Have you ever played defense? I have, and trust me it's not as easy as it looks. Out of every set or look, there can be several different schemes. Multiply that by however many looks a defense has, and you end up with a playbook thats pretty thick. You are also the one who made the first Saban reference *******!
maybe it's not plays at all, maybe it is notes from a motivational speech they went to. maybe its a 6 figure number with a dollar sign in front of it to remind them how much money they could make in a few years if they lay the smack down. MAYBE just maybe it's their grandmaws recipe book. MAYBE it's a picture of the other team's mascot chewin on a picture of their momma... MAYBE they do wanna be a French Fry! [MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vddBkuOsyaU&NR[/MEDIA]
Perhaps its to simplify things. If the offense is going no-huddle, the coaches can signal in a number, the players looks at their wristbands to see which play matches up with the number and, voila, they have their next play! Just a thought... Honestly, who the hell cares whether they wear them or not. If it makes things easier for the players on the field, I don't see why it has to be an issue.