"Unkown" Sports: Part #4

[lmanchur.]

I'm continuing my series of threads on this forum to try to get it a little more active. The series will consist of a new thread every week, each highlighting an "unknown" sport -- one that gets very little popularity, but absolutely no reason to hide in the dark versus major sports like football, baseball, and hockey. Express your thoughts on these sports in this series of threads.

Part #4: The Canadain Football League

My Take: Obviously well known above the forty-nineth parallel, "the Canadian league," as referred to every once in a while on a Doug Flutie or Jeff Garcia newscast on ESPN, gets little attention below the forty-nineth, for obvious reasons.

But as anyone, besides those in Baltimore, etc. that had CFL franchises, ever watched the CFL?

Really, the "XFL," as Americans know it, already EXISTED, in terms of the difference of rules.

More players on the feild... a bigger field, mind you. No fair catches. Bigger end zone. Only one foot must be in-bounds to catch the ball. Eight teams. Players with $30,000 salaries.

Obviously, being from Manitoba, my favorite team in the CFL is the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. I love watching the Grey Cup classic in November on TV, though, no matter who is playing.

For Americans, and Canadians who are interested, I found an interesting web site (http://www.cuug.ab.ca/~leblancj/stampeders/compare.html) comparing American and Canadian football -- not saying which is better or worse, but just comparing the rules, etc. between the two versions of football.

What does everyone else think about the CFL? Like or dislike? Do you play? Have you even ever watched it!? Do you have a favorite team or player? Do you need a basic explanation of the game and rules? Get in on the action and start popularizing the "Other Sports Blitz" forum today!!!

[PeterDewar]

Thank you LEE! Yet another one right up my alley...

The CFL is by far the best league I have ever watched for football and one of the best of all sports. The play itself is a lot faster and quicker just because you have only 3 downs to get a first and also have a ton of room on the field to do so.

Last year I went to a game in Montreal, the games have been sold out there for a few years now and are impossible to get. Luckily we got 2 $10 seats from the last scalpor we could find and paid $40 each for them. Once we were inside it was great! The fans are best around (both French and English) and the football is great.

For those of you that don't know, Montreal plays at McGill University's stadium which can only hold about 15,000 people so as you can see why it is sold out so much. None the less its great.

Another unique thing to the CFL is the fact that everything is in French and English, player introductions included. And don't forget, CFLers do it for the love of the game making only 5 digit salaries like some people can relate too. Montreal itself doesn't fly to any of its games, they take the train! This is not only a money saver but a unique experience as well.

[Dre2g]

The only time(s) I have watched the CFL is when they show the championship highlights on Sportscenter. But from what I see, the league looks great.

[Marc]

I am American, so naturally, I have biast towards American leagues. Now, I have never ever watched the CFL, so I cannot honestly say I dislike nor like it, but what I can say is that I love the NFL and that suits all my professional football cravings.

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by PeterDewar
The CFL is by far the best league I have ever watched for football and one of the best of all sports. The play itself is a lot faster and quicker just because you have only 3 downs to get a first and also have a ton of room on the field to do so.

...Another unique thing to the CFL is the fact that everything is in French and English, player introductions included. And don't forget, CFLers do it for the love of the game making only 5 digit salaries like some people can relate too. Montreal itself doesn't fly to any of its games, they take the train! This is not only a money saver but a unique experience as well.

Peter, are you 100% American!?... like, where you born in Canada and moved to America, or what?... because, although I don't talk to many Americans, they don't really care or see the CFL.

Anyway, sorry to disappoint you, but not everything in the CFL is "in French and English"... that is just because the game you saw was in Montreal, Quebec that it was like that... no where else in the leauge! :)

One of the reasons I like the CFL better than the NFL (besides the fact that I am obliged to support my home country :) ) is that the QBs aren't afraid to run with the ball!... I don't see that much in the NFL. Although the majority of receivers are nothing compared to the NFL, there are a few of them that can flat out fly, and with all that room on the field, it's much more fun to watch!

[Wedge231]

I have watched the CFL I think on TV before. I didn't pay much attention though, I was just bored and nothing else was on. It seemed pretty cool to me. I'm sure if it wasn't exclusive to Canada, I might watch it more.

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by Wedge231
I'm sure if it wasn't exclusive to Canada, I might watch it more.

At least it made a good first impression....

[PeterDewar]

SC-Lee

Not American at all. I was born in Nova Scotia, and now reside in Indiana. Still Canadian citizen and plan to stay that way. Will most likely move back for college and after wards as well.

Sorry, I do stand corrected on the French aspect. However, been to 2 games in TOR and 1 in CAL and both had bits of french but "100%" is not the term and I apologize for that.

I do agree with you in that the QBs are much more free to run the ball which shows in Flutie's and even Garcia's play. My brother said that when he was training with Garcia he would talk about his scrambling and mentioned how much he loved to do it when the opportunity came.

[PeterDewar]

One question to the CFL fans out there, if there are any besides Lee...

Who do you see as the next big player leaving to the NFL?

For awhile I thought the other Flutie brother but as I remember he stated he wished to remain? Also, Pinball but he is getting very old. There's more though I'm sure...

Recent significant departures:
Doug Flutie
Steve Garcia
Mike Vanderjet (sp)

[lmanchur.]

An important key to "our" (the Winnipeg Blue Bombers) success this season was "Flight 87"... "AJ"... Albert Johnson III... well, he's now gone to the Miami Dolphins. Also, a player from Calgary left to the NFL... forget who he was, though... Dickerson?

[iFroggy]

Our WR's are gonna be great this year. We went out and signed McKnight and then AJ and we have Gadsden and one of the best touch guys in the game (my opinion) in McDuffie.

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by iFroggy
Our WR's are gonna be great this year. We went out and signed McKnight and then AJ and we have Gadsden and one of the best touch guys in the game (my opinion) in McDuffie.

...so I guess you're a Dolphin fan, eh!?

Well, trust me, you'll LOVE Albert Johnson!... he was the rookie of the year this year... he's awesome!!!... I was lucky enough to see (not up close... just see him play) him live in a game at Winnipeg Stadium this past year, and he always seems to find the open room!... simply an explosive player -- great receiver and kick-off return-er.