CFL football on ESPN2

Submitted by jabberwock on

NOW WITH MORE POUTINE!

Well at least it's kind of like football.

MGoBoard

Real Tackles Wear 77

June 25th, 2016 at 11:24 PM ^

The most CFL score ever is 1-0, which we saw earlier in this game. Literally impossible in an NFL game.

I personally love watching the CFL each summer, it is a fun and wide open take on the game we all love and bridges the gap to NFL/CFB season. Go Argos!

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 9685

stephenrjking

June 25th, 2016 at 11:40 PM ^

Thomas Gordon and Ramon Taylor are kicking around, too.

For fun (and because I have some stuff to do that I am vaguely avoiding) I perused CFL rosters for familiar college players. There are some interesting ones, like Drew Tate backing up Bo Levi Johnson at QB in Calgary. 

But my favorite roster feature was discovering former double-bird OSU player Marcus Hall. Who is a member of the Saskatchewan Roughrider organization.

On the practice squad.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143524

stephenrjking

June 25th, 2016 at 11:19 PM ^

The CFL is a fun product with some amusing college football nostalgia (you find yourself saying things like, "Hey, I remember when Darien Durant split time on some pretty good North Carolina teams!"), a unique but consistent ruleset, and a surprising level of tradition.

I grew up watching it on the CBC and my family has a strong family tradition of following the Argonauts (my Grandad was a longtime season ticket holder), so I'm kind of roped in. I've even  gone to a game at SkyDome. The games can be quite entertaining, though there are also times (like last night, when I watched a bit of the first half and groaned audibly every time Winnipeg's QB missed another receiver downfield--seriously, Devin Gardner should give the CFL another glance) where it's a tough watch, just like any other football game but with lower stakes.

It's not really football season yet, so it's hard to really enjoy it if you don't have skin in the game. But it is worth the occasional look. Kind of a fun mental exercise recalibrating for the different rules, too. 

Though with the wider array of sports options available to us compared with the days when the CBC was just the sixth channel on television, it's actually harder to commit to following now.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143524

Megatron

June 25th, 2016 at 11:24 PM ^

Can only get 2 downs to get a 1st down and punt it on 3RD down they go for it on 3RD but don't get the 1ST then it's turnover on downs. CFL needs to be more like the NFL 4 downs not punting on 3RD if I was CFL commish I would make it 4 downs to get the 1st. I haven't watched a full CFL game ever if I have CFL on it's mainly in the back ground.

Joined: 06/25/2015

MGoPoints: 583

GoBluenoser

June 25th, 2016 at 11:24 PM ^

tried to drag him up this year.  His skillset would make him a stud up here.  He would also have all the maple syrup and moose burgers he can handle

Joined: 09/19/2013

MGoPoints: 5966

BursleyHall82

June 25th, 2016 at 11:39 PM ^

Yeah, I'm watching this game, too, because football. I was curious, so I looked it up. The average CFL salary is $80,000. That's less than an NFL long-snapper makes, but you can live on that.

Joined: 07/14/2013

MGoPoints: 26938

stephenrjking

June 25th, 2016 at 11:42 PM ^

Some guys, of course, make more than that, but that sounds about right.

"Some guys" no doubt heavily features quarterbacks. A quality CFL QB can easily have a 15-year career, often playing for half the teams in the league. It's not a huge niche, but it's a niche, and guys build a life off of it.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143524

BursleyHall82

June 25th, 2016 at 11:47 PM ^

Could we ever host a CFL game at the Big House, or could our field not be big enough? I'm assuming we couldn't pull it off.

I would freaking love being able to tailgate for a game in July, even if it was Toronto v. Edmonton.

Joined: 07/14/2013

MGoPoints: 26938