Black bean bags
 

Is it just me, but are the Big 12 officials using black bean bags this year? I have seen some bowl games, and it seems the bean bags are black. I think they look good, but want to make sure they really are black.

Yes, they used them last year too.

Yes, there have also been orange ones I've seen.

Our D2 crew used them this year. Crews working the Lone Star Conference have a strong Big XII influence.

Black bean bags
 

Where do you buy them? I haven't seen them in any of the officiating equipment catalogs.

Black bean bags

I don't know where the Big XII crews get their's. The Umpire on our crew had his wife make our's.

They are just white bags with all those field turf crumbs stuck to them.

They are probably special ordered since they have "Big 12" embroidered on them.

:D Good one. Up until now I thought the shreaded rubber only stuck to my socks or filled up my shoes!!

Here we go again
 

So black bean bags are the latest thing to catch your eye. I prefer white, since you can actually SEE it on a grass or turf field. However, if a change is to be made, make sure that the new color is one that you can SEE. The orange ones would be acceptable for that reason. Blue and black - don't work for me.

Yikes, what is the next fad that we jump into? Oh, hey, let's go to the red and white stripes of the old AFL.

Football refs seem to have it pretty good compared to baseball umps and soccer refs when it comes to uniforms. United States Soccer Federation refs are up to 5 different colored jersies, I'd hate to buy all of those in both short and long sleeve configurations. :eek:

We switched from white to blue the season after 2 or 3 in our crew lost our white bean bags in a snow game (field was completely snow covered). Probably a knee-jerk reaction, but we all prefer the blue.