Shouldn't the Grey Cup - our championship game, at least allow for the possibility of the two best teams in the league meeting?
Clearly, this year the best two teams in the league are B.C. and Saskatchewan. Yet they have no chance to play against each other beause of the format. The league has the crossover format in place, but in order to cross over, you have to have an inferior record.
I know, you are going to say it should be east versus west, but that is unjust.
They should scrap the east/west division format. Rather, in the Semi's, have the 3rd place team play the 6th place team, while the 4th and 5th square off. The 1st and 2nd would play the winners of the Semi's and then let the best prevail to move on to the Grey cup.
Let the fans see the best - not a watered down Grey Cup based on a flawed format.
Too tough on TV ratings. Even having Winnipeg in the east causes problems. Imagine, if you will, the level of country-wide interest in a Grey Cup game with Edmonton playing Calgary or Hamilton playing Toronto.
There's really no right or wrong answer here. You can do away with the divisions altogether and have the two best teams in the country battle for the championship.
Or, you can keep it as it is now and ensure regional rivalry along with a traditional East vs. West Grey Cup.
I like the existing format myself because I like the whole East-West thing. But, hey that's just me!
Agreed. I can't stand the idea of 2 western teams in the Grey Cup. That includes Winnipeg. I hate the fact that Winnipeg is in the east again. If you are going to go with that format, you migtht as well get rid of the east and west divisions and have only one division of 8 or 9 teams.
Good point Ro, for a couple years the Western Final between Colorado and Detroit was more exciting than the Stanley cup itself. Everyone knew that New Jersey would get in from the east because of Brodeur.
I think you have to leave it as is. It is kind of exciting when the underdog gets hot at the end of the season, like the 2000 Lions beating the Als in the cup. I also believe if you eliminate divisons that over time some rivalries would dissapear. For example Winnipeg and Saskatchewan is still big but I don't believe it as strong as it once was. Thank goodness for Troy Westwood putting life into the rivalry again
RO they do complain. In fact they complain bitterly in basketball. Suns vs Spurs was the series that decided who was going to win it. In hockey its not as bad now with the salary cap and the parody. But keep in mind for years the west was way better then the east. I'd prefer to have the east vs west scraped but I'd like to have it scraped in all sports.
Lets say for argument sake they scrap the divisions.
As it stands right now, BC would play Mtl and SSK would play Calgary in the standard 1vs8 2vs7 system
In a one game system, anyone can win.
the last time MTl played BC, Mtl won. The last time Cal played SSK. Cal won.
It could very easily happen again in the first round of the playoffs. Where are the 2 best teams in the league when that happens? They would both be gone and the 2 bottom feeders would move on so it really doesn't make any difference does it?
If the playoffs were a best of series I might agree with you but as it stands now, there is really not much point.
Keep it as it is.
I might lose the crossover if it were up to me, but the East-West rivalry is part of what makes the whole thing work.
In the semis and finals, you want to see the inter-division rivalries, because you have teams playing at home against a rival. That creates atmosphere and excitement.
But if you had a Toronto at Saskatchewan final, nobody would care.
The rivalries are not as important in the Grey Cup, because if you had Calgary vs. Saskatchewan, but play in Toronto, most of the fans are Argo fans anyway.
Leave tradition alone. In the MLB, NHL, NBA and the NFL there are arguements every year about stronger conferences and divisions. Stay the same. East vs. WEst is great!!!
if the best 2 teams in the league are sask and BC, they will have to play eachother anyways, in the west final.
if BC is to call themselves the champs, they have to beat sask, right? ( assuming sask beats calgary in rd 1 )
if they play in the west finals or the grey cup doesnt really matter.
Yes I know that but the two best teams can be in either the NL or AL....just like this year Boston and Cleveland had the 2 best teams. Actually 3 best because LA had a better record than all the NL as well
CALGARY (CP) -- The Saskatchewan Roughriders inched closer to hosting their first playoff game in almost 20 years with a 33-21 win over the host Calgary Stampeders on Sunday.
