Why not? We could use a few more opinions....
There IS a trend. The trend is that in a few cases, dudes disregarded the rules for whatever reasons and got burned. Some died.
Show me one period of aviation history where that HASN'T happened. There's a reason rules are rules is all I'm saying. The vast majority of experienced aviators, and dare I say officers, know that there is wiggle room in any set of rules giving operators more than enough room to maneuver or hang yourself. The choice is ultimately up to the operator.
Ive flown with guys who knew every goddamned line of the V3 by heart. They could quote the 11-202 like scripture. And when they came upon a decision or mission that required them to THINK rather than recite, to decide how far to BFM the rules... they froze. Literally, stopped thinking - inability to make a decision.
Rules are necessary. And strict adherence to regulation is not practical in all cases. If you want to be an automaton that doesn't have to think, this job ain't for you. Check that - you could always be a ground safety officer (don't get me started) or a SNCO on shoe/sock/lightbelt patrol at a deployed location earning your Bronze Star...
Bottom line - there are times when rules don't apply and you have to manage the risk/reward benefit (thats what they sent you to all that training for): when lives are on the line, combat, emergency, etc. Airshows and flybys ain't on the list.
Chuck