Keeping your flag in place

[FredFan7]

As a back judge I've found that the center weight flag sold by Honigs is just as heavy and carries as much distance as the long toss ball flag. So I've gotten the center weight flag and I stick it in my front pocket. I can get to it quickly and it marks the spot just as well.

I've seen photos of NFL guys hooking their ball flag UNDER their belt. It'll take a longer time for them to tug the flag free, but it isn't going anywhere....

[RMR]

Originally Posted by FredFan7

I've seen photos of NFL guys hooking their ball flag UNDER their belt. It'll take a longer time for them to tug the flag free, but it isn't going anywhere....

This...

[JRutledge]

How hard could it be to just tuck the flag in your pants? Tighten your belt. What else is there to do?

Peace

[With_Two_Flakes]

Right behind the ball of the flag, I've wound a couple of elastic bands. Kind of a home made ball-type flag. The bands seem to help keep it in place. Before I replace my flag into my pants at the front, I also twist the tail of the flag around and around. That enables me to more easily push the tail of the flag right down into my pants so it stays vertical, only the ball of the flag is showing above the waistband. I wear the flag somewhat to the side so rather than being against soft tissue (my gut!) it is against bone at the top of my hip socket. That seems to help too.
I do wear my belt pretty tight. As with many officials, I wear white compression shorts to stop the stripes showing through and the flag being inside the pants but outside the compression shorts seems to keep it in place pretty well.

Don't recall losing a flag by accident for over 10 years.

If I had a problem with anything, it was beanbags. I now tuck the b/bag behind the belt itself rather than into the pants - it is a little harder to get the bag out, but it stays in place fine.

[parepat]

I have the same problem. I have experimented and found that wearing gray sanitary shorts instead of compression shorts under the knickers helps. I also put it more on the side which helps somewhat. I have a bigger problem w microphones. The fly off my belt all night long. Must be the way I run.

[wisref2]

I use the long-toss flags as a WH and have the same problem. I've tried tightening my belt till it hurts - no good. I've thought about putting them back in my pockets.

I just might try putting them more to the side - that just might work, thanks!

BTW - Beer isn't the answer - and I'm in Wisconsin where beer is the answer to almost everything.

[golfnref]

Back pocket for 54 years. Nothing showing. Has never jumped out.

[Canned Heat]

Originally Posted by wisref2

I use the long-toss flags as a WH and have the same problem. I've tried tightening my belt till it hurts - no good. I've thought about putting them back in my pockets.

I just might try putting them more to the side - that just might work, thanks!

BTW - Beer isn't the answer - and I'm in Wisconsin where beer is the answer to almost everything.

From another WI guy....try it anyway.

I have the same set-up as the picture above, minus the pencil on the arm...I do like the idea though. I agree...the patch is a bit ugly. Is that an association patch or an additional MI tag on the left arm, or a flag..?

[JRod37]

Originally Posted by wisref2

!

BTW - Beer isn't the answer - and I'm in Wisconsin where beer is the answer to almost everything.

I respectfully disagree. Beer is AN answer, but I advise after the game, not before. I'm originally from WI but now stuck in MN.

[tjones1]

Originally Posted by With_Two_Flakes

If that's you, two questions:
1) Where'd you get the orange bean bag?
2) Is that a pencil on your left arm?

3) Lookin' sharp!

[Matt-MI]

He looks sharp except for that ugly patch that Michigan makes us wear.
(They used to change the colors every year.)

[With_Two_Flakes]

Originally Posted by Matt-MI

He looks sharp except for that ugly patch that Michigan makes us wear.
(They used to change the colors every year.)

Yeah, that was still on my shirt from a trip to Detroit back in 2004(?). Had a game almost as soon as I arrived, so only had time to stick it on the shirt with that iron-on stuff. So it had to stay on my shirt, otherwise it leaves a mark from where the iron-on stuff was.

I'm guessing the MHSAA employee who chose red as a patch colour that year had never mistakenly put a red sock in his washing machine...

[tjones1]

Originally Posted by Matt-MI

He looks sharp except for that ugly patch that Michigan makes us wear.
(They used to change the colors every year.)

I think Indiana does the same. It would certainly get old.

[With_Two_Flakes]

Originally Posted by tjones1

If that's you, two questions:
1) Where'd you get the orange bean bag?
2) Is that a pencil on your left arm?

Yes, it's me on a game in the UK.

Got the orange beanbag from Honig's, a bunch of us Brits got 'em. One of his regional distributors carries them - don't recall which one it is. I seem to recall reading in REFEREE mag that it was the Supervisor of Officials for Conference USA who started his guys using them as they show up a little better on game film. Likey it is whichever of Honig's regional distributors is in the area of the country where Conf USA are.

Yes, for years I've been sewing a strip of 1" wide black elastic onto a black stripe on my sleeve and I put my bullet pencil there. It holds it in place pretty good, even if the clip is completely broken or become loose. I got fed up of losing my pencil out of my breast pocket when the clip got loose. Never lost one yet from my sleeve.

On a similar subject, you can't see it on the picture, but I also sew on a strip of black elastic to hold my game card in my breast pocket, I got fed up with the card falling out whenever I bent over. The elastic is fastened down on one end with velcro, so it is easy to open to get the card out when I need to write on it.

[parepat]

Originally Posted by With_Two_Flakes

Yes, it's me on a game in the UK.

Got the orange beanbag from Honig's, a bunch of us Brits got 'em. One of his regional distributors carries them - don't recall which one it is. I seem to recall reading in REFEREE mag that it was the Supervisor of Officials for Conference USA who started his guys using them as they show up a little better on game film. Likey it is whichever of Honig's regional distributors is in the area of the country where Conf USA are.

Yes, for years I've been sewing a strip of 1" wide black elastic onto a black stripe on my sleeve and I put my bullet pencil there. It holds it in place pretty good, even if the clip is completely broken or become loose. I got fed up of losing my pencil out of my breast pocket when the clip got loose. Never lost one yet from my sleeve.

On a similar subject, you can't see it on the picture, but I also sew on a strip of black elastic to hold my game card in my breast pocket, I got fed up with the card falling out whenever I bent over. The elastic is fastened down on one end with velcro, so it is easy to open to get the card out when I need to write on it.

Pretty neat McGyver!