Don't make the assumption that Joomla module positions have to be displayed in the template. Modules can be displayed from within the article content using Joomla. This article briefly describes how to display a module inside your content.
Modules in Joomla by default can include:
You may want to display an article or a ad(gross) within your content. It doesn't make sense to create a position in your template for an item which you will only display on one page.
Displaying modules within content is really easy here are the steps for Joomla 1.5:
Go to Extensions > Plugin Manager.
Open "Content - Load Module"
On the right side, you will see a dropdown box.
Choose how you want your module formated
In the article use
{loadposition position_name}
If you use Joomla's Front Page (Rss feed) the module will not render. Instead it displays the {loadposition position_name} text. A bandage fix for this would be to just display the intro in the feed and place your modules in the main content. I'll update this article when I find a proper solution.