Originally Posted By Mr X Okay, so I'm a casual sports fan (what the heck, I hail from Boston how can I not be!?), but I've never delved quite enough into the games to grasp the finer points (the only game I actually really PLAYED as a kid was baseball, so I'm pretty clear on all those rules and might even be able to answer some questions here as the thread moves along)... So, I started this thread for folks to ask questions they might otherwise be embarrassed to pose in mixed company (or, god forbid, while hanging out with a bunch of cheerleaders and jocks...been there, done that...not cool). Hopefully some savvy folks will come along with the answers. If a question has yet to be answered, feel free to go ahead and pose more questions. Nice, casual thread about sports. So, here goes...first dummy question. *gulp* Can someone explain, in very simple terms, what "offside" or "offsides" means? And once explained, perhaps a little explanation of the differences between offsides in football, hockey, and soccer (other sports too?). Hope someone knows! Thanks in advance.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I hate almost every sport (except seduction, getting a good spot for the fireworks, sailing, golf, rowing and fencing, but I can answer one). The offside rule in soccer is a huge area for debate, and many fans disagree on the meaning. But basically it means when someone tries to score a goal without any of the opposition team standing between the striker and the goal. It therefore does not count. (a head scratching moment, just like how in rugby the ball cannot be passed forward, only backward).
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 Wow, offsides, that is a good question lol... American Football - The two teams line up on either side of the line of scrimmage with the ball in the middle. If the defense goes towards the offense before the ball is snapped, then they are considered offsides. There are multiple offsides penalties but those are technicalities. Hockey and Soccer - If a player is on the opposing teams side and goes farther than the last defenders without having the ball or puck, he is considered off sides. This prevents a player from hanging out at the goal and waiting for the ball or puck to be sent to him. If the player has the ball or puck, he can go past the defender without having to worry about offsides being called. Not sure what the hockey rule is, but in soccer, 2 defenders must be behind you if you do not have the ball. Does this make sense?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo And it makes me wonder, why is this not a rule in basketball, or is it?
Originally Posted By Mr X YES! I think I get it now! I will have to ponder a bit more (not for lack of info, just to wrap my head around it in real-game situations...maybe I'll try YouTube for a highlight reel or something so I can see it in action with my new info).
Originally Posted By Mr X ***And it makes me wonder, why is this not a rule in basketball, or is it?*** Good question! Anyone!? (at first "goaltending" sprang to mind, but that's sort of the opposite if I'm understanding this correctly)
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 And it makes me wonder, why is this not a rule in basketball, or is it?<< No offsides in basketball. It has to do with the length of the field in soccer. I imagine, if you stationed a person on other side of the field in Soccer, you would get lucky occasionally. The court is much smaller in basketball, thus offsides probably doesnt matter much.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Interesting. I will be following this thread and appreciate the input. As someone that knows little about sports, it makes it easier to rapport people as it seems to take up a lot of their conversation (it's hillarious, when I have met top international players and managers, I often look at my watch and wonder when I can leave, others are jealous). Over paid, and over hyped IMHO.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Over paid, and over hyped IMHO.*** Without dragging this into WE, I will only say they are worth the price because they are what people care about. Just like Hollywood. Is Matt Damon REALLY worth 60 million dollars for a few weeks of his time? The "people want to see him do his thing" award would say "yes". Same as a baseball player. So they're not "overpaid" per se. It's just what people care about. That's the long and short of it.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***it's hillarious, when I have met top international players and managers, I often look at my watch and wonder when I can leave, others are jealous*** I can totally sympathize. Back in my Tokyo Disney days I met, hob-nobbed with, and totally didn't care about some of the top "celebrities" in Japan. When I mentioned the meetings with some of my Japanese friends, they screamed and then proceeded to ask me why the hell I didn't get an autograph. ;p
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 I am not a sports fan. DH and our kids are. All 4 of our kids played soccer, I probably banked a year of my life on the sidelines. Offsides was explained and diagrams drawn for me and I still don't get it. I think there are some of us whose minds can't register things like that. Same with football, things like "safety" and such, what the heck? I keep my mouth shut and zone out, making grocery lists or plan a Disney vacation in my mind This is a nice idea Mr. X
Originally Posted By TINK-MOBILE oFFSIDE IN SOCCER...eNGLISH fOOTBALL.. it really is a very simple law.... you must be behind or even with the second to last defender, whether it is the goalkeeper or next remaining player, there must be two before you or even with you when the ball is played, if you are not interferring with the play and are in an offside position , you should be ignored....the difficulty always arises when a referee has to determine was he or she or wasn't he or she in an offside position and seeking to gain an advantage when the ball was first played forward... this is offside when ball is played...... for ie.......x defending player.......... ...............O..offside player not even this is on side...O.....ATTACKING PLAYER. .....................X...DEFENDING PLAYER ............ONSIDE X..................... ............ONSIDE O PLAYERS ARE EVEN... WHEN BALL IS PLAYED...................... FOOTBALL...PLAYER CAN ENCROACH WITHIN A YARD OF OPPOSITION ON THE FRONT LINE...NOR TOUCH ANOTHER OPPONET BEFORE THE BALL IS SNAPPED....,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, HOCKEY....PLAYER CAN NOT CROSS THE BLUE LINE AHEAD OF THE PUCK...IF SO DEEMED TO BE OFFSIDE......IF THE PUCK IS CLEARED OUT AND THEN BACK IN AGAIN BEFORE THE ATTACKING SIDE HAS CLEARED THE ZONE THEN OFFSIDE IS THE CALL, MUST NOT PRECEED THE UCK OVER THE BLUE LINE , IF YOU ARE THE ATTACKING SIDE, THERE ARE OFFSIDE PASSES AS WELL WHERE YOU CAN NOT PASS OVER TWO LINES FROM YOUR OWN ZONE BEFORE THE PUCK........................DOES....
Originally Posted By TINK-MOBILE IN DIAGRAM TWO ATTACKING PLAYER IS TRAVELLING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM DIAGRAM ONE
Originally Posted By Labuda Ok, here's a question for anyone who can enlighten me... How on earth did Case Keenum throw SIX interceptions today? EGADS!
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 How on earth did Case Keenum throw SIX interceptions today? << He is overrated.
Originally Posted By Labuda That's still no excuse for six danged interceptions! I mean, I'm much more of a Longhorn fan, but I *am* a UH alum, so it just hurt to see them bow down and take it from the Air Force today.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 Labuda, being from Texas, how are the locals reacting to the shaft that Mike Leach got from Tech?
