page 2 says GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

6/27/2006 6:03:26 PM

Quote :

"The current offsides rule is actually preferable because it creates a more free-flowing, attacking style of play. In case anyone didn't know, the midfield line can never be offsides. What would creating an arbitrary line at, say the penalty box do? It would allow cherry-picking, forcing teams to hang back. This would allow less space behind the defense (for breakaways, through balls, perfectly timed runs), while allowing teams to push forward on the attack. While some of you may be upset about nixed scoring "opportunities", on the whole the offsides rule in fact allows teams to push forward. It doesn't seem right that an attacking teams penetration depth is limited by the position of the defensing teams back players. It covers their ass far too much. I hardly see how making the game about positioning, timing, and speed is to simply protect people from getting "burned". An arbitrary line would protect people from getting burned far more from soccer's offside rule."

Free-flowing? The only free-flowing play I see is the constant backwards cycling. My cae in point on why the offsides rule sucks is from when watching a friendly just before the cup: someone had a free kick near midfield and just before the kick went off the back 2 defenders ran forwards a couple steps real quick and made the forwards offsides resulting in a turnover... absolutely retarded. You shouldn't be able to make someone be offsides by, in essence, giving up on defending. You say that D having to guard against a line would cause less offensive chances but I disagree. It creates more open space within the field for movement and setup (like when a football team runs a prevent) and if the D isn't paying attention they aren't saved from getting burned when a forward slips behind them. Besides in the article I posted earlier there is this tidbit:
"As far back as 1925 the offside rule was ripped up after fears the game was becoming too defensive. The result? Total goals scored in the English leagues rose from 4,700 to 6,373 in one season."
http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1767320,00.html?gusrc=rss

Quote :

"and how the fuck would you know that. i referreed for a couple of years, and you set a different clock for when there is an excessive amount of time wasted due to anything that could happen. they know exactly how much time was wasted. god damn some of these people bitching have no fucking clue what theyre talking about, although that is normal for this section. another retarded comment with no basis"

I've seen plenty of matches where the amount of extra time was suspicious (in either direction). Using a timekeeper and on-field signals only provides a level of certainty... that is of course unless you don't think there is any sort of bullshit that goes one.

Quote :

"because soccer has the potential to be out of control violent. keeping it a man down lessens the amount of retaliation fouls."

Do you not think football or hockey have the potential for being out of control violent? Shit, punching one another in the face repeatedly only costs you 5 minutes and no disadvantage yet they manage to keep things inline in hockey. Blindsiding someone and giving them a concussion can possibly net you 2 minutes and still the game has restraint.

Quote :

"see in the goals sense, i am the opposite. in lacrosse they score 15 goals a game, so its really not that exciting to me when somebody scores. in soccer you bust your ass and build constantly, and when you finally get one, it makes it much more worthwile (my personal opinion)"

I don't think anyone wants Lacrosse scoring, it is too much for this type of sport. I see no reason to expect hockey type scores every game (5-3, 4-2, 6-4, etc.). Its a high scoring game if the losing team simply scores a goal. Looking at the World Cup games so far: in 36 out of 56 matches (65%) at least one team did not score a goal, 6 out of 56 games had a 0-0 score, the average winner:loser score has been 1.9 to 0.4 goals, the most a losing team ever scored was 2 goals and that only happened in 5 out of the 56 matches.

We don't want to make soccer a different sport. It just needs to be tweaked to suit the times.

6/28/2006 10:07:21 AM

divers ruin the beautiful game ... if a camera catches you without a doubt taking an obvious dive, the appropriate governing body for the league/international whatever should give a minimum half season suspension ... all you would need is someone looking at tape of every foul call after the game

6/28/2006 12:19:57 PM

Quote :

"My cae in point on why the offsides rule sucks is from when watching a friendly just before the cup: someone had a free kick near midfield and just before the kick went off the back 2 defenders ran forwards a couple steps real quick and made the forwards offsides resulting in a turnover... absolutely retarded. You shouldn't be able to make someone be offsides by, in essence, giving up on defending. "

you're kidding, right? how is outwitting your oponent "giving up on defending?" it's a part of the game, and the forwards should know that. the offsides trap is often used with teams that have fast and unified defenders. when you can get a defensive group to act as one, and they all move up and play the trap, its awesome to watch. It's also fun to watch, because there is an opportunity for a breakaway one v one goal scoring opportunity the moment the defense truely "gives up on a play" and they keep that one fast striker onsides. but to assume that smart defense equals "giving up on a play" really shows a lack of understanding or appreciation of the game; which is fine, but don't rip on it just because it doesn't meet your requirements. billions of people, myself included like the rule the way it is, and it's not worth alienating them from the game just to attract the attention of a few slow, brain-dead viewers who would rather see the rules of the game changed instead of taking the time to understand why they are there to begin with.

6/28/2006 2:24:26 PM

here's whats wrong w/ the refs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIm9yMCEBhg

6/28/2006 4:06:27 PM

The bigger problem with offsides is how many times in this cup that the linesman has missed a defender on the far side of the field keeping a man onsides. I've seen it happen 4 or 5 times on what would have been breakaways. If you're going to have an offsides rule, make it more easily and correclty enforceable.

[Edited on June 28, 2006 at 9:26 PM. Reason : e]

6/28/2006 9:26:06 PM

For the record, I don't think they should get rid of stoppage time or offsides rules, nor should the size of anything be changed.

However, I do think that outright faking an injury should net you a RED card (embellishing a minor injury = Yellow perhaps). That would end the faking awfully quick I think.

I also think penalty kicks should be further back, it seems damn near impossible for that one goalkeeper to defend that huge net.

Also, get rid of that STUPID penalty shootout to break ties, just play damn soccer until someone scores.

6/28/2006 11:28:08 PM