NRF24 trying to debug issues

go ahead smart guy, tell me why this works

  if (millis() - retryRefreshMarker2 > 40) {
    requestRX1update();
    retryRefreshMarker2 = millis();
  }

  if (nrfEnabled) {
    if (updateState == 1) {
      //Serial.println("requestrx1");

      //requestRX1update();
    //  retryRefreshMarker = millis();
      updateState = 2;
    }

    if (millis() - retryRefreshMarker > 15) {
      if (updateState == 2) {
        wirelessSPI.flush_rx();
        requestRX2update();
        wirelessSPI.flush_tx();
        retryRefreshMarker = millis();
        updateState = 3;

      }
    }
    if (millis() - retryRefreshMarker > 15) {
      if (updateState == 3) {
        requestRX3update();
        updateState = 4;
        retryRefreshMarker = millis();
      }
    }
    if (millis() - retryRefreshMarker > 15) {
      if (updateState == 4) {
        requestRX3Paramsupdate();
        updateState = 5;
        retryRefreshMarker = millis();
      }
    }
    if (millis() - retryRefreshMarker > 20) {
      if (updateState == 5) {
        updateState = 1;
      }
    }
  }

but this dont

  if (nrfEnabled) {
    if (updateState == 1) {
      requestRX1update();
      retryRefreshMarker = millis();
      updateState = 2;
    }

    if (millis() - retryRefreshMarker > 250) {
      if (updateState == 2) {
        wirelessSPI.flush_rx();
        requestRX2update();
        wirelessSPI.flush_tx();
        retryRefreshMarker = millis();
        updateState = 3;

      }
    }
    if (millis() - retryRefreshMarker > 250) {
      if (updateState == 3) {
        requestRX3update();
        updateState = 4;
        retryRefreshMarker = millis();
      }
    }
    if (millis() - retryRefreshMarker > 250) {
      if (updateState == 4) {
        requestRX3Paramsupdate();
        updateState = 5;
      }
    }
    if (millis() - retryRefreshMarker > 450) {
      if (updateState == 5) {
        updateState = 1;
      }
    }
  }
}

this is obviously the compilers fault. i should mention that i did put a serial.print right underneath requestRX1update(); and its SUPPOSEDLY called in either case but only in the top half with requestRX1update(); outside of updateState does it actually send any data to rx1