Quote:
Originally posted by Warren Willson
To suggest you can have a "final" decision, and then a Final "final" decision and then a FINAL Final "final" decision means that all of the preceeding decisions before the LAST "final" decision were NOT "final" at all, and so in breach of the rule. It is even arguable that the "final" decision so made would STILL not be truly "final" because it too could be changed upon further deliberation. No, David, the FIRST complete decision made under the rule is the FINAL decision. If you want to continue this discussion, may I suggest we do that via email to avoid inflicting this debate on the board yet again?
Thanks and cheers,
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At the risk of appearing to change my position on the entire "changable calls" issue, I wish to take issu with the above assertion. Of course, it sounds quite reasonable at first. After all, final means final. However, upon further examination, it is not true.
Let us take an analagous example in that of the Supreme Court of the United States. I'm sure that the reader is aware of the notion of the "top court in the land," even if the reader does not reside in the United States. At any other level of court, the decision is not "final"; that is, either the participants may appeal the decision, or the judge may reconsider a decision and/or initiate a process to change part of a decision. When the Supreme Court makes a decision, it
is final (U.S. Constitution, article III plus various interpretation). However, the Supreme Court is free to later amend their decision, even though it was final. What is "final about it, then? It is not changable through any action of the parties involved; only the impartial arbiter(s) may change it.
Thinking of every other example in society, any person in power that gives a final decision is free to have at least some influence--sometimes unilateral power--to get the decision changed.
In baseball, then, the conclusion is obvious. A coach/team member may not influence a change a "final" judgement decision, but the one who made it certainly may.
However, that doesn't mean they SHOULD--an important distinction.
P-Sz