I've heard arguments from both sides. Here's my take on the subject. I'll list some pros and cons. Others may want to add to the list[s].
Pros for playing in the semi first:
Winning the semi means taking all that momentum into the Western Final
Players stay loose and maintain continuity
Another chance to get players back into game mode. For example, Travis Lulay [QB for the Lions]
Could be real a confidence booster
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Cons for playing in the Semi first:
Elimination and not getto the Final.
The team could win but end up losing key players due to injury. All bets could be off in the Final.
A hard fought win could translate into an emotional let down in the Final. I think that is what happened last year with Calgary. Calgary came in and knocked off 1st place B.C. Lions in B.C. Place. and then lost to the Argos in the Grey Cup. Calgary knocks off a powerhouse Lions team in the Western Final and then loses to a team that only won half of its games?? I think there was a mental let down between games. Sort of like when an NHL team knocks off a far superior team and advances to the Stanley Cup Championship series. Sometimes there is a huge let down and they think they've already won the Stanley Cup.
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Pros for taking 1st and having a bye:
More time for injured players to recover
Players are well rested
Less chance of losing players due to injury in the Semi-Final contest
More time to review strategy and film
Cons for taking 1st:
Could be a momentum issue. A team that is on a roll may find the extra week off a distraction. Players thrive on adrenalin. A bye leaves the players idle for an extra week.
More time to play mind games with self. Yes, the players are professionals but compared to many of us, they are "kids" and they are human. The longer you have to wait to go into the arena and meet your adversary the harder it can be on the nerves.
More practises and risk of getting injured during practise
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I wonder what the general consensus is amongst players and what they prefer. It would be an interesting poll to take.
Nope just question the practice of voting with hearts and not heads. Why have polls if people are going to treat them like a prom queen contest and not vote rationally. As somebody pointed out, you could have a poll asking who the least green team in the CFL was and Saskatchewan would win. If the fans in Saskatchewan are so fragile that they will simply vote for their team and not for the right choice, sobeit.
What IS IT with some of you guys?? For crying out loud! I pose a simple basic football question about taking a poll of the football players to see what they prefer about either finishing up in 1st or 2nd and it becomes an issue of voting with the hearts and not the heads??? And what does a freaking prom queen contest have to do with this?? Why do some guys have to start taking cheap shots at each other and at other teams/fans over every innocent topic presented?
If you're going to post on the subject, share your opinions about the original topic instead of going on some brainless tangent or better yet, check your testosterone levels. They might be running a tad too high!
The big advantages of the bye are you have completely fresh material to scout your opposistion, you give players a chance to heal up and your future opponents have to deal with injuries and fatigue from the last game, and the opposing coaches might have had to tip their hand to win the game. Nevermind the mathematical benefit of getting the by.
Yes, Football is a game of momentum, but it's not like the Bye is a vacation.
...statistically, since 2005 there have been 16 east/west final games, of which only 6 teams that did not get the bye won and moved on to the Grey Cup, so the odds favour getting the bye...
I generally say yes…that said, I look how the Riders played post bye and wonder if they would be an a anomaly to that. Then I look at a team like the Stamps, and I don’t think they would miss a beat out of it. I question if a week off would be in Hamilton’s best interest as well…but the Argos could sure use it so they can heal some wounds.
@beaglehound
1. Winning the semi means taking all that momentum into the Western Final
Could be a momentum issue. A team that is on a roll may find the extra week off a distraction. Players thrive on adrenalin. A bye leaves the players idle for an extra week.
There's no such thing as momentum in sports people.
[url=http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9580775/bill-barnwell-theory-momentum-football]http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/958 ... m-football[/url]
[url=http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/71970/nomentum-in-sports-part-2]http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-trian ... rts-part-2[/url]
If I’m Milanovich, I’m not resting starters until the 2nd half next week. To go 2 full weeks without game action is too long. You can’t expect the team to just turn on a switch come the division finals and play hard and with focus when it matters most after a long layoff.
There is a real danger of coming out flat in the most important game of the year if rested too long.
My response to all 4 articles regarding whether or not there actually is a thing called momentum in sport [any sport] is that of [as one authors states], "The jury is still out". If you agree then one really cannot say momentum does not exist since it has not been proven one way or the other. Even an author in one of the articles you referred to admitted that he can neither prove nor disprove the existence of momentum. Perhaps momentum needs to be redefined and be in reference to a team enjoying sort of psychological edge over the opponent at any given point in the game or in the season.
For now I am happy to recognize a team that is systematically marching down the field 10 yards at a time from their own one yard as the team having the "momentum" in the game. Perhaps others might wish to call it something else but I'm okay with calling momentum.
Apologies if the links didn't work ... here they are again. I'm assuming that's why you posted a series of question marks?
Otherwise, I charge $40 a hour for tutoring. $60 for doing your assignments. $80 for plainly reading for you. $120 and I'll read you to sleep but no happy endings I'm afraid!!!