BAGS AND FLAGS EVERYWHERE

After many years as a high school football official, I was invited to join a college crew on a part-time basis. One of the crew members was also on my high school crew and I asked him if there was one thing I should keep in mind. “Have two beanbags,” he said, referring to the apparatus used to mark specific spots on the field. “There are more opportunities for beanbags in college than in high school.” At that time, there were. Armed with that knowledge, I took the field with the suggested double beanbags. Early in the game, I spotted a receiver in my coverage area being held. I reached into my belt and threw the first thing my hand grabbed: a beanbag. Knowing immediately that was wrong, I reached into my belt and made another toss: another beanbag. Finally, the third time was the charm: a flag. By this time the receiver had broken free of the hold, had caught a pass and had been downed several yards downfield. Both coaches and the referee were mystified as to what could possibly happen on a play that would require not one but two beanbags and a flag.

— Jeffrey Stern, senior editor