We reconsider the derivation of the Michael lattice sum rules, which r
elate the energy and action stored in a flux tube of a quark-antiquark
pair to the static interquark potential and show that they require es
sential corrections. We then find, using the coupling constant sum rul
e of Karsch, that the total Minkowski field energy does not match the
interquark potential, if one follows conventional notions. The implica
tions of this result are discussed.