You question FLAPS? I wouldn't, but the man flying wanted to extend them, NO?
Lyman, I hate to say this, but you are flaunting your confusion and lack of knowledge.
You are confusing speedbrakes and flaps. One goes up, one goes down on the A330.
Time for you to re-read FCOM flight controls again.
PM was telling PF not to extend the speed brakes and PF complied after briefly extending the speedbrakes. If all the emotional sparks had not been flying at that point, one of them might have realized, "Hey! We put out the boards and nothing happened. Maybe we are very slow."