h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As someone who regularly watches football, my major gripe about the Offside Law it that it is so often incorrectly applied. Partly because the referee's assistants often seem to have no grasp of the law's fundamental points (perhaps they should be made to read your excellent article) but mainly because it is impossible for the assistant simultaneously to watch both the ball and the striker to whom it is being played. The two can frequently be 40 or 50 yards apart.

What often happens, in my experience, is that the assistant sees the ball being played, then looks across to see the pass recipient. If he is in an offside position when he touches the ball, he blows his whistle. Referees today will NEVER overrule even the most blatantly incorrect offside call because of the hassle they would get from the defending team.

This is one part of the game that REALLY annoys fans of the attacking team.

Oops, I didn't mean to say that the referee's assistant / linesman blows his whistle. He waves his flag, of course. It's the ref. who does the whistle-blowing.