Why do so many people call it "offsides"

Discussion in 'Referee' started by former_ref, Nov 7, 2003.

  1. former_ref

    former_ref New Member

    Jun 3, 2003
    Okay, so this is a personal rant, but the official name for the infraction is "offside", not "offsides"
    Way too many people - coaches, referees and TV commentators included - get it wrong!
    For example they'll say, "the play was stopped because the player was offsides", or "Jim, watch out, you're offsides". No, it was called offside, the player was offside.

    How can people make this mistake? As importantly, how do they describe multiple offside infractions? "Boy, there were lots of offsideses called in that game"

    Just a pet peeve, but a big one - is it just me??
     
  2. JMMUSA8

    JMMUSA8 New Member

    Nov 3, 2001
    Webster
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes it is. Chill out.
     
  3. prk166

    prk166 BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 8, 2000
    Med City
    amen! It is offside. That's nothing plural about it.
     
  4. nsa

    nsa Member+

    New England Revolution
    United States
    Feb 22, 1999
    Notboston, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ignorance and laziness.

    BTW, JMMUSA8 has a petition before the FIFA board to officially change it to "offsides", because that's all he knows how to say. ;)
     
  5. IASocFan

    IASocFan Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 13, 2000
    IOWA
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    American football calls their infraction offsides. UEFA and other media also count the number of offsides.

    Lots of passed on ignorance.
     
  6. Frieslander

    Frieslander Member
    Staff Member

    Feb 14, 2000
    North Jersey
    it bugs the hell outta me too.
     
  7. JMMUSA8

    JMMUSA8 New Member

    Nov 3, 2001
    Webster
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Re: Why do so many people call it "offsides"

    damn straight I do!

    But seriously, I don't find it too annoying because I watch the game, not listen for screw ups in the commentating.
     
  8. Ref Flunkie

    Ref Flunkie Member

    Oct 3, 2003
    New Hudson, MI
    Actually I think in American football it is also offside, without the (s), but also mispronounced by commentators, etc. Personally, it does not bother me as much as someone yelling "That is offside" on a throw-in. :)
     
  9. bostonsoccermdl

    bostonsoccermdl Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 3, 2002
    Denver, CO
    I say offsides just to piss off anal-retentive people....

    when people are talking about "what a fine pitch" I also love calling it a "great soccer field."
     
  10. uniteo

    uniteo Member+

    Sep 2, 2000
    Rockville, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    why does anybody care?

    Really, isn't the whole purpose of words and language to communicate ideas? And I don't think anybody gets confused by the use of "offsides" as opposed to "offside".

    And finally, nobody who voted for GW Bush has any standing to criticize those who say "offsides"

    Thank you and have a splendiforous day.
     
  11. LotharDSM

    LotharDSM New Member

    Oct 3, 2002
    Des Moines, IA
    It's probably those same damn people that say "Need anything, I'm goin' over to the Wal-Marts". That bugs me even more...
     
  12. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You know what bugs me?

    The extraordinary number of false positive offside calls.
     
  13. kcscsupporter

    kcscsupporter Member+

    Apr 17, 2002
    D17
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    how 'bout some MACDonald's?
     
  14. astabooty

    astabooty Member

    Nov 16, 2002
    China
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    you know what? 'i could care less' lol. many ppl say that, hell i said it for years until my dad corrected me.
     
  15. bostonsoccermdl

    bostonsoccermdl Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 3, 2002
    Denver, CO
    agreed. If you are a ref, it is always safer to call the player offside and take "a little" criticism, rather than let the play continue and risk a game deciding goal....
     
  16. Crowdie

    Crowdie New Member

    Jan 23, 2003
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Is this the best you can do for a thread? Does it really matter if it is called "offside" or "offsides"? Talk about being picky. If you want to be that picky then why do Americans say "alright" instead of "all right" and "neighbor" instead of "neighbour"?

    If this is the biggest issue in refereeing then we are really doing it right.

    Crowdie
     
  17. former_ref

    former_ref New Member

    Jun 3, 2003
    Never said it was a "big issue"...

    Just venting my frustration - why wouldn't you want to say it correctly? I dont think that's picky or anal retentive.

    Crowdie, I think how things are spelt is a different issue that calling something by the incorrect name.

    BTW, did you see that Van Neselray scored a goals for Mun U the other day against that Brazlian teams? Too bad he was offsides that other time.

    Yeh right
     
  18. jeffmefun

    jeffmefun Member

    Apr 26, 2001
    Quakeland, CA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maybe it has something to do with terms like "in bounds" or "out of bounds"? There is somewhat of an analog in that there's a inbound pass, but when you are out of bounds, you are outside the single boundary of the playing field, which usually contains multiple bound(arie)s.

    Another comparison is this: how can someone have you in his sights? People only have one sight, right? Rifles typically only have one sight, as well.

    Who knows? Why fight it? I agree that it's not really a spelling error, but there are some words (including my last name) and phrases to which people love to add an extra "s".

    And, if bad grammar or poor spelling are sensitive topics for you, you are probably well-advised to stay far away from BigSoccer. The posters there, there some of the worst, with there spelling. Definately.
     
    kolabear repped this.
  19. afgrijselijkheid

    Dec 29, 2002
    mokum
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    maybe they are mixing up terms with hockey
     
  20. Craig P

    Craig P BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 26, 1999
    Eastern MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I believe the infraction is technically called "offside" in hockey as well.
     
  21. afgrijselijkheid

    Dec 29, 2002
    mokum
    Club:
    AFC Ajax

    nope
     
  22. afgrijselijkheid

    Dec 29, 2002
    mokum
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
  23. AAGunner3

    AAGunner3 Member

    Feb 14, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We are not the French who have a language committee determining what the unwashed masses can say when communicating in the French language.

    Why do we use multiple words for the same meaning like the one listed below? And there are more still to this one example. Do you only use the first one?

    Yes

    Yeah

    Yup

    Yep

    Uh-huh
     
  24. Bob G

    Bob G New Member

    Jan 11, 2000
    Colorado Springs
    Only American football players say, "There sure were a lot of offsideses called in that game."

    Soccer players, being more intelligent, use the latin term, "There certainly were a large number of offsidae detected in that match."
     
  25. denver_mugwamp

    denver_mugwamp New Member

    Feb 9, 2003
    Denver, Colorado
    I just wish...

    I just wish that my biggest problem in life was some people putting an improper "s" on a word. This whole thread should be filed in the "Who gives a flying whatever?" section of BS and the OP should go out and get a life.
     

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