Why do officials...

[mbyron]

Conceals the stripes, so they don't see us coming. Think of it as camo for officials.

[Rich]

I figure I wear the jacket for 30 minutes a night. It comes off during the introductions, spends a half at the table, and then gets carried back to the locker room (except for the handful of places that take the jackets back for us) folded and put into my bag.

I'd be more than happy to dispose of this tradition, personally.

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I'd be more than happy to dispose of this tradition, personally.

+1.

Just another item that needs to be:
1. Purchased
2. Cared for.
3. Carried in an already overloaded bag.
4. ...and attended to after brief use (retireve, fold, launder, repeat)

Another one of those things we do without any discernable good reason. I used to think it was for the benefit of northern officials in a drafty gym, but I don't even think that's the case.

[whistleone]

It's commonplace for officials in our area to have a stamp with our name and state officiating ID number. Without the jacket, we'd have nowhere to put our stamp. Ah crap, our jackets are the official's version of a purse.

[Scuba_ref]

Originally Posted by whistleone

Ah crap, our jackets are the official's version of a purse.

I prefer "European Carry All".

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

+1.

Just another item that needs to be:
1. Purchased
2. Cared for.
3. Carried in an already overloaded bag.
4. ...and attended to after brief use (retireve, fold, launder, repeat)

Another one of those things we do without any discernable good reason. I used to think it was for the benefit of northern officials in a drafty gym, but I don't even think that's the case.

I store the jacket inside out. When I take it off, I turn it inside out and zip it up -- it keeps dust from accumulating on the outside of the jacket. I *never* wash my officiating jacket since I only wear it pregame.

I do carry my needle in the pocket and when I'm the R probably use it 90% of the time, so maybe we do need it.

[Smitty]

My association does not want us to wear jackets. I think it looks sharper to wear a jacket, but I won't miss leaving it in the locker room and having to go back the next day to pick it up. At least once a season...

[oldschool]

I like it to warm me up a little or keep me warm during that famous 20 minutes

[wfd21]

I wear mine so I have a place to keep my glasses to which I need to use, so I can see the numbers in the score book & so I can see to sign it!

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by smitty

my association does not want us to wear jackets. I think it looks sharper to wear a jacket, but i won't miss leaving it in the locker room and having to go back the next day to pick it up. At least once a season...

btdt

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

+1.

Just another item that needs to be:
1. Purchased
2. Cared for.
3. Carried in an already overloaded bag.
4. ...and attended to after brief use (retireve, fold, launder, repeat)

Another one of those things we do without any discernable good reason. I used to think it was for the benefit of northern officials in a drafty gym, but I don't even think that's the case.

We have a number of crew chiefs who hate them, so they stay in the bag.

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

We have a number of crew chiefs who hate them, so they stay in the bag.

And when I'm crew chief, that's the first order of business..."Anybody opposed to leaving the jackets in the bag tonight?" If we get caught, it's a small fine for each crew member...but I haven't been caught in 12 seasons.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I figure I wear the jacket for 30 minutes a night. It comes off during the introductions, spends a half at the table, and then gets carried back to the locker room (except for the handful of places that take the jackets back for us) folded and put into my bag.

I'd be more than happy to dispose of this tradition, personally.

We rarely wear them, except for tourneys and playoffs. It's a waste of money and it's a suckass jacket.

Originally Posted by RichMSN

The worst jackets I ever had to wear were the TSSAA jackets in Tennessee. They were *navy*. That was 15 years ago.

Sold mine when I left Tennessee. But it was a much more durable jacket than this thing we wear now.

[JRutledge]

We wear them for almost every single varsity game I work and most officials that I know do the exact same. Of course there are places like in the city you might not see officials have them on during the pre-game, but that is very rare in my experience.

I also do not find them to be a waste considering I jackets I have were purchased years ago and I have not needed to replace it or do much to keep up maintenance. I wear them around 50-60 games, so they have long been worth its money.

Peace

[Adam]

They're essentially mandatory for all levels of high school.