glass said:
Is it literally impossible (ie balls through hoops that come of defening players don't count)? Or just really, really unlikely?
Well, I believe that if it comes off a defender as in touches her after being shot by the opposition it gets credited to the shooter, and, well, a defender would have to be quite skillfully unlucky to put the ball through her own net, seeing as how high it is, and how you tend to be passing out of the circle if you have the ball as a defender.
As for the England football...well, quite. I also don't understand how, when we have some of the best true wide players in a generation or two available, in Wright-Phillips and Downing (and Lennon when he's fit) McClaren thinks playing with just wing backs out wide is smart...and don't even get me onto the whole Fat Frank thing...
To the question on explaining other sports, I'll give rugby a try (keeping up the puns).
There are two forms of Rugby. Rugby Union and Rugby League. I'll be writing from a Union standpoint, since I'm a soft southerner.
In Rugby, each team fields 15 players, who are split into forwards and backs. The 8 forwards are Loosehead and Tighthead props, hooker, 2 second row players, an open side and a blind side flanker, and a number 8. These players form the pack, and, in certain circumstances the game is restarted by these 8 players binding together and pushing against the opposition pack to get the ball to come out their side.
The 7 backs are the Scrum Half, who acts as the link between the pack and the rest of the backs; the Fly Half, who is the lynch pin and decision maker with the ball in hand; Inside and outside centre, who line up to the side of the fly half and are often the first line of attack with the ball, as they are likely to be the first to receive the ball from the Fly Half; left and right wings, which are fairly obvious descriptions - they work the side-lines; and finally the Full back. He's the last line of defence, and the wild card in attack.
There's a diagram of how the team lines up in the BBC's guide to positions
here
Each match is 80 minutes in length, with 2 40 minute halves.
Teams score points by placing the ball down behind the opposition's try line (a Try, worth 5 points), kicking the ball between the opposition posts from a dead ball situation where the opposition has infringed (a Penalty, worth 3 points), kicking the ball out of hand through the opposition posts (a Drop Goal, worth 3 points) or kicking the ball through the posts from a dead ball as a reward for scoring a try (a Conversion, worth 2 points).
The ball is carried in hand and can only be moved from player to player by passing the ball backwards or by kicking it forwards and having them catch it. Anyone on your team who catches a ball you have kicked must come from behind you, however.
I realise this is an awful description now I've typed it. I'm sure someone else can come up with a better one, or you could look on the wikipedia page for Rugby Union. You could look up League, too, but that's the easy version played by daft northerners. Not as easy as American Football, you understand. They still pass backwards and don't wear padding, but they do stop somewhat when someone's tackled.
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