I see these rule changes as not only asanine, but also an insult to the history of Canadian football.
I am agrevated that media hype, and fan hysteria has been allowed to influence the the canadain game so poorly. When i heard of these rules being aproved, I was not only grossly disapointed, I became less proud of a sport and league that i feel so passionately about.
1.
:thdn:
does anyone seriously think this will change a coaches decision to conceed the safety, rather than turn the ball over in his own zone and allow a touchdown?
If you are really, absolutely convinced that this will be the reaction across the league… well… to be tactful, perhaps football is not the sport for you.
While I’m on this point also I have to ask, did the entire nation forget that the canadian field is 110 yards long, not 100? meanin a safety punt now is really is more likely to result in nothing more than stalled drives, and long, drawn out defencive battles for field position.
Is this interesting to the general veiwing public? The answer can safely be measure as: No.
2.
:thdn:
this may be the most asanine of all 2009 rule changes, with #4 a very, very close second.
the designated QB rule was there to protect the players, and to help Refs properly call roughing the passer. In a league with 12 players on offence, with only 5 required on the line at the time of scrimmage, (oh, and the QB so for the sake of argument say 6) there are still 6 potential recievers on the field, all of whom, are intitled to be in motion towards the line of scrimmage at the time of the snap.
In nothing less than jarring contrast, the NFL requires the same 5 man scrimmage, with only 1 player allowed to be in motion at the time of the snap, and all others needing to have both feet planted for a minimum of 2 full seconds before the snap.
to all of you that have adapted mob mentality and think this is a great step forward for the CFL, that want to see direct snaps to the Wide out, followed by a hand off to the full back, then a lateral to the QB, and finally an option pass/scramble. Look up the schedual for your local 7 - 7 touch football league, and you will see exactly that.
:thdn:
I some how feel it’s safe to assume most fans are unaware that the option to scrimmage after a field goal has existed in canadian foot ball since roughly 1897 and was in use by the Ontario Rugby Footbal Union, the Quebec Rugby Football Union, The Interprovincial Rugby Football Union(Wich three would amalgamate later and evolve into the Canadia Rugby Football Union with play commencing in the western and prarie provinces, and the become the parent organization of none other that todays Canadian Football Leauge), the Inter-Colleiate Rugby football Union and it was a rule that was used before they could all agree on UNIFORMED SCORING AND POINT VALUES.
this is something that has existed since pre-1906, and the “Burnside Rules” wich later gave rise to the down system, and forward passes.
I suppose the problem with having a history and tradition well beyond 100 years is that people tend, to forget
(the americans seemingly forgot that we tought them how to play the sport in 1867, in a game between Harvard, and McGill university)
So, I would very dryly like to like to applaude the CFL Rules Committee for succesfully destroying a centurie of history in one single fell swoop.
:thdn:
one of the intrinsic nueances that separates canadian and american foot ball is the pace of our game.
before i continue on this line of thought, I would like to raise the issue that this rule is intirely conditional, and quite plainly gives one coach an unfair advantage over the other.
now, to return to the pace of the game; The CFL Rule book allots teams 30 seconds for a time out. A challenge, if used, and failed, will take the place of the time out. we can then assume that a time out, has the same value as a challenge. this is wholy wrong.
A challenge, or video review is assinged an astonishing 1.5 minutes, or 90 seconds, or… three times the length of a time out. during this time, the game comes to a grinding hault. in addition, after the rule is given, the spot of the ball may need to be reset, and then there is still a 20 second play clock. ammounting to nearly 2 full minutes of stoppage or more.
ask me, and if my team is dissadvantaged because of the outcome of a questionable play, i challenge no matter what. either the play stands, and i’ve had three times as long to adjust my strategy and send out the proper squad, or it’s over turned and my players have had 2 full minutes of rest.
so, we’ve given a coach the ability to stop play for nearly 6 minutes, and that’s without using his teams time outs. for nothing more than a keen eye and an whack of luck.
to those of you that loved fast paced canadian football, and games decided in the final minute, wave “Bye, Bye”
Tell you what about the wildcat formation.
the very first time you see a QB line up as a wide out, and he is injured by press coverage, or a blitzing defencive half back, is the last time you see the “wild cat” formation in canadian football