Arm bands?

denverpb · 12-19-2011, 01:21 AM

I decided to post this here because you guys would know best. On all the old video games and old paintball talk/fottage I see the refs go pull the arm band or talk about talking the armband. The only thing that confuses me is besides the vids I have never heard or armbands or seen arm bands. I just see the ref point with his hand on his head. What are they about. P.s. I have not been around paintball long so idk

bumblB · 12-19-2011, 01:45 AM

A while back, before a game started in a tournament, you and your teammates would put on the armbands given to you at the deadbox/start gate. It was pretty much a way to say you are a live player I believe. You would want it on secured enough to where it wouldn't fall off on it's own. If it fell off, a referee could pull you out because you are no longer a live player. I believe it was you were still technically a live player until your armband was removed either by yourself, a referee, or if it fell off. Though if you tried to play on, of course you would get a penalty.

I think they did away with armbands now because it's a hassle. I know a few small local leagues that still use them, all the larger leagues I've played or seen do not use them anymore.

Misha"mole"yelich · 12-19-2011, 05:49 PM

arm bands were used to divide teams originally. Each team would have a different color. The NPPL used them for along time. The term pulling a player came from pulling there arm bands. If your arm band was pulled you were eliminated. They stopped using them some time back. They found it was easier to just signal the player they were eliminated. But arm bands made it so no player could say they didn't know that the ref pulled them.

SCBaller84 · 01-31-2012, 07:29 PM

I remember watching ESPN2 back when they covered NPPL series. The commentator made a hilarious comment saying the referee was having a "velcro party" after calling a 3-for-1 penalty. This comes from the armbands were secured with velcro.

I, for one, enjoyed the armbands. When you pulled someone, they knew they were pulled. Now, if call someone out, they argue they "couldn't hear".