"It's Rule 7-1-1, Coach!"

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by rainmaker
Kelly,

I see your point. Probably this has to do with level. My guess would be that at the levels I am working, I don't have to worry about anyone checking the book, since they don't usally even have one. I would guess that at the higher levels, coaches are more "detail-oriented" and more likely to check these things up. But I still think that if I was off by only one number (such as 4-35 instead of 4-34) and I got the spirit and intent correct, it wouldn't be a huge deal against me. And if a coach did want to argue about the number, I could easily say, "But I DID get the rule right" and there would be one more coach who would have read the rule book, and seen the interpretation there on the floor. But perhaps I am wrong about this at the higher levels.

I am not so sure about the other levels you do, but at the varsity level, you can very easily get away with this. Coaches at the higher levels in my opinion are sometimes the most ignorant, or at least say some of the most ignorant things at times(at least it you think they would know better, you do not expect that from the lower levels). Coaches at the higher levels are more diplomatic and vocal, so they tend to talk to you more other than just screaming at you. I have found myself in more conversations with coaches at the varsity levels, so quoting a rule is quite affective. But this is what I have experienced. This might not be true for everyone.