An improved flag-tag football device comprising a novel ball and socket coupling assembly for detachably securing a first member to a second member in environments where it is desirable to provide predetermined resistance to pull-away detachable separation of the members in use, such as, for example, in flag-tag games; the coupling including an essentially rigid female socket part internally shouldered around the open end thereof and a male ball part rendered resilient by a closed transverse slot to permit inward deformation of the ball cheeks during coupling with the socket part and then outward expansion thereof at least toward predetermined normal configuration for trapping the ball part in the socket part to resist but not prevent separation of the coupling parts by normal pull-away tension during use, when the center axes of the coupling parts are in approximate general alignment.