First time to start the game with a technical

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I have no problem with your interpretation of the rule, and if you decided to issue a T where most of us wouldn't, I have no problem with that either.

However, this is twice you seemed to intimate that "especially if the coach demanded..." matters to you. It should not. Ever. If you decided it was a T, it's a T. If you decided it's not, it's not. Opposing coach's insistence is completely and entirely irrelevant, and honestly it irks me to some degree that you seem to consider it relevant.

Look at it this way: the home team needs the visiting team's agreement to reschedule the start time. The teams have a contract that specifies the start time. The teams may, by common consent, reschedule the start time at any point prior to the ball being tossed.

The visiting team's coach in this instance is demonstrating that he does not agree to the rescheduling and so it is a T. If he doesn't ask for it, he is agreeing to the rescheduling so there is no infraction.

Whether or not there is a T depends on whether the scheduled start time is changed which depends on the other coach agreeing to the change. So, yes, the T is up to the offended coach, imo.

For my part, I'm going to try to talk him into agreeing to just start the game.