The CFL is the Neil Young of football. The NFL is the Britney Spears of football. The 1st one has substance. The second one is all flash.
Not exactly all flash, but the flash is doing a hell of a job selling the game down there.
Would the posters on this site please give credit where credit is due...
Its like all us CFL fanatics come here to confide in the extremely narrow minority of people who have the opinion that Canadian football is superior to American football in every facet while ignoring the fact that slowly but surely over the last decade their game has opened up offensively in terms of scrimmage while ours has gone to the shitter.
Entertainment-wise, Canadian football still has the capability to put paramount importance on special teams & the clock rules that make it such that its really never over until its over.
A sober review of the game by the competition committee is definitely needed.
It's too bad that we have to start this comparison thing again.
This was one of the worst CFL seasons I have ever witnessed - dismal pass stats, little excitement - only 2 kicks returned for a TD!!! One player on the Chicago Bears had 6 in one season.
The NFL was very entertaining this year. The CFL was not. I think Neil Young is over the hill.
Entertaining, schmentertaining, whatever. It's football, if you like hitting, blocking, running, throwing, catching etc. then that's what the game is, 3 down, 4 down, 12 men, 11 mean, billion dollar new stadiums, older, falling apart stadiums etc.
No question the NFL is a different game today than it was 10 years ago, much more wide open. The CFL game is great, ok, so last year offensive production was down, the defenses ruled more but so what, it's all football.
But let's face fact: is there a league better than the NFL for marketing it's product on TV? I doubt it, they are the best at it. Heck, they only play what 20 games a year and have the biggest rosters of any major league and yet can pay the players millions, almost like baseball where they play 160 some odd games. Not bad I'd say, not bad at all, they are doing something right and all leagues can learn from how they market and promote the league.
I agree totally.
In the last half dozen or so years, the NFL has become more CFL-like.
Up to a few years back, I can’t recall seeing a punt being returned but now it’s seems a 50/50 chance the ball will actually be run back rather than called (fair catch) or watched (as it bounces around the field). (though I don’t watch the NFL “religiously”, I can remember watching as far back as regular, weekly Cleveland Brown games each Sunday… '60s into the 70’s?) For years I thought a punt couldn’t be run back but only caught in the air or left to hit the field a land where it may.
The passing game has also opened up and there seems more emphasis on the pass. At one time, the run or a balanced (run/pass ratio) offensive attack was the norm (thus generally more boring) but NFL teams are not afraid to go pass happy today. 20 passes was considered a lot 10 years ago whereas today, teams will sometimes hit the 50+ pass attempts mark. (Patriots had set a pass record a few years back???)
QB’s have also been free to run more and their style has changed (Flutie influence?). Though there were the occasional scramblers in the past (ie, Fran Tarkenten (sp?)), there now seem more Vick-type QBs … not just 6’4" (white) giants with lead feet but scramblers not afraid of (or inhibited from) running up field, or even doing QB sneaks…
almost CFL like 
IMO anyway…
…
The NFL just seems to be getting back to more mobile, athletic type qb's as you say longtime. I think it is a definite CFL influence and I think Warren Moon was one of the first to make the NFL realize that they were missing some good ones.
Apart from the arguments about which league has the better players or which game is more enetertaining, there is something more important to me. For me as a Canadian, it means something to me to see Saskatchewan come to town or see the Argos visit Winnipeg. Why would I have any interest in seeing Carolina? or Arizona? or ??? come to Toronto. They mean nothing to me. And it means something to me to see Canadians playing the game. Do you think even the NHL would have the same attraction for Canadians if there were almost no Canadian players or teams?
I love the CFL because it’s a great game played by excellent players but also because it’s Canadian. And for the record, I don’t follow the NFL and only rarely watch their games.
An Argo fan
BarneyFife,
Thats great and I understand what you mean about having a truly Canadian competition in the CFL. I just don’t see the need of some posters to constantly berate the NFL for items that have not been the case for as much as 10 years.
I might not care about the success of a given American franchise in any sport, but I do see the NFL, especially this year, as being more entertaining than the CFL. Long-held arguments of ‘playmaker, offensive, open, fast, big play football’ in the CFLs favour don’t apply especially in the past year.
re earl-the defenses ruled more but so what, it's all football. The 2006 season was Ricky Williams influenced. teams sized up to stuff the argo running back, ,this detracted from another roster spot, IMO the CFL did itself well, Williams didnt get 1000 yards, And CFl D won!
The CFL is like Neil Young, doesn't need the hype , but has it's own niche fans who appreciate something
without having to be marketed to constantly for their attention. That's what turns some off from the NFL,(ok, me anyway ) the over commercialization.
Bottom line for me: I like the CFL for what it is and brings to the table and I like the NFL for what it is and brings to the table. I don't know how to say it any more exact than that.
no argument with the britney spears one… but can’t the CFL be compared to someone… oh i dont know… good?
Football is a different game in ALL leagues. Some good rules and some bad rules, some great players some mediocre players some bad ref's and some really bad ref's (sorry guys!!) but that what make each league unique in their own ways and that what I love.....FOOTBALL not a particular league.
:cowboy: