Are We Ever Going To Be Happy?

I have asked this before but...

Are CFL fans ever going to be happy/content/worry free?

We are always looking at the bad side of everything instead of the huge strides we've made. As Damian Cox once asked (paraphrasing), "What would CFL fans do with their time if the CFL didn't give them something to worry about?".

I don't know but we may be there. Will the negativity ever end? Can't we have ONE SEASON without the "We need to worry about this" musings???

Oh I don't know. I like the fact that some are worried about things - it means they care.

The minute there is nobody worrying about something CFL related is the minute we should all actually really be worried - because that would mean people stopped caring.

Fair enough, Pat, but it’s exhausting. There is always bad news in these threads. Always something negative.

This League survived when only 1 team was making money. Now, only 1 team loses money and, reading some of the posts, it feels like the mid 90’s again.

This weekend we’ve had 2 terrific games and everything is good with the CFL. Can’t we just enjoy the moment? Just for once?

To some degree I think CFL fans, myself included, like to have something to complain about much like that Rod Black and some of the Riders' fans.

But this year most of those Riders' fans have actually been great!

And Rod Black is so bad that he's so good such that now many like me actually want him to stay on air.

From whom else and where else could you hear such magic as with this proclamation in the second half last night?:
"Bullet holes in the cletes of the Redblacks ..."

Think about it - no Rod Black and we would lose the anticipation that comes with awaiting his next magical gem as we watch. He reminds me of Fred Willard so much.

But when there is too much other stuff to complain about other than Rod Black, sometimes Duane Forde like last night in that game thread by me, sometimes those Riders' fans delusion when they lose, well then it's tough to be happy I agree.

As an example, all the complaints about all the flags so as to place almost always wrongly the blame on the referees and not on the players have gotten old already along with the associated thread.

It's what we are complaining about that makes the difference not merely complaining itself, for complaining makes us happy too.

Don't be fooled folks - these are mostly happy times and don't take them for granted. And you keep right on complaining about some of that same stuff too! :slight_smile:

I’m NOT directing this at any one poster, Paolo. Forgive me if anyone thinks I mean them. I don’t. It’s in general.

I just truly believe, to be a CFL fan, you have to be an extreme worrier. I believe it is innate. Hell, I am guilty of it myself. I would just love to have one season without it.

Yes I know of course Kevin. My comments were directed in general too and I am just one example though perhaps not as much a worrier as I enjoy the CFL and this forum so much and not just certain general complaining.

And this season things are better than last season, but go figure the complaining is higher. I have noticed the same with an economy mind you. When times are bad, sure people are complaining about the same stuff because it sucks. When times are better like now, go figure are people complaining less? Nooooooooo …they have time to find NEW things to complain about!

I’m for leaving worry otherwise to the world outside of pro football, for it’s such a tougher place that it’s why many of us come here or enjoy other sports. And bread and circus is not enough without my proper drinks too for that matter.

A agree, Paola.

**

For the record, I love you guys. You make me laugh. You keep me informed. You, like me, love this League.

Having said that, WE are ALL nuts and need therapy. Only at a CFL forum could a bunch of dummies like us find a home. :slight_smile:

I’m off for a walk.

I think Rod Black gets to much of a bad rap. Yes his play by play calls tend towards the inane, with too many made up Rob Blackisms, but he knows how to do The Moment. He has the ability to see, understand and react to those special highlight plays. Almost all the best calls that I can recall are inevitably made by Rod Black…

How can we be happy when the league has sooooo many problems??? Sure the three community-owned teams announced record profits last year but all the other teams are losing money, right? Big time. They gotta be...because there's so many flags with these new rules! Geez, the games are almost unwatchable now. Well, I'm still watching anyways...but not enjoying it as much. OK the games over the past couple weeks have been great but can they keep it up? I dunno... :oops:

Exactly.

In 5 years, this League could be in trouble. I doubt it but you never know. And, if that’s the case, won’t you wish you’d enjoyed the good time while you could? Again, I’m guilty of it myself but let’s try and live in the moment and enjoy the positives associated with the CFL. God knows, we’ve had 20 years of crisis after crisis after crisis and we deserve one year of Peace.

I’m off to church.

Good thing we have upbeat commissioners that will focus on the positive while working on the negative, or we’d have everyone shitting on everything.

There is always room for improvement in life. The CFL is no different. Whether we are talking about improving TSN's broadcasts or the drug policy, there is always something on the to-do list.

…I like to envision Rod Black being like this in every waking moment of his life…from shopping for groceries to putting gas in his car, from using the bathroom to ordering pizza…i think he might be a very joyous person…

I'm glad somebody started this thread (thank you Kevin).

I have been thinking the same thing since the beginning of the season.

With the Argos situation settled, the biggest problem over the past few years has been fixed. :thup:
The new rules this year? So far I like them! :thup: (Lirim Haj in Winnipeg had better start kicking more converts or he'll be out of a job btw!)
Penalties are up? Yes. But to be honest, I've gotten used to them. As one poster pointed out in another thread, this seems like the same situation when the NHL cracked down on infractions several years ago. The players eventually adjusted, and the game is actually better in that regard now imo. I expect the same in the CFL. :thup:
Broadcast crews big you? I don't really get that myself, but I find the analysis from the TSN staff is probably the best I've seen in the 40 years I've been watching the CFL. (Personally I would move Duane Ford out of the booth and have him do in-studio analysis. Maybe move Milt into the booth for a trial there.)
Parity. Best I've seen in the CFL possibly ever! :thup: I know it's still early though.
Exciting finishes. :thup: If you turn games off early, you don't really understand the CFL and end up missing a lot of good football.

For me, the only concern is attendance numbers. I love going to the games myself. More energy than watching on TV. :rockin:

I think there is lots to be worried about this year. In no particular order;

  1. Flagfest 2015 - It's killing the entertainment value of the games. Instead of celebrating a big play I'm looking at the field for the inevitable flag then waiting for the call before I'm sure it's an official play. Whether that's the officials fault, players fault, Glen Johnston's fault, leagues fault (personally I feel they are all a little responsible) it is sucking the life out of the game,

  2. Video Review - Takes way too long and as often as it corrects a missed/incorrect call it blows the call. Video review is a complete disaster and the league needs to take a page from the NFL and kill it for a season or two while they work out the bugs and bring it back when they can use it to improve the game without having a negative impact on games. Worked for the NFL when their initial foray into video review was a full on disaster in the early 90s,

  3. Glen Johnston - As much as it was an improvement to have an official instead of a coach over see the officials I think the first 4 weeks of his 2nd season at the helm are proof enough he's been a failure and must go. He has to bear the responsibility for a lot of the criticism of the officiating under his tenure,

  4. Drug Policy - Or should I say lack of one. How can anyone take the league seriously when they call a 15 yard roughing the passer on a player who breathes on a QB a half second after releasing the ball because it's in the name of "player safety" when the league has no drug policy. PED are a major health hazard but the league wants to turn a blind eye to it and hope it goes away?

  5. Supplemental Discipline - Or should I say lack thereof. Their supplemental disciplinary system has no teeth because the league seems to run scared of the CFLPA, and

  6. Injuries and expansion - The rash of injuries to high profile players the last 2 seasons along with expansion has watered down the product.

I have always PVR'd the games and watched every game. After week 2 this season I stopped. The games are at times boring and at times frustrating to watch. I'll watch if I'm home but even them I haven't watched more than 15 minutes of a game since the end of week 2. I did turn off the odd game last year, but I did watch. Right now I'm losing my interest in the league. I never thought I would long for the days of blow outs and one division having all teams with a better record than the other, but I would gladly take last season over this season. Too many things are broken right now and the new commish doesn't seem to even notice there are ANY problems.

Officials conferences are way down, most of the new rules are a positive change (except the flag football rule for pass defenders), more parity between east and west and much closer games so far. All those positives are being wiped out by the more serious problems that are dragging the game down.

I'll be happy when the games are worth watching and right now they are not.

Can’t stand Black or Forde and I think they make the league look infantile. Their moronic banter may sell in the redneck states but anywhere the audience can count past 10 without taking off their shoes these two are an embarrassment.

:thup: Thanks, GD.

As my mom(my) always said, “No use looking for trouble because trouble will find you”. In the meantime, let’s enjoy/concentrate on the positive.

What if you're happy to be unhappy?

:lol: A lot of people in life are. :lol: