I'm pretty sure these guys were'nt just transfered from a previous sector.
On the first of two consecutive evenings someone pipes up 'we're gonna go left 30 for weather' and Reims says 'approved'. The next night someone else does the same and the reply from ATC is 'no you're not - you can have right 60' or words to that effect. OK there are very occasional circumstances when there is no alternative to a particular course change but the CBs were pretty weedy and topped at ~290; and the calls had the air of this is what were doing - you'll just have to work round us, with no warning to ATC that they may be getting themselves into a bit of a hole. If I was the controller I would have been a bit cheesed off.