Thanks to Eli for this masterful artistic rendering of the offside rule:



Click the thumbnail to see the larger image. You will be stunned by how eerily lifelike the players are. It's as if Eli has captured the very souls of these players. You can almost FEEL the intensity of the action, as if the game itself were alive.

But, I think I get it. I think, maybe this is what the offside rule is:

Don't pass the ball to someone unless an opponent stands between your guy and the keeper. Otherwise, your guy wlll be offside IF he intercepts the ball.

Is this essentially correct? Because if it is, why can't they just frigging SAY that instead of phrasing it in the most incomprehensible manner possible?