Understanding The Differences Between CFL Canadian Football And The NFL
August 10th, 2009 by Ross Everett, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
In the United States, summertime is when teams get prepared to play football. NFL teams start training camp, and college teams start practice. North of the border in Canada, however, summertime is when their professional football season begins in the form of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
American football fans may not realize just how long and storied the history of Canadian pro football CFL style actually is. The league has been around since 1930 and the Grey Cup championship (essentially the CFL Superbowl) has been in existence since 1909. Many NFL stars got their start in the CFL including Doug Flutie, Jim Kelly, and Jeff Garcia.
The CFL is very high level professional football, but there are some significant differences between it and the NFL game:
First of all, the football itself is bigger–the CFL ball is larger than its American counterpart. If you know anything about rugby, its roughly the same as a #3 rugby ball meaning it is somewhat longer and fatter than the NFL ball. The CFL field is also longer (110 yards) and wider (65 yards vs. the NFLs 53.5 yards), and the CFL end zones are 20 yards deep as opposed to 10 yards in the NFL. The CFL goal posts are on the goal line, while the NFLs are on the end line at the back of the endzone.
CFL teams are allowed to have 12 players on the field at a time, one more than is standard in American football. The extra offensive player is a wide receiver, and on defense they’re allowed an extra defensive back. CFL teams allow a team only three downs to move ten yards as opposed to four in the US game–references to a team going “two and out” are common on CFL broadcasts.
There are also differences in the scoring of the game. The first time I saw a CFL score tied 1-1 at the end of the first quarter I thought I was hallucinating. A major rule difference between the CFL and NFL is the fact that teams can score a single point, which those clever Canadians call a single. Basically, a team is awarded a single point for a missed field goal or a punt that lands in the end zone.
Of all the rule differences between the NFL and CFL the one that has the most significance on the game isnt enforced on the field; its enforced in the GMs office. Canadians are big on laws and rules to protect their national identity”thats why their TV and radio stations are required to devote a certain percentage of their airplay to Canadian content. That has led to a number of Canadian-only media stars both good (The Tragically Hip, Sloan) and bad (Avril Lavigne, early 90s white rapper Snow). The CFL has a similar rule which requires that 19 of the 40 players on a roster must be Canadian born. This keeps the CFL from becoming a de facto NFL developmental league, and helps maintain its unique identity.
Perhaps the greatest misunderstanding is that the average NFL fan looks at the rules of the Canadian game with more players, a wider field, and fewer downs and concludes that the game is a wide open shootout similar to Arena Football. Thats not really the case”youll see some offensive battles but most games end up with final score totals in the mid to high 40s. In Arena Football, youll frequently see teams with potent offenses enforcing their will over and over again against teams with porous defenses. You dont see that too often in the CFL. The rules may be different, but as is the case in American pro football you need a solid rushing game and a stout defense to win games and championships.
The requirement of native born players making up 50% of a CFL roster also results in a much more even distribution of talent across the league. Certainly there are good teams and bad teams, but the end result is greater parity than is found in the NFL.
Among the ‘non-Canadians’ on the team, its also important to note that the CFL doesn’t get the highest level US college players. Most with NFL ability are in the NFL, or on a NFL team’s practice or developmental squad. There’s definitely some American players that are uniquely suited to the CFL game, but the general level of talent is similar to that seen in the Arena Football League.
Despite the differences between the CFL and American football, at the end of the day its still high level, professional football. Once you understand the unique aspects of the CFL, it’ll become second nature much as NFL viewers quickly assimilate rule changes there.
You wont see CFL news on ESPN, since theyre more interested in featuring spelling bees and lumberjack competitions and letting their personalities like Stuart Scott show how clever they are than covering sports. The good news is that the CFL receives extensive coverage in the Canadian press and all you need to do is visit a couple of websites to stay up to date. Each CFL city has their own sports media, and most have pretty good websites. The best one stop shopping can be found at the leagues own and Slam! Sports, which is roughly the Canadian equivalent of ESPNs website and has extensive CFL news, opinions and statistics.
Riding on the Mountains, an Exciting Adventure
July 16th, 2009 by Adriana Noton, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
Horse riding can be a very relaxing pastime and can make any special occasion that bit more special. If you are going on holiday to a beautiful area of the world, then one of the best ways to see it might just be by horse riding. It is a great way to see and experience the countryside and also does not require quite so much work and effort as hiking or cycling.
If you are really enthusiastic about trying out horse riding, or you have done it before, and would like to do it again, then you might want to consider booking a riding holiday. This exciting adventure could take you to one of many places in the world and will surely make for a unique and memorable holiday.
It is important that you take the time to do your research properly and find the right sort of place for you. There are trails in many countries all over the world and you can do something in Canada for example in the mountains or you can go on a safari trail or something different. Either way, you will find that there is plenty to choose from and something to suit almost anyone.
There even some travel agencies available which operates over the Internet which will be able to organise such holidays for you. I would personally recommend that one of the best ways to enjoyed horse riding to its fullest extent is by riding in the mountains.
Riding on the mountains gives you the best way to see them. It will also give you a tremendous feeling of liberty and you will also be afforded with some incredible views. Scenery constantly changes and youll be surrounded by a tranquillity that you never fought possible. While riding on the mountains will certainly provide some challenging terrain, the rewards will be enormous. Much of this sort of riding will also be at high altitude where you will be out of breath faster than you would be at sea level. Sometimes, it certainly wont be particularly easy on what is life without a challenge?
For riding holidays, mountains are possibly the most popular destinations and for a good reason too. While you do need to make thoroughly sure that you are properly prepared for such an adventure both in terms of the equipment you have, and your physical abilities, a riding holiday in the mountains may be just right for you.
Some are the most popular destinations include Chile, Canada and the United States, more specifically the Rocky Mountains. Certain holidays which are already pre-planned may be easier than others. The agency should be able to inform you about any potential complications or the possibility of any unforeseen challenges. If you have never been horse riding before, then it might not be a good idea to even think about this at all unless, perhaps, you are going with a group of people who are experienced and can help you out.