I'm wondering if Canada would have a better chance of beating the US in baseball than in football if this was ever to happen? My thinking is in football since more players in Canada play at a higher level since CIS football is much stronger than CIS baseball although probably a football team would be made up of a lot of Canadians who play at NCAA schools who have received scholarships. Not sure if many Canadians get US scholarships for baseball. But then, maybe there are more Canadians playing MLB than in the NFL, I don't know. And does this matter really since there are a lot of excellent Canadians playing in the CFL?
But if baseball can do this, why not in football, at least between the US and Canada?
Canada will or could never beat the Americans in football, Canadians don't value football even close to how Americans do. This is not a personal shot at Canada its a fact. Somehow i don't think most kids in Canada say i want to play pro football, its hockey. I hope for Canada to become better at football, i would love to see a great Canadian in the NFL, or just a great Canadian CFL QB. You might ask me why do i an american care about canada improving in football, because it will lead to more interest in the sport of football and thus leading to a greater CFL more expansion, higher attendance figures. I think baseball Canada can do it, there have been many great Canadian baseball players. See baseball is a different sport if you have great pitching and shut out a team and just push a run across and you win. There has yet to be a great modern-day Canadian player that has dominated football. Look at a Larry Walker, Fergie Jenkins, Gagge these players not only proved that they can play pro ball but become great players in baseball. I would take Canada's best pro players and have them play Florida, CFL, NFL, or NCAA rules i would take FLA minus 21 points. As for baseball i think Canada could beat team USA baseball. Have Gagne pitch and you got a chance
Earl this is a great topic you have brought up i think the CFL is in a stalemate right now with popularity and attendance. It will take a great Canadian player to get the CFL over the hump, and tho have americans respect Canada's football ability.
Thanks Peter, appreciate that. Bit I'm not so sure it is that easy to say that because there have been more Canadians in baseball that have posted excellent numbers compared with Canadians posting numbers in the NFL that therefore Canada would have a better chance at winning agains't the US in baseball than in football. Football is very much different obviously and maybe not as many Canadians get the opportunity at the NFL for whatever reason even though they may have the talent. I don't know. I think it is very complicated to compare baseball and football in the 2 countries. I personally would say that football is much better organized than baseball in Canada and we have many more skilled football players than baseball players even though we might not have as many NFL'ers compared with MLB'ers.
I agree with Peter on this. Americans are heads and shoulders better than Canadians at football. You don’t even have to look at the NFL for this (although you definitely can), but take a look at the CFL and you’ll see that most of the top players in the league are American. And when you’re a lot less skilled in football it is very very hard to win. But in baseball, like Peter said, if you are skilled at pitching, which we are somewhat, you can keep the runs scored to a minimum and maybe squeeze out a run or two to win even if you are out-matched.
Sorry, I have to disagree with this. Yes a great pitcher can always keep a team in the game. But can't a great defense also keep a team in a game in football? What's the difference other than it takes more players in football on defence to shut down an opposing team. But then we have more highly skilled football players here as football, as I mentiioned, is more organized here compared with baseball.
You guys have to do better than that to convince me.
Yes a great defence can keep a team in the game. But a defence takes 11 great players, like you mentioned, to combat a highly skilled offence, which the Americans would throw at us. Which Canadians would be able to stop Manning, Owens, Chad Johnson, Shaun Alexander (in the NFL) or in the CFL Allen (or Calvillo, Ray, Dickenson), Simon, Tucker, Holmes, Roberts? We just don't have 11 great Canadian players on defence to stop this skill, they would blow by us. In baseball all it takes is one great individual effort, one pitcher who the American players can't hit. Baseball is more of an individual sport than football and therefore can get by with the odd weak player in the line-up who is not apart of most plays. In football if you have a weak player in the line-up that player will get targeted on every play, either by running or passing to his side.
But can't other guys on defense do some compensating for a weak player or two, cheat a little here or there, play a bit more zone maybe to cover up for a weaker player etc..
Not when all 11 players are weaker than the highly skillled offence. Even if you have 3 or 4 great players on the defence you cannot compensate for the rest of the defence. To combat an American all-star team in football every single player on the defence would have to be up to the challenge. If you had one weak player you can compensate a bit by double covering the guy he is covering or if he is a defensive lineman move more defensive lineman to his side so they don't run at him. But as soonas that happens they'll go back to the other side where there now is less players. Football is a team sport and takes all players to win. Baseball is different and all it takes is one great performance by a player. Just take a look at baseball's offence, one player hits 4 homeruns in a game that is at least 4 runs, that's al it takes to score. In football, on a run play, you have to have the O-line blocking great, the quarterback handing it off correctly, the receivers blocking downfield for the runner to break free.
Ok, I'm not going to press this any more. But one thing I will say, assuming you are correct in your analysis roughfan, is that football is a much better sport than baseball as it is much team oriented and takes more of the team to win rather than in baseball. Which is great!
That's one of the reasons why I like football a lot better. In baseball there is some strategy, how to play a certain player, where to pitch to him. But not like in football where strategy is huge and it takes the whole team to win a game.
Just to add on what roughy said you take an American all-star team versus Canada all-star football team. If Canada would need 11 great players and if they didn't the US coach by Belichek would attack team Canada's weakness. I've played football for 14 years and any offensive cooridinator looks at where they can exploit a defense. I would also make the arguement that Canada would need more than 11 great defensive players because i a game there are players that need to catch there breath and get hurt.
As for baseball i wouldn't be surprise to see Canada beat the Americans because pitching wins games. Say Gagne could go 9 scoreless innings, and Larry Walker goes deep. Canada 1- USA-0 Look at the Marlins they win with pitching.
Peter, so you are saying also that football is a much more complicated game requiring more input from more players than baseball? I see that way for sure. And I also see hockey more like baseball where a goalie can steal a game, it is not as complicated as football. One reason I also like football better than hockey to watch. But also why hockey is, I think, more fun to play recreationally, just drop the puck and away you go, no need to draw up well-designed plays like is required in football.
I agree look at when the US beat Canada with Richter in net, he was hot. There is no way the US should have been able to play with Canada, i will go one step further, they had no right to be on the same ice. I have played on teams that had 8 great players on offense and defense, but the 3 guys that stunk it up cost us our season. We finished 4-6 we beat a top team and we lost to the worst teams.
I would say the equivalent to a hot pitcher and goalie in hockey, would be a running back that is unstopable, you control the clock you have the ball and most likly win the game.
I would agree that pickup hockey is better than pickup football. I just grew up playing more football. Nothing beats street hockey of all sports that was the most fun, you have the offense, and then you have to change to defense if you turn it over.
hasnt Canada won the world junior football championship against the USA the last 2 straight years......dont ya think that shows the gap between us isnt as big as you think.......
Yeah you're right, but team Canada played against a northwest Ohio all star team, not a legit team USA. That game as i posted earlier was a ploy by the NFL to please the international community. They were coach by some bum, and Canada had the eskimos coach. I still think Canada needs a real star to be put on the football map and create more of interest in Canada. Its going to happen sooner or later.
Getting really sick of your iggnorance there petey!! I sent you the links regarding the choosing of the american team (which you obviously did not read) And now you're calling the coach ( a person you have never even met) a BUM??? You really do shine in the iggnorance department I must say.
And...your arrogance is equally annoying! Canadian pros. being beaten by Florida??? (I assume you mean college) You really need to rethink a little.......no, alot........nope wait..........EVERYTHING you say.
I'd love to see a US/Canada conbine rules football game (with AP :lol:)
but not baseball, it suxs!!!