where do you carry your penalty flag and why?

[SWFLguy]

When I first broke into football officiating, we carried red flags (remember them?) and since I was working the wings, I carried two tucked into my back pockets. When I moved to U, I only carried one, now yellow, in my front pocket. I had it totally down inside, not visible, and this forced me to keep it there unless it was something really worth flagging.
I'm watching the CFL and I see that not only do they have red flags, they have them hanging out of their pockets or tucked in their waists. Seems like this allows them to flag penalties more quickly, seldom seeing a late flag.
I know to some associations, having visible flags is some sort of mortal sin. Some even go so far as to tape/color the visible portion of a flag the color of their pants (was white, now black). I think that it matters little. Savvy fans and coaches will see you reaching for the flag no matter where you carry it. Reaction?

[OkieZebra]

Ball flag on my front right. It's yellow, but I think I'll get a black ball one next time I get new gear.

Center weight flag folded into the back pocket. Haven't had to ever use the backup flag, but it is there.

[jTheUmp]

Black-ball penalty flag on front right of my belt. No second flag... that's what my hat is for.

Bean bag on front left of the belt. If I carry a second bean bag, it's in the rear-left. (I don't carry a second bean bag for HS games... our crew uses white bean bags. For college games, I do carry the second bag... I've lost a black bean bag once during a game, so now i want to have a spare).

FWIW, I'm an umpire on both Friday and Saturday games.

Why? No specific reason, that's just how I got used to doing it.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

Black-ball penalty flag on front right of my belt. No second flag... that's what my hat is for.

Bean bag on front left of the belt. If I carry a second bean bag, it's in the rear-left. (I don't carry a second bean bag for HS games... our crew uses white bean bags. For college games, I do carry the second bag... I've lost a black bean bag once during a game, so now i want to have a spare).

FWIW, I'm an umpire on both Friday and Saturday games.

Why? No specific reason, that's just how I got used to doing it.

Similar for me except I carry a second yellow flag in my right rear pocket. I probably use it once or twice each season. My second bean bag goes in my front right. I hold it for every free kick on Saturday games in the event of a surprise onside kick and I need to mark illegal touching. I put it back in my pocket if the ball is kicked away. I've never used it.

I like the black ball because it doesn't call attention to the flag. I have no issue with guys who use yellow balls though. Just a personal preference.

[HLin NC]

It's a tradition thing for the CFL. It wasn't too long ago that the SEC guys were still hanging yellow out the back.

As for me, I started in the back pocket, moved to the front and now keep it almost near my right hip.

[JRutledge]

I carry one flag in my front part of my belt and the other in my front pocket where it cannot be seen. The reason is simple. I do not want anyone to know if I reach for my flag and then decide not to throw the flag.

I will never forget the Maryland at NIU game in the early 2000s where an official grabbed for his flag and did not throw the flag and it was apart of the highlight package after the game.

Peace

[JasonLJ]

I carry one flag on each side close to my hip. I put black hockey tape over the ball so it blends in with my pants. Bean bag on my center right belt and an additional bean bag in my front right pocket for free kicks.

[jchamp]

I've always kept yellow-balled flags. Everyone knows they're there. When I'm on the wings I'll put one on each side because of the signalling punch backs that normally occupy my arms. Otherwise it's just on my right side and a backup hidden in my back right pocket. They stay tucked into my pants unless I have to use them. I keep one bean bag on my left side for quick access, and carry one in my front left pocket for use on kicks-especially punts when I'm back judge. I always carry my backup bean bag when I'm anticipating having to use it-don't want to get running down field and trying to dig into my pocket while following a bouncing ball.

[Tom.OH]

I have 1 black ball (Ohio Gold Book standard) tucked on my right front. Second flag in right front pocket. Blue beanbag tucked on my left front, second beanbag in my left front pocket. For sub varsity games I only carry 1 of each. Not really sure why we need to have black ball flags because everyone knows we have them.

[Sturno]

Originally Posted by Tom.OH

I have 1 black ball (Ohio Gold Book standard) tucked on my right front. Second flag in right front pocket. Blue beanbag tucked on my left front, second beanbag in my left front pocket. For sub varsity games I only carry 1 of each. Not really sure why we need to have black ball flags because everyone knows we have them.

Same here. Right front flag tucked (went to black ball last year when ordering new stuff) and bean bag (blue - long thin "NFL style" they call it) tucked into front left. Black bean bag is a real b***h to find during night games, for the record. Used it for a few games and went away from it right before our top brass notified everyone this past off-season that we were not to use the black bean bags. I keep second flag in back pocket....only tossed it a handful of times maybe over 20+ years.

[Texas Aggie]

I think inside the belt, on either side, is, if not the only good place, the most sensible place to carry your main flag. Like JR, I used to carry a second flag deep in my front pocket -- a middle weighted flag that folded well. I've thrown it maybe 3 times, so now I don't even carry it. Wings, however, may need a second flag -- offsides or illegal formation/motion/etc. at the snap and something else downfield.

With the black pants, I think everyone should go with the flag with the black "ball" on it. At least, that's what you should buy from now on. Use what you've got now, especially for weather games, but we try to encourage guys not to have homemade equipment or home-modify stuff. It just looks unprofessional, I think.

When I work back judge, I carry a white and black bean bag and use them for team designations.

[Texas Aggie]

Black bean bag is a real b***h to find during night games

Funny story: one of the schools in my area got that blue field turf similar to Boise State installed (other schools have done red, if you believe that). Anyway, one guy that I worked with this year had a JV game the previous night at the school. When he got there, he realized all he had under the seat of his car was an old blue bean bag -- something our association has never really authorized but guys bought them. He didn't know at the time about the field and even didn't think much about it until he threw his BB during the game. Said it took him 15 minutes to find it, and someone else brought it to him!

[Welpe]

I like the look of the black bean bags until you actually need to use them. They are really hard to find on some of the poorly lit fields we work.

I wear a single flag in my waist band to the right of my belt buckle. I do have it wrapped with black athletic tape but that's not to hide it so much as it is to keep the material from bleeding yellow onto my shirts plus it adds some extra weight to the flag.

[PATRICK]

I carry one black ball flag rt front, one white beanbag lt front. I carried a black beanbag for exactly one half of one game. It took too long to find!

I sell equipment in my area, and all I sell are black ball flags, so that's becoming the local standard. Just because it's a logistical nightmare to carry yellow and white also.

[InsideTheStripe]

Yellow flag on the belt midway between the bellybutton and hip.

I can grab it with both hands and get it where it needs to be. Backup yellow flag in the back (buttoned) pocket.

I don't understand the trend of black balled flags. Everyone knows we have them. Why try to hide that fact?