Immediate whistle on a USC??

[AMDG Lax]

Was watching the UNC-UVA game on ESPN-U this weekend (great game, BTW). Anyway, here's what happened early on:

1. Faceoff
2. IP on faceoff called against UNC
3. While whistle/signal for IP, ball pops out to one side, UVA gets possession.
4. UNC player hustling off field for the IP, calls ref an "***!"
5. Before UNC player reaches sideline, flag comes out, whistle blown to kill play.

UNC player called for USC, 1 min NR for the comment. (And UNC's coach nearly drew a conduct foul in the process, as an aside.)

Question: why the immediate whistle? Shouldn't that be a flag-down, slow whistle? UVA was already moving the ball across midfield when the ref killed the play. They re-started (after calling the penalty) just over the midline in their attack end. Is there a special "immediate whistle" rule for USC's?

Would it make a difference if the foul was committed (i.e. remark made) while the ball was loose, before UVA gained possession? I don't see how it would....

Maybe the ref was just a little rattled by the smart-mouth remark, or maybe I missing something. But I'm pretty sure someone on this board will know the answer. :)

[LaxRef]

If play had restarted--IP, player sent off, offended team picks up the ball, whistle, then USC--it should be a FDSW. If it wasn't, the official may indeed have been rattled (it's happened to me!).

If not--IP, player sent off, offended team picks up the ball but the whistle hasn't blown yet, then USC--it's a dead ball foul and needs to be assessed before play resumes.

The key is that play is not live until that whistle blows even though this circus carnival rule almost makes it seem like we're live on a pre-whistle face-off violation.

[AMDG Lax]

That was the other oddity.... ref blows whistle for the IP, and signals it, while--at the same time--ball is popping out to side. UVA player scoops up the ball and begins to move it without a restart whistle. Perhaps that's the explanation: it was, in fact, a dead-ball foul, concealed (unintentionally) by the UVA player scooping and running.

[LaxRef]

That was the other oddity.... ref blows whistle for the IP, and signals it, while--at the same time--ball is popping out to side. UVA player scoops up the ball and begins to move it without a restart whistle. Perhaps that's the explanation: it was, in fact, a dead-ball foul, concealed (unintentionally) by the UVA player scooping and running.

Sure, that player is going to scoop the ball and run it up to midfield, with the whistle blowing as soon as he's over. But if the foul occurs before the whistle, it's a dead-ball foul, even though the player is hustling because he knows if he goes slowly his advantage disappears. That's what I meant by "circus carnival rule."

[scott68111]

AMDG--I saw the game also and at first thought it should have been a FDSW, but when I ran it back on the DVR as LR suggested above, play had not restarted since the UVA middie was still on his side of the midfield line and covering official had not blown whistle so it was a deadball foul USC.

[MElaxRef]

As we emphasize in all lacrosse officials' training, you have to know possession, location and sequence to make the correct call and ruling.

Sounds as though the crew on the UNC / UVA game did a good job on this one!