John Cleese Explains The Offside Rule

Yeah seems weird don't it. At the time the ball is touched is when offside is judged. So if you're in front of the ball and the 2nd to last defender when the ball is touched by your teammate and you go back to retrieve it, you are offside. Like I said, hardly EVER happens.

Interesting Dustin... so if he was offside when the ball was kicked and runs back onside to get the ball directly, he's still judged offside?

One thing the referee looking guy said that was wrong. A ball can be played backward to a player in an offside position. That probably needs more explanation. Imagine a player is in front of both ball and teammate who is dribbling on the other side of the field. The Teammate passes the ball backwards and the player that was ahead of him comes back to retrieve the ball. That player by law was offside when the ball was played by his teammate and participated in play. So you can be called offside even if the ball is played backwards...you just have to be in front of the ball and the 2nd to last defender. Incredible situation I've seen it happen once in my career...boy was it fun to explain to them on the field.