[Skahtboi]

I am wondering what it is about this rule that people just can't get straight. Why does it seem to confuse so many??

Last night working a varsity game for a fairly big (4A) school, with a usually knowledgeable and always straightforward coach. He wants to put his DP in on defense for his FLEX. Fine, says I. Later, he switches them again. Again, no problem. Then, an inning or so later, he wants the DP back in on defense for the FLEX. Says I, "are you sure?" He picks up on this and asks why. I tell him that if he makes this move again, his FLEX will have no more re-entry rights, and that he will either stay at nine or have to sub in one of his two remaining sub as the FLEX. He starts to argue, but then asks, "are you sure?" I answer in the affirmative. (I have known this coach for many years, and there is a good rapport between us.) So, he decides against it, but tells me, and I believe him on this, because, as I have said, he has always been straightforward and honest, "I have done this two or three times this year without a problem. Nobody has ever stopped me. Last week I substituted them like this three or four times." I simply apologized for this having happened, and assured him that I was enforcing the rule.

Then, a while back, I was working with a 20 year vet at a tournament. One coach comes up at the beginning of the game and asks my partner, who is PU, if he needs to know when he makes defensive moves between the DP and the FLEX. My partner's response? "No, I don't care about defensive moves." I stop them there and say 'yes coach, he would like to know when you make any move involving the DP/FLEX." Coach says "I thought so." My partner and I get into a discussion, where he says I don't care what they do defensively, any nine out of the ten can play defense. I correct him on this and inform him that the FLEX and any eight of the others can play defense, or else the FLEX has been subbed for. He wants to argue.

I am getting frustrated that so many people are making a relatively simple rule so difficult, and making the rest of us look bad.

Thanks for letting me vent.