CFL NEEDS TO REMOVE THAT IMPORT AND NON IMPORT STATUS TO BE HONEST TO MAKE IT MORE COMPETITIVE.BECAUSE IF IT EVER EXPANDED BACK INTO THE USA THE USA TEAM WOULD DOMINATE BASED ON THE LOWER SKILLED CANADIAN COLLEGE GAME.HAVING A LAW SUCH AS THAT IS CRAZY IN A FREE MARKET SOCIETY IT SEEMS THAT THE CFL WANTS TO PROTECT CANADIANS UNLIKE THE USA WHERE THE BEST TALENT WILL COME TO THE TOP.END THAT STUPID LAW AND LET YOUR TALENT RISE
Pinner's take and I have all the respect in the world of him and his take on it:
"The Canadian Football League is unique not just because the game is played on a wider field with a striped football.
"It's the only league in the world where you have two teams within one," said Argonauts general manager Adam Rita.
The Hawaii-born Rita, beginning his third decade in the CFL, was referring to the made-in-Canada rule that calls for the 42-man game roster to be composed of 20 non-imports (Canadians), 19 imports (Americans) and three quarterbacks.
However, a minimum of seven Canadians must be among the 24 starters, leaving room for 16 Americans and the quarterback, who is considered neutral.
Thus, the selection of the correct mix of imports and non-imports is as important, if not more so, than judging players solely on talent, says Rita.
The Argos began that selection process yesterday with the opening of training camp at U of T's Mississauga campus.
"That's the most difficult part," said Rita.
"That's what trips up coaches who come up here from the States more than anything else."
However, Florida-born Mike (Pinball) Clemons, having spent the past 18 years in the CFL as a player and a head coach, doesn't find the ratio issue a problem.
Clemons said he doesn't find it frustrating because he agrees with the fundamental nature of the system.
"That's part of what makes our league great, it's part of the reason why you have great Canadian players. If it wasn't for the system, they would be eliminated right from the start."
Clemons argues that the reason an American player, who might appear to be more talented than a Canadian, is released at the end of training camp is because he was unable to beat out one of the other 19 imports.
It's not, he said, because the player was bumped by a Canadian.
Having said that, Clemons acknowledged the Argos could enjoy the luxury of starting more than the minimum quota of seven Canadians this year.
Last year, the Argos started four Canadians on offence – centre Chad Folk, guard Jude St. John, receiver Andre Talbot and fullback Jeff Johnson.
This year, the Argos will start out with the idea of using as many as 10 Canadian starters."
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/221180…won’t…even…dignify…
...the title to this thread should've be:
GUY FROM OHIO CONTRIBUTES TO STEROTYPE OF IGNORANT AMERICAN PUSHING HIS IDEAL ON A FOREIGN COUNTRY AND THEN CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY NO ONE LIKES HIM
won't even dignify...these loudmouth remarks
shot from the lip by someone who obviously
is more interested in shouting his opinion
than finding out what the reasons might be
for guaranteeing Canadians 20 roster spots.
Another troll post! :roll: :roll:
Theres a reason its called the CFL.....
I kind of agree. The import/non-import rule is pretty lame in my opinion. I dont care what someones nationality is when its 2nd down and 9 - I want to see the best football player(s) possible for my money.
As long as the CFL is willing to keep this rule - they are choosing to choke and restrict the leeague, teams, and fans of potential talent, so some guy from Windsor, Ontario can play pro football ... lame.
StatiK76
GO BOMBERS!!!
This is the same troll who admited he has never even seen a Canadian game!
[b]I kind of agree. The import/non-import rule is pretty lame in my opinion. I dont care what someones nationality is when its 2nd down and 9 - I want to see the best football player(s) possible for my money.
As long as the CFL is willing to keep this rule - they are choosing to choke and restrict the leeague, teams, and fans of potential talent, so some guy from Windsor, Ontario can play pro football ... lame.[/b]
Statik, I also don't care about the nationality in the scenario you mention. But there are other things to consider beyond the immediate situation that people involved in the growth of football and football players in Canada see and understand from joe fan you or me.
And how do you know the guy from Windsor isn't good enough to play in the CFL? If he was as bad as you say, why do thousands and thousands of people attend games and watch on TV - including yourself maybe? The best CIS athletes may need a bit more intense coaching when they get drafted and make a team but after a year or two most are ready and some right away. Without this rule most wouldn't even be give a chance by all the American coaches in the league which would be a shame because they are in fact good enough to play in the league.
All that being said, I admit there is a part of me that would like to see it completely open but when I think about it more, I don't really think it would be worth it to have that extra bit of talent the league would have. It is as others say the Canadian Football League and I think a lot of people would make a joke of it if 95 percent of the players were American which probably would be the case if no import rule. May as well then change all the rules to American, it might look pretty silly otherwise. And the name of the league as well perhaps.
At times, like right now, I even think the way to go would be to limit the imports to a fewer number than now to make it more Canadian. I don't know. It would be interesting to listen to what some Canadian CFL players think and get their thoughts. At the end of it, the question might be: What exactly does the 'Canadian Football League' really mean and stand for?
There's nothing wrong with the import rule. It's a good rule. So what if some (mostly Americans and wannabes from Toronto) don't like it. Ask anybody who has played or coached in this league (Warren Moon, Bud Grant - both hall of famers) if it made any difference to them or their careers.
You are entitled to your opinion of course, but you (as far as I can tell) don't pay to go to games. Let Canadians decide if it's a bad rule or not. It's our game after all, not yours.
US expansion will most like not happen again. The focus now is on expansion in Canada.
It's our game after all, not yours.
Well said rp. We gave the Americans a league already and lost control with too many teams down there - the NHL. Let's not screw up the CFL at least like we did with the NHL.
The Import/Non-import Rule is bad, for 1 simple reason the QB part.
It should be 21 NI's, 21 Imports(4 of which are DI's) that simply removes QB's special status.
Why would someone listen to the comments of a person who doesn't even know how the cap locks function works or who beleive cap locks should always be on?
sure... american all love teams made up of people from other countries.. ya, sure you keep beleiving that one.
Canadians suck so much at football that there are 7-8 in the NFL, 2 in the superbowl.
Not that much but considering the amount of US colleges compared to CIS schools and that the NCAA/NAIA play 4 down compared to 3 down in the CIS. that's pretty good no?
Soon the CFL will be a strong in canada league and can flip the bird to plans for US expansion, stick to where people care about the league, why make the same mistakes the NHL made.
well i’m sorry but I enjoy seeing canadian talent play in our CANADIAN game. I want to see our own guys play. there is abolutely NOTHING wrong with having a quota. it helps with keeping our game Canadian!
anyone who wants to change the rules is not a true CFL fan.
Without the import rule, we would be just another Football game / league....okay, I guess we are, but with out the import rule, a limited number of Canadians would play this game at a "proffesional" level.
All that would be left for them to do is play mens recreational league.......Oops watch out Statik, be careful what you wish for, you could get bumpped out of your starting position by an ex CFLer! 
you guys, always complaining about something in the CFL. why can't you just shut up and be happy that we've got a good football league! with entertaining football and fun games??
what's wrong with you?
Tend to agree with ya Earl. I too want to see the best playing the best but I also recognize that American players are usually way further advanced than their Canadian counterparts in terms of development so the ratio helps the talented Canadian players catch up. Ron Lancaster once said that the ratio has helped some guys make it to the league, which is good, and has forced teams to keep others, which is not so good.
just so everyone knows the CFL is NOT the only league with this rule, there is a rule similar to a non-import rule in NFL europe.
How many players would not be in the CFL and how many would actually be replaced by players who are better then them?
does anyone want to watch the NFL over the CFL? I don't.
All teams have equal footing, the import rule makes the league interesting because GM's have to work harder to get a good team, needing to scout American and Canadian kids seperatly.
I guess people want the job to be simple, but isn't making more to the game better?
I'd think like half the canadian OL's in the league would not be here now, simply because NCAA kids would be more "game ready" on day 1. but the starting OL's across the league are very good.
would Paris Jackson, Thelwell, Scott Coe, Ben Cahoon, Dave Stala amoung many other NI's be in the league now without the rule even those who lead the league against imports?
Would Ben Cahoon one of the top receivers over the past.. 5 years? be here.
on a side note how many of those character guys, community guys be around? Looking at alot of teams, the NI guys are more likely to be involved with Community events, some Imports do aswell but there are more NI's who market the team that get involved with the community.
OH YEAH! THE NFL ISN"T CARING ABOUT BEST PLAYERS ANYMORE! THEY ARE CARING ABOUT GUYS WHO BEST REPRESENT THE LEAGUE!
Pacman Jones isn't he one of the better returners/DB's in the league yet he is suspended all year for the next season?
Tank Johnson, Micheal vick.
Looks like alot of players getting suspended because of bad conduct, all best players why not just let them play with best players?
Not saying american players are bad.
But if I was to look across the CFL at which players end up causing trouble.. I think the birth certificates have blue on them with the red and white.(Kenton Keith, Trevis Smith to name a few)
Also it's easier to bring in NI's due to new Border rules.(just side note there)
Teams should be made of the best players who will be represent the league, the import/non-import rule seems to do that.
Maybe this does makse sense: better players, better plays, better teams, better attendance, better league. Why would any business inentionally hire inferior employees and expect that business to thrive?
Under the same theory why would any team put a salary cap on their league?
Why would they limit the amount of top end players a singular team could employ?
Why do the AHL, Northern league and many other leagues across North america(and likely the world) have veteran rules?
wouldn’t more Vets mean more top quality players and so on?
Why does the NFLE have a European player rule? lol, is the NFL dumb enough to put in a rule that would hinder their revenues?
Why would any business intentionally hire employees with records of long legal troubles, substance abuse problems?(without that employee even getting counselling)
… yet again the NFL is a giant.
Why is it the top 3 League(by attendance per game) in the world the AFL(australian football league) has stict player movement rules, along with Veteran and rookie rules + a salary cap?(of 5.4M USD or 5.74M CAD)
IMO, Better players don’t always make Better plays.
I watched alot of the superbowl, top players in the world and I saw better plays in NFL semi-final game(New Orleans game).
In most cases, a top play is just a broken down play to someone else.
One of the best plays of 2006 was the Milt Stegall 100 yard TD, but what was that other then Edmontons Defence not playing the prevent Defence?
An interception is often a bad decision by the QB, a Fumble the ball carrier not securing the ball, blocked punt or sack, break down along the line.
TD breakdown in coverage or the DL.
2 ways to look at every single play a game can have. Depending on what the team is looking for forcing team the be “weak” in one aspect of their game can create more excitement.
More Scoring(specificly lead changes), more excitement, more fans, more money.
No?
lol, more long posts. damn.
Maybe this does makse sense: better players, better plays, better teams, better attendance, better league. Why would any business inentionally hire inferior employees and expect that business to thrive?
Mark, hmmm, any businesses out there that have policies to hire visible minorities and yet are very successful and make scads of money? I think so, don't you? No company in their right mind would hire someone who couldn't do a job well enough to help the company earn money. Policies like these have existed for a long time and also in the education system where it was found that medical schools needed to have a policy to get more women in as the big boys at the top of some of the medical schools weren't allowing this to happen.
And, by the way, some of these women I've heard are making excellent physicians and surgeons just to let you know.