Reasoning of the GDC

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by martin417

I have always had a problem with complaints about "lawyering" the rules. If we don't understand a rule, how can we follow it?
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Every team should make every effort to fully understand all rules so they won't be surprised at inspection. Don't complain about attempts to understand.

My comments were more directed at philosophies that seek to exploit rules in order to simply get a win at the expense of sportsmanship/GP. Those philosophies are abundant and obvious to anyone who reads the Q&A. If I remember correctly there was even a seminar in Atlanta last year on (and I'm paraphrasing here...) 'How to Win, Period'. While I don't wholeheartedly disagree with that line of thinking due to the fringe ideas it produces, those philosophies are what expose loopholes in the wording of the rules that are against the obvious (to me...) intent of the rule. Thus I'm sure there is much consideration given to such philosophies, ergo the sometimes odd or constricting wording of the rules. It would seem apparent that the less word play to find a niche strategy, the better off a team is. A perfect example is 190 in 2008 (I hate to call their design out, but it's the epitome of what I'm describing).

If a rookie team can't put everything in their head at once to ensure conformity across the entire rulebook, then it should be up to the veteran teams to step in and help them come competition time. Turning a blind eye to it simply hurts the overall morale and sustainability of that team and by association the overall Regional. While that situation may not be a direct criteria for a ruling, it is probably present enough in reality that the GDC doesn't even need to consider such specific scenarios as what you described.