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 A 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.
The Old Shea Stadium
July 1st, 2009 by Denise I Smithson, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
As sad as it is, it’s time to say goodbye to the old Shea Stadium after 44 years of sports memories for all of us. It hardly seems possible that the Mets were an expansion team all these years after their cross-town American League rivals first took the field. It’s also hard to remember the stadium being called the Flushing Meadow Park Municipal Stadium, but that’s what it called until a movement was launched to name it in honor of William Shea.
Through the years Shea Stadium has been the home to some of the greatest baseball players ever to pick up a bat. Players like Duke Snider, Nolan Ryan, Warren Spahn, Tom Seaver, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Yogi Berra, Casey Stengel, Richie Ashburn, and Gary Carter who all became heroes in the baseball Hall of Fame. And who can forget the entertaining players like Lenny “Nails” Dykstra and Gil Hodges who just toughed it out on a daily basis?
There’s been good times and bad, ugly and outrageous, but at the end of the day, they are all great memories intertwined with the stadium’s history. We watched Dwight Gooden and Daryl Strawberry take the Mets to a World Series win over the Boston Red Sox in 1986. Unfortunately, the fame took its toll as both players spent the rest of their careers dealing with drug issues and other problems.
The historic moments are numerous. In 1969 we witnessed their first Championship when they became known as the Miracle Mets at a time when no one had ever heard of the young Nolan Ryan who would go down in baseball history for striking out 5,714 batters. In fact there are so many historic moments in the story of Shea Stadium that it’s hard to summarize them in an article; we could literally write a book about it. The stadium may be gone as a new chapter begins but the memories will live on for eternity in the hearts of recreation and sports fans all over the world.
After the tragic and shocking events of 9/11, Shea Stadium became the central hub for supplies, food and a place of refuge for many 9/11 victims. On September 21, the Mets helped New Yorkers to heal by providing the first sporting event to be held after that tragic day. New Yorkers will tell you it was one of the most stirring nights ever in baseball history. With tens of thousands of fans packing the stadium to watch the Mets take on the Braves, the team honored New York’s finest, those brave men and women who worked tirelessly to help the 9/11 victims, and then went on to play a great game. Shea Stadium is truly a place like no other. It will always be remembered with fondness and with the eager anticipation of another 50 years of baseball history.
College vs. Professional Sports – Which Do You Prefer?
July 1st, 2009 by Denise I Smithson, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
Sports fans have always debated the merits of college athletics versus the competition of professional sports leagues; they probably always will. There are fans on either side of the divide, both convinced that their preference is backed by the facts. Others have different preferences for different sports, preferring professional football but college basketball, etc. Football and basketball are in fact the two sports which seem to spark the most passion in fans over this issue.
College basketball has March Madness to its credit, something whose appeal even a diehard NBA fan would have a hard time discounting altogether. This tournament keeps college (and professional) basketball fans on the edge of their seats. It’s a tournament where upsets can – and do happen frequently. Underdogs you may not have thought about for years can suddenly upset the seemingly invincible favorite. There are dozens of games in the tournament, so there is nearly always something going on and this is one of the few occasions where betting on sports suddenly becomes socially acceptable, with nearly every workplace having a March Madness pool.
College basketball fans argue that the collegiate form of the sport is purer, with most of the players in it simply for the love of the game. The passion of the players is matched by that of the fans, many of whom have lifelong loyalty to their favorite teams, often exceeding that accorded to the NBA teams.
Professional basketball fans aren’t necessarily given to knocking college basketball (since many if not most fans actually enjoy both), but argue that the NBA offers a superior level of play and competition. They aver that the league provides fans with an opportunity to watch the sport played by the nation’s very best players.
The seven game series which make up the NBA playoffs are pointed to by fans as a way of guaranteeing that the best team will emerge victorious. While it’s hard to claim that the NBA playoffs offer more excitement than March Madness, they also make the point that regular season games are more compelling events.
When it comes to football the main topic usually relates to the playoffs and the way the champion is determined. Detractors of college football can’t stand the Bowl Championship Series. There isn’t a playoff format where each team gets to prove themselves. Rather the competition is determined by voting and by computer formulas. You can be a great team, maybe even the best team in the country at the end of the season, but if you aren’t ranked 1 or 2, than you have no chance at winning a championship. This makes the bowl season and the championship game somewhat dubious.
Fans of college football make the counterargument that the structure of the Bowl games series makes the regular college season incredibly exciting, since a team can lose its shot at the championship with just one lost game. Since there is a lot riding on the outcome of each and every game, fans remain engaged an excited throughout the entire regular season.
The arguments for which is better, collegiate or professional sporting, will never be settled easily. Those who feel one way are likely to keep that point of way. The great thing is that you can choose to watch what you want and enjoy each league and level of competition for their differences and specific strengths.
Why Baseball Is Still The American National Pastime?
June 20th, 2009 by Denise Smithson, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
Baseball is certainly the sport we think of as America’s favorite pastime, but the reality is that baseball lost that title in truth if not in name years ago. While baseball will always have an important place in our national character and be enjoyed by children at play, the sport is no longer the important form of entertainment it once was. In this regard, baseball has lost its place to other sports and other types of entertainment.
Baseball was the American pastime since it was emblematic of broader American culture at the time. It was children or young people playing in an open field or perhaps in the street. A ball and bat or any reasonable substitutes which were at hand and you could play.
The slower pace of baseball made it the right sport for its time. Baseball is a sport where no matter how fast things may move for a moment, it is only for a moment and a break in the action is always shortly ahead. Baseball is a game tailored for longer attention spans than many of us possess today or so it would seem, a perfect game for those times before the internet or television found their way into our lives.
Baseball games were broadcast of course, but on the radio. Radio is a medium which suits baseball’s slower rhythms perfectly. Broadcasters could describe the action as it happened, allowing radio audiences to enjoy the game and understand everything which was happening on the diamond. Television, however, proved not to be the match made in heaven that radio was for the game. The faster paced game of football came to television and within a couple of decades, baseball found itself playing second fiddle to this newcomer.
When you saw football on the television, you could see the size, strength and speed of the players. You could see how hard the hits were, how devastating the impact was. You could almost feel the hits yourself. The plays happened quickly and the game as a whole moved rapidly. None of these qualities were easily described on the radio, which had hindered the growth of the sport.
But baseball’s perch as the American national pastime was hindered by more than football. While football overtook it as the most popular sport in the country, an ever increasing list of distractions emerged to take its place. New sports to play and watch, more television channels, video games, the Internet and many other factors as well. At the same time, in international competitions, America is routinely destroyed by other countries. Baseball is no longer necessarily the strongest and most beloved in the country of its origin.
Meanwhile, baseball shot itself in the foot by allowing the World Series to be cancelled during a strike in the 90s. It then mishandled the steroid situation and did not take any responsibility for it. Conversely, football also suffered from a steroid problem but confronted it face on and solved it once and for all.
Sadly, baseball is no longer America’s favorite pastime. Baseball will always be an iconic American sport and a part of our culture, but it certainly seems that the heyday of professional baseball is behind us now.