CFL 2014 Season

[WSU151]

There are quite a few places that the league could accommodate though.

Toronto being the size it is could realistically have London, Guelph, Oshawa, Scarborough, Brampton or Miss.

Yes but you apparently didn't read the part about the GTA being the worst market in the league.

Nah i read it, but didn't think that those areas were a part of the Toronto net.

My bad.

Since the Lions are so bad why wouldn't the CFL try to get Windsor up?

What do you mean?

[IceCap]

The Detroit Lions always disappoint, so maybe the CFL should look into Windsor.

I'm not sure if that's the best idea though. Windsor, like Detroit, is really feeling the state of the economy. Not the best time or place to set up a luxury-based business. Besides, I'm not sure a Windsor CFL team would attract much of a following from the Americans on the Detroit side of things even under the best of circumstances. Even if they were decent it would still be Canadian football, and thus deemed "inferior."

[WSU151]

Agreed. Though right now, the Lions are probably better than years past, especially with the best WR in the league. I don't think by opening up shop in Windsor that the Lions fans are suddenly going to change allegiances. Lions fans will still be Lions fans.

For the record, I think the CFL is good football. The talent disrepancy is very small...it's just a different game, and to us yanks, people (unfortunately) see it as "not American and therefore inferior." But having one fewer down makes for quite a lot of big plays and good action.

[Lee.]

The CFL is, by far, the better game. Quicker pace, fan-friendlier rules and game presentation. The NFL is just a slow grind compared to the beautiful game.

[Jer15]

Van Island -- Victoria

Mississauga

Surrey

Agree with Nova Scotia

There's no way Mississauga is a viable market for a CFL team. Toronto is currently the worst market in the league so putting another team 20 minutes away would be a terrible idea. Two teams are enough for Southern Ontario. Atlantic Canada is the ideal spot for a tenth team, if not there then possibly Quebec City.

I still think it will end up being Quebec City.

I know the league has been upfront about wanting a team in the Atlantic provinces but Quebec is really into their college ball and the population is there.

The Als have territorial rights to the whole province, so while I think Québec City would be a good place for an expansion team, that ain't happening.

I didn't know that. Very interesting!

Why would the CFL give 1 team the entire province? Especially when the biggest city without a team is in that province?

Anyways, thanks for the info. I was not aware.

[Jer15]

The CFL is, by far, the better game. Quicker pace, fan-friendlier rules and game presentation. The NFL is just a slow grind compared to the beautiful game.

I agree with this statement.

I always say the Canadian game is closer to the roots of the original game of football which comes out of rugby. Heck, the Argos were originally a team that played a modified version of rugby that eventually became Canadian football.

Plus, who doesn't love bigger balls, fields and, returning missed field goals?

[waltere]

Plus, who doesn't love ... returning missed field goals?

Nick Saban

[spartacat_12]

There are quite a few places that the league could accommodate though.

Toronto being the size it is could realistically have London, Guelph, Oshawa, Scarborough, Brampton or Miss.

Yes but you apparently didn't read the part about the GTA being the worst market in the league.

Nah i read it, but didn't think that those areas were a part of the Toronto net.

My bad.

Since the Lions are so bad why wouldn't the CFL try to get Windsor up?

Southern Ontario is just a very crowded sports landscape. The GTA has the Jays, Raptors, Leafs, Marlies, Argos, and Rock, not to mention the occasional Bills games. Southeastern Ontario has the Ti-Cats and Bulldogs, plus it's easy for people to get to Buffalo for Bills and Sabres games. Southwestern Ontario is close enough to Detroit for people to get to Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings games (I don't usually hear about as many people making the trip to Auburn Hills to see the Pistons). On top of all that, most of the OHL's teams are in Southern Ontario. A franchise in Windsor (or anywhere else in the province) would never work because even the worst NFL team would always outdraw the best CFL team.

[fumbler]

There are quite a few places that the league could accommodate though.

Toronto being the size it is could realistically have London, Guelph, Oshawa, Scarborough, Brampton or Miss.

Yes but you apparently didn't read the part about the GTA being the worst market in the league.

Nah i read it, but didn't think that those areas were a part of the Toronto net.

My bad.

Since the Lions are so bad why wouldn't the CFL try to get Windsor up?

Southern Ontario is just a very crowded sports landscape. The GTA has the Jays, Raptors, Leafs, Marlies, Argos, and Rock, not to mention the occasional Bills games. Southeastern Ontario has the Ti-Cats and Bulldogs, plus it's easy for people to get to Buffalo for Bills and Sabres games. Southwestern Ontario is close enough to Detroit for people to get to Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings games (I don't usually hear about as many people making the trip to Auburn Hills to see the Pistons). On top of all that, most of the OHL's teams are in Southern Ontario. A franchise in Windsor (or anywhere else in the province) would never work because even the worst NFL team would always outdraw the best CFL team.

That whole area is well populated and the Canadians from what i've observed are more patriotic than those Southerners, Bills and Lions just wouldn't be as homely as another Maple flavoured team.

[BigBubba]

With the second half of the season being packed with intra-division matchups, the lopsided standings should even out. Especially when the Argos finally become healthy again; I know injuries are part of the game, but there's no way this team would be 3-7 if they had Owens/Durie/Watt/Chiles out for half as long, especially with how many close losses they've had. I have faith that they'll catch fire near the end and have everything come together, kinda like they did back in 2012.

[fumbler]

One more question.

Have the Canadians thought of looking to the Pacific nations, New Zealand and Australia for players?

some of the players we have here playing in Australia atm are some of the best players i've seen in the past ten years.

[monkeypower]

One more question.

Have the Canadians thought of looking to the Pacific nations, New Zealand and Australia for players?

some of the players we have here playing in Australia atm are some of the best players i've seen in the past ten years.

There was the "Throwin' Samoan" Joe Paopao but he was from Hawaii and he went played college football in the States, so I don't think that's what you're looking for.

The CFL is the same as the NFL in regards to taking players who have played college football. So I don't think they're going to be looking at rugby and A(ussie)FL players when they take people who actually play football in Canada or the USA.

Unless you're talking about a American football league over there, but it's still going to be the same in regards to teams drafting and signing Canadians and Americans .

[Jer15]

Quick question: Did anyone here on the boards happen to go to the 1st game at Tim Horton's Field?

I have heard some crazy rumors as to what the stadiums was like on game day but wanted to hear it from someone who actually attended.

Is it true that one section was blocked off still due to it being unsafe to be in?

What was the situation with the concessions/washrooms? Were they ready to go?

I heard that the scoreboard wasn't working properly all game either.

Just curious to know. I was mulling buying tickets but when I looked at Ticketmaster it was sold out and when I looked at a site like stubhub the prices were way too inflated.

[fumbler]

One more question.

Have the Canadians thought of looking to the Pacific nations, New Zealand and Australia for players?

some of the players we have here playing in Australia atm are some of the best players i've seen in the past ten years.

There was the "Throwin' Samoan" Joe Paopao but he was from Hawaii and he went played college football in the States, so I don't think that's what you're looking for.

The CFL is the same as the NFL in regards to taking players who have played college football. So I don't think they're going to be looking at rugby and A(ussie)FL players when they take people who actually play football in Canada or the USA.

Unless you're talking about a American football league over there, but it's still going to be the same in regards to teams drafting and signing Canadians and Americans .

We play Gridiron here as well and have leagues in most states, some of our players have been picked up by University's over there and even made the NFL.

I was thinking that we would be geared more to the CFL than the NFL is all.

Jesse Williams is an aussie, Mat McBriar went to Hawaii and played for Dallas, Eagles and Steelers

[monkeypower]

I don't know. If it is a gridion league, I wouldn't see why they wouldn't look. But with the CFL's import rules, I think they're mainly looking for the American college players.

[walby2]

Well, there is Josh Bartel... although he's the only Aussie in the CFL that I can think of.

[DarkJourney]

Watched a replay of the BC-Ottawa game. My eyes bled.

[BigBubba]

This thread seems to have gone dark.

Crazy comeback by the Argos on Friday. The game was a sloppy penalty-fest for both sides, but it was still a huge victory that may shift the tides in the battle to win the East.

I've been meaning to post on this for quite a while now, but because the federal and provincial governments didn't pony up $10M each for MLSE to renovate BMO, they're going ahead with the soccer-only renovations, instead of making it football-compatible. So the CFL is now trying to raise the $20M themsves to pay for the renovations. It pisses me off to no end how MLSE can't just cough up the money themselves...honestly, what's $20M to them?

[Magnus]

I dunno what happened, but here's a CFL East update and musings:

The top 3 teams in the East could all finish with 8-10 records IF

Hamilton loses this week vs Ottawa and wins next week vs Montreal

and Toronto wins this week against Montreal and loses to Ottawa next week.

Then it would come down to tiebreakers to see who would finish where in the East.

The Riders or Lions will cross over to be the 3rd East seed, so #3 in the East is out, but

it would be extremely interesting if the top 3 East teams all went 8-10.

I think there is still a chance that any of those 3 East teams could finish in the 1, 2 or 3 spot.

[bosrs1]

I dunno what happened, but here's a CFL East update and musings:

The top 3 teams in the East could all finish with 8-10 records IF

Hamilton loses this week vs Ottawa and wins next week vs Montreal

and Toronto wins this week against Montreal and loses to Ottawa next week.

Then it would come down to tiebreakers to see who would finish where in the East.

The Riders or Lions will cross over to be the 3rd East seed, so #3 in the East is out, but

it would be extremely interesting if the top 3 East teams all went 8-10.

I think there is still a chance that any of those 3 East teams could finish in the 1, 2 or 3 spot.

The disparity between the east and west this year has been pretty stark.