Any solutions to these mean nothing games?

There's probably no solution to the mean nothing games or perhaps there is. I just can 't come up with one to give fans their money's worth. I'd be really interested in hearing viable suggestions. Let me explain. Last night my wife and I went to the Lions/Roughriders game at BC Place. Watching this game was like watching paint dry as SSK did its best to make sure some of its star players like Durant, Sheets, Getzlaf and Dressler were not injured. It was like watching an exhibition game. Star Roughriders RB Corey Sheets was handed the ball only 4 times for a grand total of 34 yards then watched most of the game from the sidelines. QB Durant never did play. SB Dressler, I don't think was even dressed. No pun intended. Interestingly, the Lions' RB Harris was utilized frequently. I'm hoping the reason was less to do with personal achievement but still I question the wisdom in playing him as much as they did. I love the play of Harris but had he gotten an ankle sprain or other serious injury that would have been a serious blow to the Lions chances of winning the Western Final. The same goes for Tim Brown. He is our star punt returner and kick off returner. Who can replace him and play to his caliber? It seems to me the Lions were more willing to utilize many of their key players than the Roughriders and I can't come up with a reason why. The Roughriders did not bring their A game to town. As far as I'm concerned when you only rack up a total of 5 net yards in the 1st quarter you did not even come prepared to play. The team came to make an appearance and that was it.

I can't blame the SSK staff for playing ultra conservatively after all who wants to get beat up and injured when there is nothing or very little at stake and when you are playing in the Western Semi-Final where the stakes are much higher? So why bother even playing the game? For sure some of the players played like there was no tomorrow and no doubt some players who have not received much of a chance had their chance to bust a few heads and hopefully get the coaches' attention. That has to count for something. The coaches also had to chance to rotate their 2nd and 3rd string QBs for real game time experience just in case they're needed in the games that actually do count. I've no problem with that but we've not seen a lot of that during games where one team is blowing out the other. More importantly, when I see a team messing around and going for 3rd and 4 at around the opponents 20 instead of kicking a freaking field goal that's just not giving the crowd its money's worth in my opinion.

I know coaches don't want to risk their players getting injured but it is still a football game and the players are paid to entertain the fans. There were several SSK fans sitting behind us and they were almost asleep. Not a lot of cheering, almost comatose for the most part- not that there was a whole lot to cheer about but they did not even look like they had a pulse.

I was hoping that SSK would at least attempt to establish superiority over the Lions by winning 3 of the 4 games they played and at least eek out a win on the Lions home turf given the fact that they may well face the Lions in the Western Final. That just didn't seem to be much of a priority. What I saw was a team content to just show up and get out of town with as few injuries as possible.

The solution? I haven't a clue but this doesn't mean there isn't one out there. What can the CFL do to make these mean nothing games mean more given the fact that attendance at last night's game at 36,000+ was the highest all season at BC Place? That should be telling the CFL something. Though fans tried to make it a fun night and the Lions did their best to give them their money's worth I didn't get the same sense from SSK and that is a shame.

I dont know, but I still watch. I mean, by January I am feeling CFL withdrawal pretty bad, so I will take what I can get when I can get it.

lol I’m like you Jman. I record all of the games and watch them over and over. :rockin:

I sometimes re-watch games too. I sometimes like to focus on one or two players and follow them through a game as best I can. It helps me understand the positions they play a little better.

Maybe the Lingerie Football League should step in and play these "nothing games" instead. It would give both teams a week to rest and the fans would still come out (the men, anyways).

http://www.barelyhangingon.com/wp-content/uploads/fat_women_bathingsuits.jpg

The Saskatchewan Sasquatches O-Line

to be honest, I find "mean nothing" games appealing for the most part, as nascent players are showcased, in which many reveal to be future stars in this league, or at least the promise of.

If we ever get expansion, I think that will help it. More teams competing for the same number of playoff spots will increase the competitive level.

That said, there's no way to eliminate them. Vritually every sport with a lengthy regular season format has the potential for meaningless games.

The 16 game schedule would probably help in this department. In a gate driven league, the league can't afford less games, but it would make every week , really mean something.

The positive thing about meaningless games is that teams and fans can relax when there is less pressure to win. Some players probably wish every game is meaningless.

That’s an interesting way of looking at it Tangledweb and I can see where you’re coming from. I guess what was irritating me was some of the play decisions that were being made. For example: 3rd and 4 on the opponent’s 20 yard line and the coach goes for it instead of kicking a field goal. Why not let the 2nd or 3rd string kicker have a go at it? Another example is going for itby punting from your own end zone when the game is close instead of giving up the 2 points. Yet, another example is going for it on 3rd and “bunches” while still on your own side of the field. These decisions don’t have much to do with giving nascent players a chance to showcase their talents. Give the nascent players a chance but still try to win the game. I guess what I’m getting at is that 36,000+ fans showed up at BC Place the other evening. This was the best showing all season for the Lions and one of the highest attendances across the CFL all year. There were even many SSK fans. While there were some entertaining moments and some players who played all out, there was also a lot of “experimentation” which made for a very boring game at times. At least it did for me and several fans around. We still had a good time regardless.

There's really not much you can do about them, unless you create some meaningless trophy like the President's trophy in the NHL for the top regular season team. Pretty much every league has mean nothing games at the end of them. The NFL, yep they have them. MLB? Sure do. NBA? Still meaningless games.

Yes it was a very boring game, and I do understand why BC played some starters for half or all of the game as they have a layoff coming up. You don't want your star guys getting rusty, but at the same time you had to worry that it may have been a mistake when Lulay got clocked 3 or 4 times with a good hits.

Top teams don’t always win championships but deserve some recognition. President’s trophy honors excellence in team performance during a long season. If there are individual awards, why not team awards too? Other leagues such as English soccer has team awards.

English soccer doesn’t have playoffs. If you win the league, you’re the champion. They have their various in-year tournaments, but they don’t have what we consider a traditional playoff. If Man U finishes at the top of the standings, they are champions. If they win the FA Cup, that’s a bonus.

Fewer games would just move the meaningless games up two weeks. No matter which way you cut it, teams are going to clinch their playoff berths and playoff seedings earlier than others and therefore having nothing left to play for before the final game of the season. It happens every year in every sport, so dropping from 18 to 16 games will have little-to-no impact, IMO. I would like to know, however, why you think going from 18 to 16 games would have an impact.

I watched the argos/tabbies and the eskies/stamps games. Was hoping for an eskimo win, which would have made the riders/lions game meaningful, but we know how that turned out.
The bombers/als game and the lions/riders games were not worth my time.

There is no solution. It did come down all most to the at game. That's better good. U can't blame the coaches resting thier starters. It's a business people!!

I am trying to think of how the league could give each team that wins their last game some kind of incentive.

That would be the key FYB! Keep scratching that puzzler of yours. :thup:

I see nothing wrong with evaluating depth late in the season. I love to see the non-starters fighting for next year.

If you haven’t already, please read my entire post depopulationINC. I mentioned several reasons why I think these mean nothing games are like a burr under one’s saddle. 5 yards total net offence for one team in a quarter of play isn’t much to watch. 3rd and 4 and the coach elects to go for it on the opposition’s 20 or 30 yard line? What happened to keeping the game close or trying to win?

Exhibition games are included in the season ticket package. That’s great. This was a regular season game and I believe fans deserved more. If I were a SSK fan and flew all the way to Vancouver and didn’t even see Durant or Dressler play or very little Corey Sheets play I’d be a little ticked as a visiting fan. That’s all I’m saying.