OT: FIFA World Cup

[GrayBeard Phil]

Since I am off work with my foot in a cast (BTW: results of Stupid actions rates no sympathy) I have been trying to follow the World's cup. I am under strict orders to stay out of the shop until foot is better.

I am sorry the British team lost. I was also rooting for Dutch, Spain, and Australia. I knew the USA would loose.

I don't know that much about the sport of international football, but really, what the heck is PSO. How can a winner be decided by after 2 overtimes penalty shots?

As someone from North America, somehow the concept of determining a winner based on penalty kicks, just seems wrong. I hope our friends overseas are not offended by my bias opinion.

It just seems wrong.

Phil

[Gill]

Hi Phil

It would be nice to see drawn matches re-played, as they used to in the old days. Unfortunately, this plays havoc with the tournament (and TV) schedules so instead we have extra time followed by penalty shoot-outs. Other techniques have been used in the past but they've all been discarded in favor of penalties.

It doesn't seem to be a popular solution, especially if you're English. Our record is, 'played 5 penalty shoot-outs, lost 5 penalty shoot-outs'.

Good luck Germany!

Gill

PS Hope the foot gets better soon.

[MinotBob]

Is the ball round or with pointy ends?

What colleges are playing?

[lucky788scroller]

Bob, I think they shoot it through a hoop, so I imagine its round???????????

[CanadianScroller]

The game of football or soccer was around long before the American football game was started.
I know Americans may seem to think that football is funny name for soccer, but I could never figure out why American football was called football when the ball is thrown around.

I am afraid sports are lost on me I don't seem to get caught up in the fervor. I was disappointed to hear of the shoot outs though.
I spent many years working in an arena driving the Zamboni. I witnessed many games that were won or lost with overtime shoot outs.

There really are no winners in that format. It seems when a team wins it is a team effort, When a team loses the goalie gets the blame.

I think Gill is right that the teams should have a rematch. It seems the profits get in the way of the sportsmanship.
Even if I do not get involved in sports all it takes for good sportsmanship is common sense and good manners.

[will8989]

My children started playing soccer at the age of 8. I tried to get my son to play at age 5 but he looked at the coach and said I don't like this game, I'm not playing and walked off the field! My daughter has been playing for 17 years, her husband also plays soccer and is a ref and everytime I go to a game with them or to watch them play I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK OFF SIDES ARE!!! Seems if the forward (?) goes after the ball and goes past the last defender it's offsides UNLESS.... and that's what gets me every time! I think they take me to the games so they can laugh when an offsides is called and I ask to explain it to me. So Phil if you figure out offsides, please explain it to me!

Betty

[GrayBeard Phil]

Betty:

Nope! not a clue.

Had two close guesses, both were wrong.

Phil

[Gill]

This is undoubtedly the most complicated aspect of soccer and it can confuse even professional players and coaches.

The idea of off-side is to prevent strikers from hanging around the goal area, waiting for a long pass to be sent to them so they can pop it into the net.

All players in the opposition's half of the pitch must be level with or behind the last defender but one at the time the ball is played. If the rule didn't say that the player must be level with or behind the last defender but one, the goalkeeper would put all the opponents on-side ! In effect this means that all players must be behind or level with all the opposing out-field defenders, although a side-effect is that there are times in a goal mouth scramble when an attacker can be caught off-side if there is only one outfield defender on the goal-line while his goalkeeper is stranded up the field. That doesn't happen often, so don't worry about it.

A player cannot be off-side if a defender is the last player to have contact with the ball (so if the ball deflects off a defender, the player is on-side). Nor can a player be off-side from a throw-in. Nor can a player be off-side if he/she is deemed not to be interfering with play.

It's this last rule that seems to cause most confusion. When is a player interfering with play? The late, great Bill Shankly once said indignantly, "If a player is not interfering with play or seeking to gain an advantage, then he should be."

Basically, off-side is a judgment call made by the linesman (referee's assistant, as they seem to be known nowadays) who has to take a mental snap-shot of the situation at the time the ball is played. The linesman listens for the sound of the ball being kicked whilst observing the position of the players. A player can be in an off-side position but it will only be given as off-side if the ball is played to him/her by another player, who might be many yards away at the time the ball is kicked.

If you remember that the aim of the rule is to prevent a team from having an unfair advantage by 'goal-hanging', it's easier to work out what's going on.

Hope this helps.

Gill

[Marcel in Longueuil]

Gill,

And that is how Andy Capp was born

LOL,
Marcel

[Gill]

Hi Marcel

I come from the same place as Andy Capp .

Monkey Hanger Gill