some confusion or if I need to differentiate to the team that there may be something there other than a simple foul. I do agree with your colleague though. One whistle for most calls and double whistle to bring to attention the players.
I always double tweet for substitutions, cards, and in and out of bounds calls when I want to bring attention to myself or deflections or the ar signaling the wrong direction. Sub double whistle is most often going to be much softer than the other two scenarios.
I think I agree with the others, to the extent I perceive a consensus. I never tweet-tweet for a foul. It's either "tweet" for a foul that everybody saw and yes, we're going to call it, or "TWEEEEEEETTT!" for something I really don't like (and flipping to the Sonik for something I really really don't like), and everything in between, but always just a single tweet/blast. Multiple tweets are for other stuff: "Tweet tweet" for a sub, "tweet tweet tweet tweet" for "Hold up, no, we're not restarting yet, there's a loose toddler on the field," and etc.
Short tweet for minor stuff. Long and hard if there's misconduct or an AC coming. I will double or triple for a player down or ball in and out, and of course subs if needed. I've gotten in the habit of doing it for PIADM also. Especially if a player is on the ground over the ball, and I don't want someone to injure them.
Yup. To me, multiple tweets means, "hey, hold on a sec". Most often used before play has started (or when play wasn't supposed to start but did and you want to bring it back). The only thing that might get a varying number of tweets is an injury during the run of play. If a player goes down hard, it might be one loud, long blast to let every one know to stop *right now*; for something more minor or behind the play it might be two or three tweets.
For me the double tweet I am pretty much here, except for the PIADM piece, which gets a single tweet from me. I supposed you could say that infringements always get a single tweet from me.
For me here's how it goes: One short tweet for a simple foul or to restart play after, say, a sub. One long tweet is usually for a slightly harder challenge that I will be giving the fouling player an AC. Two tweets for calling on subs (least in HS), changing a TI direction and showing the "deflection" sign or calling the ball out when the players don't stop playing. Used after a harder foul to show that misconduct card is inbound. Three tweets is reserved for stopping play because I didn't want it to restart, such as not waiting for me to tell my partner why I gave a card (obviously only for HS games).
I found that I do those very things, except the three tweets. I have gotten into the habit of three sets of two tweets to stop play on a premature restart (goal kick or throw in while a team is still subbing, etc.). Got to make sure to get the attention of the U-littles.
Huh ... first time I ever got an "Are you sure you want to rep this post?" prompt from the system. Guess it really didn't like that post.
I'm a single tweeter on fouls, goals, out of play, etc. Double tweet on subs or other administrative, "Hey look at me moments", with a hand up to stop, or delay a restart until I'm ready. Long double at half. 3 long tweets at end time. So my system works great except when I fumble the whistle or step in a hole as I am blowing and don't get a full sound. So now the dilemma is do I blow again or did enough players hear the whistle? I'm so confused. So are they.