clarification of substitution rule

[bebanovich]

Wrong, the rule states that a captain may request a match-up if you substitute 3 or more players.

Right. My bad.

No, they would not be violating the spirit of the rule. If you sub 3 or more and the team wants a match-up, they're getting it.

OK. Your second sentence is clear to me and, ultimately, I will have to live with this as the answer. However, I don't understand how it would not be a violation of the spirit of the rule if a team is asking for a defensive match-up when they are not matching up defensively. Is the spirit of the rule not to guard against match-up confusion? If not, what is it?

I am really not trying to be confrontational but I'm hoping to be convinced intellectually so I can sleep in peace. Maybe the answer is that the spirit of the rule is immaterial in this case but I can't yet except that this example is actually within the spirit of the rule. What am I missing?