Sheesh! All this jibberish on "delayed dead ball" and all.
I use this phrase without hesitation because I view it as an umpiring term designed to enable people to better understand a situation. In this thread's original scenario of R3 being in a rundown and being obstructed in said rundown, I see no problem with explaining to a young umpire, a coach, or anyone else who wishes to understand this play that the ball here is dead immediately (Type A in OBR) and not a "delayed dead ball." Similarly, on a balk situation under OBR, I see no problem with explaining that the ball isn't always immediately dead, that it can be considered a "delayed dead ball." Using this philosophy isn't going to result in some kind of a protest or even the incorrect call; rather, it permits one to better comprehend what the eventual outcome of the play and call should be.
Truthfully, I think Jim's comments about "delayed dead ball" are the semantics of this whole argument. I, too, consider Jim a friend, and have worked with him and his staff before, but if he and I got into a discussion on this, I'm willing to bet he'd also have no problem with how this "delayed dead ball" term is used, at least in a conceptual manner.