CFL discussion thread

[kirkjonas]

I think Doc is being a bit of a jerk here. There is no doubt that because of the money the players here are not of the same calibre. But the game is very entertaining because of 3 downs. Much more passing than in the NFL and a much more exciting game overall. If all participants are evenly matched then the results are pretty much the same. I have found myself falling asleep during many of an NFL defensive battle. And also during mostly running games. Very boring!!There are great games in the NFL and there are great games in the CFL. it's all about entertainment. The fact that one Alouette may have been an asshole is totally irrelevant. No assholes in the NFL? Shall we start a list? And because they earn less than you they are somehow inferior. Give me a break. You are a snob. Why not measure IQ in both leagues. Any idea who would come out ahead on that test! !

Sorry that's just a irrelevant statement about matching IQs between the leagues. NFL is superior because the most athletically gifted and intelligent players will invariably go where the money is. Who cares who is IQ or book smarter? Plenty of pro athletes would never be considered IQ smart but have instincts and ability that make they game smart which is what is actually relevant here.

So in that context yes the CFL is inferior because anyone good enough would rather go to the NFL unless you can find me the example of a player that had the NFL option and turned it down for the CFL. Its not being a snob to state the obvious, money attracts talent.

It comes down to personal choice at that point which style you prefer to watch, and for me the CFL is just a bad joke.

 

[Doc Holliday]

It comes down to personal choice at that point which style you prefer to watch, and for me the CFL is just a bad joke.

I totally agree with your post. I'm perplexed at why he referred to me as a jerk. Because i don't share the same opinion as his in regards to the CFL? Whatever.

Sure, the NFL isn't perfect. The recent suspensions they handed out were a joke. But i can list dozens of reasons why i can't stand the CFL other than the fact it has 2nd rate talent. I have already listed some of them and would like to add the size of the field, especially the vast end-zones. How the hell can a team not score a TD every time it's in the red zone? And the field is also larger.

It's really a kicker's game. Or should i say a punter's game. As soon as a team doesn't get the first down after only two attempts, they punt the ball. There is way too much punting going on in a CFL game & since there are only 3 downs, the offensive plays are way too predictable. Pass, pass, pass! Not enough emphasis is put on defence. It's all basically a case of covering the zones in order to prevent the passes from being completed.

It's also a league that for a long time had 2 franchises using the same name. Rough Riders vs. Roughriders. I kid you not!!

It's also a league that has sometimes harboured players that were banned in the NFL due to a criminal element. Anyone remember the time the Montreal Alouettes employed former college standout & Rams player Lawrence Phillips? Yep, he also got into trouble with the law once he arrived in Montreal. And that's another problem: any NFL player banned in that league would be seemingly welcomed with open arms by the Alouettes organization it seems. That organization reminds me of the Oakland Raiders, in a way. It loves to welcome the rejects of the other teams/leagues.

I'm not being a jerk or a snob. I'm simply stating facts & stating my opinion of why i cannot stand watching the CFL. I agree, one of the main reasons may be that in my eyes, it's a 2nd rate league composed of 2nd rate talent. It's for this reason that i do not follow minor league baseball, minor league hockey & minor league basketball. I have zero interests in the Marlies, Bisons or the D-League. Therefore, i'm certainly not going to say that i enjoy minor league football!

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

I prefer the NFL but do watch the CFL if you saw last weeks Sask - Winn game it was very good. They are not pass, pass, punt as some say ( Ever watch Cornish, Harris, White or Sheets play ? )
NFL is run, run, pass punt with better quality players mostly due to the huge population difference plus the college's there go mental over football. Different games and both are entertaining :thumb:

 

[anon_vlad]

CFL + : the larger field and the rule that more than one member of the backfield can be in motion before the snap of the ball. The "No Yards" penalty ensures a runback of every punt in bounds and gives the receiver a bit of room - certainly more exciting than watching a receiver waving his hands in the air for a fair catch, thus giving up on a return.

CFL - : Although the ball is larger and therefore harder both to throw and catch, it is annoying to see lots of dropped or bad thrown passes. Also. either the players are poorly disciplined or the referees are trying to be the stars of the game. The flow of games is disturbed by far too many penalties.

I wish that the larger field and smaller ball were used for both leagues.

As bad as CFL players sometimes appear, we have to remember that they are still superior to the average US college player.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Most of them were US college players who can't make it in the NFL.

I went to a Sooner game in Oklahoma once and it was a MUCH better experience than any of the CFL games I have been to. With that said I do like going to see a CFL game live once in a while but on tv, meh not so much.

As bad as CFL players sometimes appear, we have to remember that they are still superior to the average US college player.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

The flow of games is disturbed by far too many penalties.

Yes, the roughing the passer and kicker has gotten extreme, last weekend a linemen was clipped by an opposing player and tumbled into the kicker ( barely ) and a flag was thrown, I know they need to be protected but this year it has gotten crazy.

 

[Doc Holliday]

With that said I do like going to see a CFL game live once in a while but on tv, meh not so much.

I've had more fun playing hide n' seek and dodge ball than i've had attending a CFL game.

I went to an Alouettes game a few years ago. I don't remember whom they played against and didn't bother buying a game program. I'll be honest: it was a close game, but way too many fans were more interested looking at the cheerleaders than the game itself.

I still hate the fact that the field is larger and the end zones appear bigger than some countries themselves. But i suppose scoring TD's can still be challenging if the QB can't throw the ball properly half the time & the receivers have trouble catching it. Why any of those 2nd-rate players are given the star treatment locally is a complete joke!

And it is also true that there are way too many dumb penalties called which continously interrupts the flow of an already crappy inferior product.

Montreal will never be considered a true sports city as long as it has only 1 true major sports team & continues to support 2nd-rate sports leagues.

And finally......CFL games are way too long & it seems like the games never end, especially in the final 2-3 minutes of each half.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Yes, the roughing the passer and kicker has gotten extreme, last weekend a linemen was clipped by an opposing player and tumbled into the kicker ( barely ) and a flag was thrown, I know they need to be protected but this year it has gotten crazy.

How about that stupid 'no yards' penalty during a punt? Ridiculous!

 

[anon_vlad]

How about that stupid 'no yards' penalty during a punt? Ridiculous!

I had forgotten to add this to the list of good things about the CFL. The aim of the "no yards" penalty is to ensure a runback. There is not much excitement watching the returner waving his hand for a fair catch or almost invariably getting plastered immediately after a very short return.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Doc,

I go to CFL games for the atmosphere, it is fun times as are most all live sporting events. Would I miss the CFL if it were to fold? Yea, but it is not like it would destroy my life lol.

What I like the most about going to an Al's game is checking out which cheerleaders might be sp's or strippers that I may have seen lol

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

How about that stupid 'no yards' penalty during a punt? Ridiculous!

I was living in Ottawa when the Pirates were playing there and the Pirate punt returner called a fair catch ( hand in the air ) and got nailed hard ( opposing player was more than 5 yards away when caught ), you could hear the whole stadium say Oooooooo and the announcer mentioned that this in not the NFL. If you eliminate the 5 yards you need to bring in the fair catch rule.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Doc,

I go to CFL games for the atmosphere, it is fun times as are most all live sporting events. Would I miss the CFL if it were to fold? Yea, but it is not like it would destroy my life lol.

What I like the most about going to an Al's game is checking out which cheerleaders might be sp's or strippers that I may have seen lol

Professional football is unanimously one of the worse sports to watch live, ahead of hockey, baseball and basketball. Only auto racing and golf fare worse. I've been to half a dozen NFL games and watching it live is a real snoozefest. But there's no better sport to watch on tv. It's my favorite sport, ahead of hockey, baseball and basketball, among other team sports.

As for your comment about your reason to look at the Als cheerleaders, i doubt any of them ever escorted or stripped. I've been told that they are all screened extensively by the selecting committee. Their background checks are often performed by private investigators hired by the team.

 

[kirkjonas]

That's always something that kindof bothered me about pro sports in general the merit in actually going to the games.

Yeah I get fan pride and support the team, but I always preferred watching sports at home or in a bar. Don't have to deal with crazy traffic coming in and leaving, I can watch multiple games or multiple sports at the same time, I can hear myself think, eat a meal, follow the games way easier and hear announcers breakdowns of the games and rule explanation and its so much cheaper. Other then having the experience once in your life at a professional game, for the most part I think watching games at home is much better then being there in person.

I get one game once in a while, but season ticket holders I never got what was the big deal other then being able to say you have season tickets. Your paying so much more for a somewhat subpar experience. That said there are historic games I would have loved to have been at or to experience the ambience of a college bowl tail gating event but on the whole the prices have become totally ridiculous but people will pay it so what can you do.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

Professional football is unanimously one of the worse sports to watch live, ahead of hockey, baseball and basketball.

Baseball? Serious..... Live or on TV sucks..... My opinion.

 

[kirkjonas]

Baseball? Serious..... Live or on TV sucks..... My opinion.

I think he means in terms of being able to follow what is happening not the actual preference of the sports.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

I think he means in terms of being able to follow what is happening not the actual preference of the sports.

I see..........................

 

[Doc Holliday]

Baseball? Serious..... Live or on TV sucks..... My opinion.

I'll admit that a baseball game is considerably long and they must do something drastic to shorten the game or else there won't be any baseball fans 30 years from now. The new generation and the next one to come won't put up with 3+ hour baseball games. Men's tennis also needs to smarten up. Way too many matches go 5 sets now and many of them end up in tie-breakers. You can't expect people to watch tennis for 3-4 hours every time. The men are also rumoured to push for maximum 3 set matches, like the women. Their bodies are taking quite a toll and if something doesn't change you won't have many men being able to play over the age of 30 since their bodies will be too battered up by then.

Let me add one more thing: for me, PVR saved my interest in MLB. When i don't feel like sitting on my ass in front of a tv for 3+ hours, i simply fast-forward the first half of the game, or watch some of it and come back and watch some of the rest later. When i attend live ballgames, i usually go for walks after the 4th or 5th inning, and come back to my seat a couple of innings later. It's also a good way to avoid dvt in my opinion. Sitting down for long periods of time (like on airplanes) isn't good for the legs' circulation.

The other day, i was talking with a young german couple visiting Canada and we compared baseball & soccer. Most people who haven't grown up with either sports find them boring. I can't blame people who've never followed baseball to find it extremely long and boring, as i told the young couple. Many of us feel the same thing about soccer. I grew up in a sports-oriented family and that's pretty much the reason why i like to follow most sports (other than the CFL). Myself and my sibblings played various sports throughout our upbringing, into our adult lives. That's why i can watch baseball and don't find it as boring as some people may find it. I played soccer while in high school, so i'm able to watch it on tv...but usually only when it's the World Cup or in an Olympic tournament. Same thing with basketball. Many people i know hate basketball and claim it's the same thing for three-and-a-half quarters. They may have a point if you're looking from the outside. But i played the sport back in high school and was very good at it. I've followed the NBA since the mid-70's. My favorite team at the time were the Philadelphia 76ers, led by Dr. J and a cast of others.

 

[kirkjonas]

There are few sports fans on earth who are as insecure in their preferences as the Canadian NFL fan. It is rarely enough for him to enjoy his sport of choice; he usually also feels the need to denigrate the CFL and those who enjoy it. If the MLS is being discussed, a fan of EPL will usually ignore the discussion and won't feel the need to interrupt and proclaim the EPL's superiority to the MLS. If NCAA football is being discussed, the ordinary NFL fan will not feel the need to proclaim the NFL's superiority to the college game. If NCAA basketball is being discussed, the NBA fan will not interrupt to say that the worst NBA team could still beat the NCAA champions. It is just the Canadian NFL fan who for some strange reason, cannot control himself, and simply must interject himself in any and every discussion about the CFL. I don't know if it is some emotional deficiency that the Canadian NFL fan suffers from, but I have observed this phenomenon on many occasions.

Do any of the other examples you mentioned have completely different rule sets although they are technically the same sport at different skill levels?

 

[SloCumHeat]

Nope. Nada. Sucks. LOL

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

There will be 2 good games today, Calgary - Edmonton and Sask - Winn.....