[BillyMac]

Almost everybody on this Forum subscribes to the idea that it's unprofessional for a basketball official to wear a black belt. IAABO (International) agrees, and stipulates that beltless slacks shall be worn, a change that started last season.

My local board passed a constitutional amendment last season allowing those who wanted to wear a belt, a very small minority, the option of doing so.

Last night my partner ripped the zipper of his beltless slacks while getting dressed for our varsity game. Safety pins didn't do the trick. Striped shirt worn untucked covered the broken zipper, but didn't look good.

My partner was a thirty-eight waist. One of the junior varsity officials was a thirty-four waist, the other a forty-two waist. My partner tried on the forty-two waist but, of course, the pants were way too big and kept on falling down. But the forty-two waist pants were belted pants, so my partner simply tightened up the belt, and away we went.

Sometimes a black belt comes in handy. Not often, but sometimes. And if you ever need a tourniquet in the middle of a game ...