[bebanovich]

OK. I realize that talking about the wacky system my team runs probably doesn't help you guys much in the work that you normally do, but I hope it is interesting to some of you.

Here's my new question. The rule states that a captain may request a defensive match-up whenever we sub more than three. If the opponent is playing almost exclusively a zone defense, can this request really be considered to be a genuine defensive match-up.

I know that I'm splitting hairs in pursuit of any advantage I can get - but as long as I am not clearly trying to violate the spirit of a rule, I consider this my RESPONSIBILITY as a coach.

It seems to me that the spirit of this rule is to help prevent an unfair advantage created by match-up confusion during mass substitution. This may be an initial byproduct of the system we play but it certainly isn't a goal. In fact, I think that after a few minutes of game play, it is easier for teams to match-up when we sub the same two line-ups everytime. The opposing players quickly figure out which two guys they're covering.

Would a team playing zone be violating the spirit of the rule by asking for a defensive match-up? This point is probably moot, but it seems to me that a rule worded "may request" opens the door for some discretion about the spirit of the rule and the appropriateness of the request.

Thanks for your indulgence,
David