Reaction To CFL vs NFL (This is Canadian Football??)

[@PocoPerson]

The field dimensions were established long before the metric system was even thought about in Canada. The game is an evolution of Rugby, and the field length corresponds with rugby field length

[@mrbond59]

Yeah, that who metric system explanation of field size is complete bullshit. Canada adopted the metiric system in the 1970s. The CFL started in 1958 and the Canadian game was around for almost 100 years before that. The guy clearly did not do any research and with a mistake that huge, the rest of his "facts" are suspect.

[@johnp5990]

@@mrbond59 Exactly what I was going to say. Who says, "let's measure the length in metres but go by yards" ? It also doesn't explain the difference in width.

[@25Soupy]

@@mrbond59 Canada adopted the metric system on April 1, 1975.

[@kyle381000]

Agreed. When I heard the 'explanation' for the 110-yard field, I laughed out loud. Ridiculous.

[@gcorriveau6864]

@@mrbond59 The rest of his summation of the two games is pretty good (in the opinion of the 'old guy' who has been a fan of both 3down and 4down football for several decades. But yeah - he sure googed about the metric explanation.

[@canuckasaurus]

Lifelong Stamps fan here. One thing that typically gets glossed over in videos about the CFL are the specific traditions of the sport. For example, every year the Labour Day Classic in which historic rivals face each other off, normally followed by a return game in the other city the following week. So for example, every Labour Day Calgary and Edmonton face off at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, followed by a return game at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. We term this sports rivalry the "Battle of Alberta" (it also applies to hockey). The rematch game between Winnipeg and Saskatchewan is termed the "Banjo Bowl."

[@mrmxyzptlk-imp]

Labour Day Classic in the East is traditionally Hamilton vs Toronto in Hamilton

[@the_Kurgan]

110 yards being close to 100 meters is just a coincidence. The field size was established in 1896. The use of metric began in 1975.

[@emmytoussaint]

My dad was a CFL Referee for 3 years, and lifelong season ticket holder. Battle Of Alberta never dissapoints, no matter how bad the Elks or Stamps are.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

The referees are overall more fair in the CFL. The NFL referees are corrupt

[@saliciousable]

My pal's mom always made me laugh when she'd slag the NFL, saying "Hell, I could make 10 yds in 4 downs while wearing my stiletto heels while smoking a cigarette". Yup, the Canadian game is way more exciting. In 2023, over 60% of the games were won in the final 3 minutes!

[@owenbloomfield1177]

It was a wild year for games!

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

The commentators in the CFL are better. The NFL commentators are annoying as hell.

[@RobertFay]

*- Agreed, a much more fun game to play, too....* *- I played high school football in New Hampshire, USA and university football in Nova Scotia, Canada.* *- American field is like playing on a pool table as compared to being on a Canadian field.* *- The big Canadian field is Way More Fun to play on and the kicking game allows for a lot more hitting, too.* *- The sidelines are 6 yards wider on each side giving sweeps left and right way more running room.* *- The end zones are deep, making for a lot of passing room close to them.* *- Making the defense be a yard away from the scrimige line and only three downs makes for a lot more kicking.* *- Kicking makes for a lot more big field running and a lot more hitting.* *- Canadian football is a big running harder hitting game and way more fun to play.* *- Players tend to be lankier, taller and less chunky because of the amout of running and the bigger space.*

[@exile220ify]

The "Bigger Balls" myth wasn't always a myth. Decades ago, the CFL ball actually WAS slightly larger. And in a very cheeky series of adverts, the CFL tried to entice people to watch/come to their games with the slogan "We Have Bigger Balls". This is absolutely true. :)

[@LeMattiekinz]

It actually changed to nfl ball size only in 2017

[@richardolender9271]

@@LeMattiekinz No it changed in 1986 but will greater tolerances...In 2017 the went to the same tolerance

[@TechnicalBard]

I still have one of the t-shirts. The line is "Our Balls are Bigger"

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

The Canadians would just inflate the ball more anyway. Making it more plump.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

​@@TechnicalBardNo wonder Tom Brady hates the CFL. 😄

[@cliffgraham9892]

the biggest differences come down to the action. With the Canadian game there is always something going on. The shorter game clock, unlimited motion, no fair catch, the bigger dimensions of the field and an extra skill position all increase the amount of action.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

The CFL players look more excited when they play. The NFL players look all bored like they are waiting for the bus near a street.

[@pvdogs2]

Mert, don't know if you noticed - at 1:02, Dwayne, The Rock, Johnson, briefly played in the CFL - until he was cut by his team. We live in the Toronto area and have always been fans of the Toronto team, The Argos (Argonauts) and have been to a few games. Prior to his death, Canadian actor/comedian John Candy was a part owner of the Argos.

[@richardolender9271]

He did not exactly play, he was cut from the practice roster

[@Bonkrr]

And just for the record, the team that signed and subsequently cut him was the Calgary Stampeders. @@richardolender9271

[@jschap712]

Fun fact: Canada invented American football. Universities in Canada and the US evolved their own sports out of rugby over time. Then in 1874, Harvard and McGill decided to do a joint exhibition of their games at McGill, the two games being substantially different. Harvard's game was much more like soccer, with a round ball, etc, and allowed very limited carrying of the ball. McGill's game involved the oblong ball, and rules like those still followed in Canada. Following the exhibition where both games were played, the Canadian version was adopted throughout the US as the better of the two games, with the variations noted in this video eventually coming to pass. So that added football to the list of games invented in Canada or by Canadians, including hockey, baseball, basketball, and lacrosse. You're welcome, US.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

I thought the English invented ice hockey.🤔. They would play with a ball. Later the sport was known as Bandy. As with Lacrosse the native americans invented it but the English modernized it with rules.

[@blackberrythorns]

@@GabrielNavarro-bo7st ball and stick games have been around forever, hockey began in nova scotia and then it was formalized in montreal. lacrosse was formalized into the modern game in montreal as well. james naismith, who invented basketball, was educated at mcgill (in phys. ed.) which is in montreal where all this was taking place. mcgill played harvard in 1874 and introduced them to canadian football, which became american football.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

​@@blackberrythornsThe Irish sport of Hurling is becoming more popular in Canada. They should create a hybrid sport with Lacrosse but keep the outdoor sized Lacrosse goals but still keep the Caman Hurling sticks.

[@blackberrythorns]

@@GabrielNavarro-bo7st there were lots of scottish and irish that contributed to the development of canadian sports way back when. when they saw the first nations playing lacrosse (french name) they would have immediately understood it.

[@jschap712]

@@GabrielNavarro-bo7st There's often antecedents to games, but the first game of modern hockey was in Montreal in 1875

[@johnross5889]

I went to the Grey Cuo this year in Hamilton.... CFL is infinitely better..and we don't give a fiddlers fuck about what popularity it gains internationally Canada is the world's best kept secret..shhhhh..we love it that way❤

[@nancymilawski1048]

100 % correct. 😀😀😀

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

McDonald's is overly popular and it sucks. Poutine is better food. Same concept 👍

[@blackberrythorns]

the canadian game still retains more of the rugby roots than the american game. it's faster gameplay, kicking plays a bigger part and there are lots of high flying throws. some crazy stuff happens as a result of the different rules which is why it's sometimes called the crazy football league. canadian football was introduced to the americans in 1874 and they adopted and adapted it. the oldest continuous team in north america is the toronto argonauts, earlier this year the 110th grey cup was played.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

The emphasis on kicking the ball makes it more interesting. It feels like a combination of grid iron and rugby union. The bigger field is alot better. The NFL field is too cramped. Plus the extra man on the field adds more strategic depth.

[@blackberrythorns]

@@GabrielNavarro-bo7st the gridiron was invented in ontario, it was gridiron rugby - canadian football.

[@wolfmanatlarge6506]

There's a LOT of older CFL games on youtube. Including most if not all of the Grey Cup games. If somebody wanted to get into Canadian football you definitely want to start with the Grey Cup games. The last three have been absolute nailbiters.

[@charlyW34]

Actually, there are 13 fairly major rule differences, not just the half dozen mentioned in the video. In the CFL, one foot "in Bounds" on a catch is all that is required, for an example.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

People in Canada are like " at least we know what a catch looks like". 👍

[@Dee-JayW]

❤❤❤ My dad RIP, was a life time Edmonton Eskimos fan as were my brother and all cousins. He held seasons tickets for over 50 years in Edmonton, taking us, and then the grandchildren to games. Before they changed the date of the Grey Cup, my dad was never home for my birthday 😂, but we always got a new Jersey! He and eventually my cousins and brother, never missed a Grey Cup. Dad went every year from the early 1960s to his death in 2015. We still have the seasons tickets right on the 50 yard line, just under the over hang. Go ESKS go! 🎉🎉

[@luciebrisson5881]

I live an hour's drive away from Montréal but my favourite team is and has always been the Edmonton Eskimos.

[@Dee-JayW]

@@luciebrisson5881 That's so cool!! I still am not used to Edmonton Elks! 😁

[@luciebrisson5881]

@@Dee-JayW Me neither. I've been calling the team Eskimos for 45 years, Elks just doesn't even come to mind.

[@Dee-JayW]

@luciebrisson5881 exactly 💯 👏 61 years for me 🇨🇦 btw Montréal is stunningly beautiful. Salut!🥂

[@jethro1963]

Where the hell did this 100 metres idea come from. The field was 110 yds long before anyone had thought of the metric system in Canada or for that matter commonplace in the UK if one thinks of it as similar to a rugby standard.

[@Progressive_Canadian]

Number of Players: CFL teams have 12 players on the field, while NFL teams have 11. The extra player in the CFL is usually a slotback, who lines up off the line of scrimmage. Field Size: The CFL field is larger than the NFL field. CFL fields are 150 yards long (including end zones) and 65 yards wide, whereas NFL fields are 100 yards long (including end zones) and 53.3 yards wide. Number of Downs: In the CFL, teams have three downs to make a first down, compared to the NFL's four downs. This leads to a more pass-oriented game in the CFL. Motion at the Snap: In the CFL, offensive players, except for the quarterback, can be in motion towards the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped. In the NFL, only one player is allowed to be in motion, and he must be laterally or backward. No Fair Catch: In the CFL, there is no fair catch rule on punts. Instead, the receiving team must give the returner a five-yard cushion to catch the ball. Single Point (Rouge): In the CFL, a single point (also known as a rouge) is awarded if a team kicks the ball into the opponent's end zone, and the receiving team does not bring it out. Overtime Format: The CFL has a different overtime format. Each team gets one possession from the opponent's 35-yard line, and if the game is still tied after each team has had a possession, they get additional possessions until a winner is determined. Timing Rules: The timing rules differ, particularly in the last three minutes of each half. In the CFL, the clock stops after every play during this period, whereas in the NFL, it stops only in certain situations (e.g., incomplete passes, out-of-bounds).

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

CFL has more depth than the NFL. If you think about it. .CFL plays out more like chess with how the players move around the scrimmage zone

[@sykesknife4496]

My family and I are season ticket holders for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

[@alanhyland5697]

American football players can have a fair amount of difficulty adjusting to Canadian football, which tends to be a faster-paced, more offensive game. Those who do can gain quite the skill set and become quicker when they return to the NFL. Canadian football is probably more fun, but our population just doesn't let us pay the big bucks they have in the states. That would be why you don't hear about it. Football (soccer) is gaining ground in Canada again though.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Rugby is becoming more popular in Canada

[@shapeshifter8778]

The canadian women rugby is doing well in the wold stage

[@dlemare]

The only thing that bugs me about the Canadian game is that the players aren't paid enough, considering the amount of punishment and injuries that they take throughout their careers. The average career of a CFL player is less than other sports. Most of the CFL players are either playing for the love of the game or to get noticed in the NFL.

[@RK-vf4mo]

And our playing season is half of the Americans

[@alpearson9158]

but more games in a season@@RK-vf4mo

[@nancymilawski1048]

​@@RK-vf4mo18 games is the same

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

The NFL players are overpaid divas. They are like the Kardashians. NBA players are similar

[@Actionronnie]

TV contracts are really the only big difference. A NFL team could play in empty stadiums and still be profitable. Wasn't much difference in pay until the 1970s ended.

[@rickbeith3336]

In some instances some good NFL players have a hard time adjusting to the CFL when trying their luck in Canada. Vince Ferragamo was mocked for his poor play in his one year in Canada. He left and then criticized the league after he left. The truth is he sucked and so have other players like him who trashed the league after leaving. Many classy players have praised both leagues after playing in both.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Similar to how many Americans struggle playing Rugby. It's ironic when they chant " We are #1" 😄

[@lauriegunn9636]

I love football. We are Rider Priders here, Saskatchewan Roughriders.

[@Zlata1313]

Another lifelong member of Rider Nation here rider! Also was a Riderette many years ago 👍💚🏈🇨🇦

[@lauriegunn9636]

💚💚🍉🏈@@Zlata1313

[@margaretjames6494]

How crazy that you and JohnFAmerican both released reactions to this same video today?! You two are the best reactors - mostly because you're not completely ignorant about Canada, genuinely seem interested in our stories, and you both choose subject matter that is interesting to me. Case in point. Love it! (I posted this same comment on his page too. Haha)

[@chriskazanas9941]

So, as far as the rules and size of the field, the game was played in Canada first and was introduced to the states in a series of games between Mcgill University and, I believe, Harvard. The game at McGill was played on the Canadian sized field, but when they went to play in Harvard, they didn't have a big enough field available, so they used the smaller dimensions. The game then evolved organically and separately in both countries, resulting in the different rules. I watch both and find that the extra down in the ameican game adds more strategy as you never know if the second down will be a run or a throw, in the CFL if you have more than 4 yards to go, its probably a throwing down.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

American football used to be more like Gaelic Football when it was more soccer- like.

[@DarkChaos87]

The myth is actually real, albeit, we USED TO have big balls. The Spalding J5V, which used to be the official CFL game ball, was visibly larger than an NFL ball. The CFL switched official suppliers in 1985 to Wilson, and with that, they changed the rule and made the CFL ball conform to the same variances in measurement as in the American game.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

The Canadians would just inflate the ball more anyway

[@waynejones5635]

Canada is a smaller country in terms of population, so the TV revenue in the US is much higher. This allows the NFL to do much more in terms of global marteting than the Canadian game. Although back in the 1980's and before the salary differences between three two leagues was much closer than it is today.

[@terrywright9765]

The bit about the metric system making the field longer is complete bunk. CFL was around decafes before the metric system came to Canada. The kicking game is much more exciting in the CFL, especially at the end of the game where the receiver of a missed field goal can punt it back out. Then the ount teceiver can punt it back in to try to get the single point. Lather rinse repeat. Punting on 3rd game is also more exciting. None of this fair catch or the return team sumply leaving the field. Cover team must give 5 yards to the receiver and punter can recover an untouched punt. Makes for crazy plays sometimes.

[@allanlank]

The differences make the Canadian game more "airborne" (kicks and long throws) whereas the USA game is more of a grounded slugfest (runs and short passes).

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Canadian football feels more Rugby- like.

[@dalebartolome2325]

CFL still has rugby roots. The ball is live with a 1 meter gap. So fun!

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Plus the emphasis on kicking the oval ball.

[@robchehowski4281]

Lifelong Hamilton Tiger-Cats fan here. Love, LOVE the CFL!! I personally can't watch NFL football....the field looks too small to me, I hate the lack of kicking & the quirks that brings into the game & the refusal to return kicks. Additionally, I can't stand to see the last 2 minutes of an NFL game with one team just letting the clock run out while the other team just stands around helplessly. Due to the clock rules in the CFL, the ball can change hands several times in the last 3 minutes of our game, which means that games often come down to the last few seconds to be decided. Other things I love about the CFL: it's much less of a business than the NFL & the fan experience is better, because you get to interact with players, coaches, etc. I try to attend the Ticats training camp each year & you can talk to the players between drills. Try doing that in the NFL. This past Grey Cup, I went to some of the events here in Hamilton & met players from all different teams in the league. Probably the reason why so few people outside Canada haven't heard of the CFL is because the NFL hype machine sucks up all the oxygen. Players familiar with both leagues will say that the difference in skill level is not that much.

[@vicfak3915]

There was a game this season between the Elks and Riders where the game was decided by conceding a Rouge. It was week 5, right at the end of the game. I'm assuming he was an American player without adequate awareness of the rule. It's unfortunate that his mistake cost the team the game.

[@Zlata1313]

Yup he was.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Retro football codes in England mention the Rouge.

[@wolfmanatlarge6506]

You blame the special teams coach for that one. Then you laugh and write it off as the cost of training a player.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

@@wolfmanatlarge6506 Lol@ special teams. All the damn players on the field need to be able to pass the ball well, kick it well, tackle,. shepherd block, run juke while running holding the ball. The quarterback is not the king of the team. Screw Tom Brady.

[@bl_leafkid4322]

Until end of 1995 CFL used a Spalding J5V football which is a bigger football than a Wilson.

[@gcorriveau6864]

The video he is watching is a pretty good intro - EXCEPT the 'metric' explanation about field size... d'oh! Canadian field sizes were set long before the metric system came to Canada... otherwise - I like to say that 3D! (three down) "Canadian" football is the way a nation of hockey lovers like to play the game! Fast, flowing, hectic!, improvisational! Also I like our 'quirky' kicking/scoring rules that hark back to origins in rugby. Both versions of the game can be fun. Why not enjoy them both - each for what they are.

[@gcorriveau6864]

Also - "Where did the myth of the 'bigger balls' come from?" Because for a while it was TRUE. CFL balls were based more on rugby balls for a while ... but several years ago this was changed to create an essentially identical ball to NFL (aside from the iconic stripes.)

[@colinmacvicar2507]

I’m an Ottawa Redblacks fan. As to why, I’ve been asking myself that very question for a few years now.

[@jethro1963]

For an "expansion" team, Ottawa had a helluva good first few years, they will again.

[@Hollywoodin2001b]

I hope Ottawa and Edmonton at least come close to the playoffs this year.

[@neilens1589]

The length of Canadian fileds has nothing to do with metric. It had to do with the fact that the game was played on rugby pitches in the early years. American football fields used to also be 110 yards, but were shortened to 100 yards in 1912. It appears that the width of the field was heavily influenced by the narrow stadium at Harvard University. Also, American Football changed from 3 downs to 4 downs in 1912.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Plus the rouge is a retro rule from English football codes many moons ago

[@teo_heel]

If you're curious, react to the most recent Grey Cup (Final game of the season, CFL's Superbowl) - 110th Grey Cup. It is one of the best Grey Cup games of ALL TIME that held fans excitement for all 60 minutes of action. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Who won Grey Cups in 2019 in 2021 (there was no season in 2020) and then lost Grey Cup in 2022 to Argos) played against Montreal Alouettes (who last been in Grey Cup in 2010 winning it against Saskatchewan Roughriders for the second year straight and then had lots of problems with owners and other stuff). Btw. Montreal is in their third incarnation that started to play in 1996, first two folded because of no money. First was formed in 1946 and folded after 1981 season, second (named Concordes at first because they didn't had rights to the name) played since 1982 until 1986 (in 1986 they gained rights to use Alouettes name) and folded the day before the start of 1987 season, the third one started thanks to Baltimore Stallions, they won Grey Cup in 1995... but couldn't stay in Baltimore anymore because NFL "relocated" Cleveland Browns to Baltimore to form Baltimore Ravens and couldn't find any place in US to play the next season as the CFL US expansion ended (league done this to get money as it was very close to closing at one point), so league just told them to relocate to Montreal... kinda, Stallions and Alouettes doesn't share the history.

[@davidstobie2751]

a bigger field fewer players and three downs lead to a different composition of players.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

The players are more active in the CFL. Similar to Rugby.

[@allanlewisorr335]

We need a team in the Maritimes and Quebec City. More Canadians on the rosters, better media coverage. Love Canadian football.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

CFL feels more authentic. NFL feels like people watching sports at a mall sipping their Starbucks coffee.

[@RobertFay]

*- I played high school football in New Hampshire, USA and university football in Nova Scotia, Canada.* *- American field is like playing on a pool table as compared to being on a Canadian field.* *- The big Canadian field is Way More Fun to play on and the kicking game allows for a lot more hitting, too.* *- The sidelines are 6 yards wider on each side giving sweeps left and right way more running room.* *- The end zones are deep, making for a lot of passing room close to them.* *- Making the defense be a yard away from the scrimige line and only three downs makes for a lot more kicking.* *- Kicking makes for a lot more big field running and a lot more hitting.* *- Canadian football is a big running harder hitting game and way more fun to play.* *- Players tend to be lankier, taller and less chunky because of the amout of running and the bigger space.*

[@waynejones5635]

I love the CFL.. and yes the CFL ball was slightly larger than the one used in the NFL. Today the CFL and the NFL use the same size ball. The larger fields allow for more big plays as there is more field to cover.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Tom Brady would hate playing in the CFL.😄. Deflated balls.

[@CaptainTedStryker]

CFL fan here, I find most NFL games slow and boring. Not enough exciting plays IMO. One very big difference not mentioned: NFL has 32 teams while CFL has 9. This means way more rivalries between teams. Also the CFL season ends way earlier.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Too many commercials in the NFL. The CFL does have ads that don't distract. Key difference is the CFL is more focused on the sport itself. The marching musical bands in the NCAA football games are annoying as hell. Sounds like a damn circus.

[@Angelicus-p5p]

I just started learning about how football is played after a lifetime of ignoring it. I was drawn in by the sensation around the "Kelce Bowl" and this years' draft of the Canadian Brown twins into the NFL. I looked up the origins and the first North-American style football game was between McGill (Canada) and Harvard(US) in 1874. Princeton and Rutgers played a similar game in 1869 but with a round ball and under soccer type rules although i think it allowed carrying. Another rabbit-hole to explore. Look up "the Boston game" for Harvard rules.

[@blackberrythorns]

canada had already been playing the game from the 1820's (?) 1874 was mcgill versus harvard and that was the first time americans were introduced to the game that canadians had been playing for decades. the hamilton tigers were formed in 1869, the toronto argonauts were founded in 1873 and have been in continuous existence ever since.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Was similar to Gaelic football

[@danielgertler5976]

I say check out some highlights on the CFL youtube channel, they have great highlights including for the championship games, the Grey Cup.

[@bobbybutton3503]

Charlie Taaffe, an American college football coach who end-up Head-Coach the Montreal Alouette, once said that the most difficult adaptation was the 3 tries and what to do with the twelfth player at first. Having only 3 tries means that there is an urgency to do 10 yards on your first try, his words.

[@markhammer643]

A poor first down also tends to telegraph what the team has to do for their second down. If the team gets 2 yards on a first down running play, then the odds are pretty damn good 2nd down will be a passing play, and NOT a short screen pass for 4-5 yards. At the same time, there have been some VERY surprising plays that ran against expectations created *by* that I-know-what-you-have-to-do-now mentality by the defence.

[@itchey911]

If you get this I know it's 3 weeks later than the video. Used to be two teams called the RoughRiders in Canadian Football League one in Saskatchewan called Regina RughRiders and in Ottawa RoughtRiders! So there is something to say about being Canadian with are CFL! Plus there are only 9 teams and there are going to be 10 teams at some point!

[@gtkracken1]

The CFL may not have the population to support as big as the US but it's the original grid iron! ! Some of the rules could be removed but it's awesome. If more people supported it , there would be more $ to get slightly better players and better tv production. It's not the NFL and that's good! #GreyCup

[@RK-vf4mo]

Canadian football has a longer field Im Canadian, and im from Saskatchewan. I am a Saskatchewan Roughrider FAN FOR LIFE!!!

[@rajsharma5316]

And the Toronto Argonauts started as a rowing and rugby club in the 1800's

[@alanmerritt860]

Yes as has been stated ,the size of the field has nothing to do with metric system .

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Rugby roots. Look where the goal post is on the field.

[@mariosportsmaster7662]

It's a bit like the relationship between rugby league and rugby union. I say that that in the sense that game that comes from the larger market (union most known coming from England) dominates the imagination of people when the first think of rugby as a sport. Meanwhile rugby league is largely an Aussie thing and lesser known than the more internationally recognized union rules version.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

The Aussies created a hybrid of Rugby League and AFL Aussie rules many moons ago. The sport had interesting rules.

[@toddlastman198]

Always loved the Canadian game !!!

[@GoWestYoungMan]

After Canadian Football entered the United States in 1874, the sport as played in each country begun to diverge. Some rule changes and adjustments were adopted in one country but not the other. By 1900, the sport had diverged to the point that Canadian and US teams stopped playing each other.

[@Hollywoodin2001b]

Not completely. The Hamilton Tiger-cats beat the Buffalo Bills as recently as 1961.

[@alpearson9158]

the last games between nfl and cfl were in the 1960's and were no where near the blowouts the NFL predicted; thus end of games

[@jimklose648]

My father-in-law is American and knows American football very well and says Canadian football is more exciting and he did enjoy watching them

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

It's refreshing to watch grid iron football without all the bullshit TV ads . Plus the Canadian commentators are actually pleasant to listen to. The excessive yellow flags in the NFL suck.

[@Matt-1567]

I love the CFL and NFL but like watching CFL a more

[@brendanwishart-mundell2092]

I have to say the saskatchewan rough riders aren't the best team by any means but they certainly have the biggest fan base of any CFL team

[@nancymilawski1048]

Roughriders is one word.

[@adrianmcgrath1984]

Every rule difference makes the Canadian game faster and more exciting. From the kickoff, the US has the safe catch rule. Which means the ball is kicked, the receiver signals for a safe catch, and so 2 seconds after the first play has started, the play has stopped for the formality of the receiver catching the ball, while the other players stand and wait. Once that is done, most of the players leave the field, as their special teams come off and are replaces as a forty second play clock begins. - In the Canadian game, there is no safe catch, the receivers have to get that ball with the opposing team bearing down on them. Unless they want to give up bad field position, they need to try as hard as they can to run that ball back out, so immediately, the Canadian game is providing some pretty exciting action, while the NFL has a ready cut to commercials. And that is the way the whole game goes, the US game has been tailored to get in as many commercial breaks as possible. Loaded with commercials and with a population many times more than Canada, the US game generates vast amounts of money and can promote itself more and more. There is also a rather disturbing relationship with sports in the USA, which sees parents obsessing about sports from an early age - this can lead to kids being forced into sports, having their educations messed up etc. I know an intelligent couple - the wife is British born and was a teacher though had lived in the US for many years - their youngest daughter was falling behind academically, so it was decided she should be held back a grade. The following year she grew really tall, and the school suggested she skip two grades and went to high school - the parents actually seriously considered it. The fact that the kid was struggling with school wasn't important. The school board wanted a tall kid for the basketball team, and the parents saw the opportunity of a basketball scholarship to college - average cost of college is around $36,500 a year, so multiply that by four years and then by the number of kids they have. To get some idea of how out of control sports is in the US, if you take every single state in and look at who the highest paid public employee is, it is a sports coach. It varies from state to state, it might be a football coach, it might be a basketball coach, but it will be a coach employed within the school system. High school coaches average about double what a teacher makes - and that's before you include various stipends and perks the school throws in for coaches, as well as he fact they are a local celebrity and enjoy all sorts of perks from the community an businesses in the area. Until relatively recently, Canadian players in the CFL had to have a second job to get by - some still do.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

The CFL doesn't need a halftime show to promote the sport. Americans are more about eating nachos than actually invested in sports.

[@radivel1]

The main reason the NFL style is more popular is the population of the county and how smart the NFL decision makers were decades ago. At one point the two leagues were similar in popularity within their country and pay, etc, but the people in charge of the NFL made it an *event* and promoted youth sport at all pre-adult levels (child, high school, uni/college) to the degree that it didn't just become a passtime but an institution, a requirement almost. Football is so ingrained in US school and youth culture, so many people grow up with it that it just became a thing that is. Canada cannot compete with that sort of dedication, fervor, or involvement - it's 1/10th the population size of the US, and for like half the year it's not playable outdoors due to weather. That's why the NFL is far more widely known. But yeah, the CFL rules are more fun. The NFL is like, line up, execute your play which takes like, 5-10 seconds, pause, reconvene, everyone run to your positions, line up, start, play for a few more seconds, etc. The players are so talented that you learn to appreciate execution. You know what's good and why. I just don't like the whole stop go stop go stop.

[@Hollywoodin2001b]

The CFL was not formed until 1958. It was an amalgamation of the IRFU (EAST) and WIFU (west). The two leagues had slightly different rules.

[@-R.Gray-]

U.S. college football is huge, and many players on graduation can't find an opening on an NFL team, so they try out for a Canadian team. The hope is that if they do really well, they will eventually be picked up by an NFL team in the future. A CFL team of 45 players is allowed 23 American players, and there are 9 CFL teams compared to 32 NFL teams.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

CFL teams are loyal to their provinces. NFL teams are sellouts

[@PhonePole68]

Field is ten yards longer and wider. There are three downs and it’s a faster game because we don’t stop to look at a 2 yard loss 4 times. A lot of games are close right to the end. I’ve been to some serious grey cup parties. Montreal Alouettes are my team and Saskatchewan Rough Riders have the craziest fans. They travel miles and miles to every game. Like soccer fans. The SSK RR are the closest thing. This is Canadian for you: if the cup is held in Hamilton, people let you park on their lawn for $20. Likely $40 now.

[@kurtmooreca]

The Grey Cup (CFL Award) is the second oldest continously awarded pro sport trophy in North America, behind only the Stanley Cup of the NHL. and to really bake your noodle. The James Naesmith Trophy from the NBA was named after the Canadian who invented Basketball as a sport. (in 2019 it returned home when the Toronto Raptors won the Championship). And baseball was also started in Canada, born from the British game rounders, the oldest continually used baseball facility in the world resides in London Ontario, and the first ever recorded game of baseball was played in Beachville Ontario. And to answer your question on why NFL is bigger then CFL...its absolutely the market. The US is 10 times larger and has 10 times the eyes, and 10 times the wallets. Fun fact the the CFL did expand into the US market to capitalize on unused football towns. 3 were abject failures but one team the Baltimore FC (commonly referred to as the Stallions as a result of being Footballs return to the city after the NFL Colts left to Indianapolis in the 70s.) sold out their games and won the Grey Cup, becoming the first and last US team to ever win a Grey Cup. CFL US expansion ended shortly after this due to the failures of most of the teams. The success of the Stallions was so much so that the Cleveland Browns of the NFL relocated to the city in the mid 90s and established the Baltimore Ravens, who have since been one of the most successful franchises in terms of audience, but also on field success, being a perennial contender for the Super Bowls Lombardi Trophy, and also winning it twice. The Baltimore FC (Stallions) relocated to Montreal Quebec and revived the then dorman Alouette Franchise and went on to have several years of success in the late 90s and early 00's. While the NHL (obviously) NBA and MLB have teams in Canada (the later 2 Toronto only). The NFL has resisted expansion to Canada due to the competing popularity with the CFL. The CFL is bigger in Canada then the US, and while Canada could support an NFL team for sure NFL fears existing CFL teams would outshine it, so are hesitant on moving/installing a team (likely toronto, obviously). They determined this by having the Buffalo Bills spend several years spliting games between Toronto and Buffalo, and the competition from the CFL showed a saturated market. So thats why Canada has presence in all major sports but the NFL.

[@gregmchale5011]

when i was in high school, Kingston Ontario, we played a US high team in Kingston, we played half the game with Canadian rules and the next half with American rules. should the winners of NFL and CFL play each other?

[@michaelbourgeault9409]

the different size leads to different geometries for throwing the ball and kicking it

[@Zraknul]

The CFL is a higher speed game because of players in motion, the extra receiver and less time between plays. Getting that last 1 yard for a 1st down is much higher conversion rate because of the give a yard rule. The CFL scores more. CFL definitely gets the second pick of players, NFL practice squad players make more. The CFL also requires 21 of 45 players on the team are Canadian, including 7 starters and a limited number of substitutions on those starters. Canadian star players are therefore quite the big deal for teams. US college football graduates more good players than there are NFL slots, so there are lots of good players, who need a bit to adjust to the Canadian rules. If you're a fan of football, the CFL starts in June, and finishes the Grey Cup finishes in November. They play a game Thursday -> Sunday until the NFL starts up and then they go to Friday/Saturday games (and Grey Cup Sunday in the second half of November).

[@charlyW34]

The larger field, even with one additional player, makes for more passing an far more gambling for a first down when just short of the 10 yard requirement to retain ball possession and earn a new set of 3 downs, not 4 downs as in the NFL.

[@jarsenaultj]

Incidentally, Dwayne Johnson (shown at 1:01 ) was signed by Calgary's CFL team, but never played a game.

[@rodneykobsar772]

The origins of the Canadian Football field size, is that the first games were played on a polo field. Thus, the size differences. As for popularity, the Canadian game is popular in Canada with a sizeable American following. But when the NFL can spend billions each yesr, it's not hard to see why they are promoted more.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Aussie Rules Football has the biggest field. It's huge

[@briansmith6791]

Like hockey, basketball and baseball, Canada likewise invented the modern version of football. In fact, in 1874, Harvard University asked the team from Montreal to come to the US and showcase their game. When the Canadians got there, the field they had to use was too small so they had to adjust the rules - the beginnings of American Football. Years later, football began in the US and was called American Football because the game, in Canada was Canadian Football.

[@blackberrythorns]

and lacrosse, which was the first game formalized in north america (in montreal).

[@briansmith6791]

And, of course, 🥍, lacrosse

[@standingthegaff]

It is definitely more exciting.

[@timfox9688]

Canadian Football is way more fun, mostly because players have to return kickoffs and punts. It makes the game more exciting. You can actually see punts and kickoffs returned for touchdowns, which is something you almost never see in the US game.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

CFL has more strategic depth.

[@lindsayambler9706]

Bigger is better..Happy New Year!

[@Crustyheart1]

Why not as popular... gambling, and the CFL ownership likes to shoot itself in the foot every so often... the ball once was larger, it was developed by Spalding and was the J5V model, that was much larger than a Wilson.... CFL football has more rugby ties as you can see..... the players used to be equal to their american counterparts until the mid 1980s then it changed.... it is a fast and exciting game with an emphasis on offence and adaptation during the play.... good on you for covering the great game.... cheers....

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Similar to Gary Bettman doing a shitty job of promoting NHL hockey.

[@Crustyheart1]

Yes and dabbling when times are good, usually in loser bad ways, and taking on risky owners.... with all that... its an amazing game to play and watch... we used to use the 3 downs when in the 'sandlot.' Merry Christmas.... @@GabrielNavarro-bo7st

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Funny nickname by the way. Captain crusty sounds like captain beef heart cereal. Frrank Zappa was a genius.

[@Crustyheart1]

Be well and watch out where the huskies go..lol cheers@@GabrielNavarro-bo7st

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

@@Crustyheart1 Huskies are the coolest dogs.

[@WhiteCamry]

Rugby Union vs. Rugby League. What's the difference?

[@AndyGeesGarage]

Modern Football both cfl and nfl can trace their roots back to the game created at McGill University in tge 1860s and demonstrated at Harvard in 1874. The forst played a game that was played by Harvard known as the Boston Game with a round ball the next day they played the Canadian game of football. Which turned out to be a more exciting game for the spectators and players and ended in a draw.

[@michaelbourgeault9409]

and one more thing - think of this video as an introduction to the surface of the topic. hopefully more videos will start to scratch that surface :)

[@smokesletsgo2374]

Canada has no fair catch but you have to give a 5 yard "halo" otherwise you get a penalty called 'no yards'. It's 5 yards if you're in the halo when the ball is caught directly or 15 if it bounces first. Or vise versa I can't quite remember now

[@michaelbourgeault9409]

canadian football is the older code of the two. the american system lends itself to a more methodical approach to the game in which possession of the football is often more important than scoring.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

4 downs is too many. 3 downs is more balanced

[@debbieplato5107]

Winnipeg Blue Bombers fan here in Canada. As mentioned our game is older and derives from rugby. Watching some of the running backs like Brady Oliveria It looks like rugby at times with the opposite team trying to push him back and the Bomber offense pushing him forward. The Canadian game is truer to it's rugby roots. The size of the field has nothing to do with the metric system but more to the size of a rugby field. I would say the Canadian games is faster and more exciting. The reason it is not as popular although more Americans are tuning into the game is population and the amount of teams. Canada has about a tenth of the population compared to the U.S. Lots of fun traditions with the Canadian games as well.

[@robdan4528]

In my opinion, I feel that the historical & current attraction for a large number of NFL fans, has been the focus on betting. I don't know any other sport' were individuals and groups of people focusing time during the week to look at the game, based on which team is going to beat the bookies spread, rather then actually to just talk about the upcoming game.

[@bradmeans4743]

So you need to look up the Canadian music video by Tim Hicks stronger beer lol

[@linemorrissette3663]

Montreal Alouettes here they won de Grey cup this year. It's like the superbowl😮

[@jethro1963]

The Grey Cup was awarded long before the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is like the Grey Cup.

[@linemorrissette3663]

@@jethro1963 it was a example because the grey cup is more popular then the grey cup😄

[@williammahaffy9228]

I do not think that the length of the Canadian football field has anything to do with metres, as it has been that length for over 100 years and Canada only started using metric extensively in the 1970s. I suspect that it has more to do with the length of a rugby field.

[@waynebristow4720]

National Field Goal League, if you can't make 10 yards in three tries you're not playing football. Ha, just an old argument we used years ago. Both are good.

[@NickDunner]

Who thinks Canadian is better?

[@gordieparenteau6555]

🙋🏻

[@teo_heel]

I do like CFL more. NFL... is good, but I can't watch it...

[@NickDunner]

@@teo_heel I find CFL is more entertaining and there is more action. NFL is a more defensive game with more running and less explosive plays!

[@LorneKelly]

I don't think anyone in Canada cared abou the Metric system when the game was developed. Metric was adopted in Canada around 1978....football has been around for a lot longer.. Likley the design was for a 150 yard field, of which 40 yards were designated as endzones...The Canadian game hase been around for over 150 years... The UK adopted the metric system around 1965 although it was in use as a measurment system much earlier....Canada 150 years ago was very Foot and Yards...

[@HotBranch]

While the NFL's fair catch rule is indeed an abomination, the CFL requires that the kicking team give the kick returner a 5 yard "buffer zone"; if they fail to respect the 5 yard rule, the kicking team is assessed a "no yards" penalty and the receiving team is given an additional 5 or 15 yards from the point of the tackle to begin the next series. The determining factor of whether it is 5 or 15 yards depends on whether the ball had touched the ground prior to the no yards penalty (contact with ground = 5 yards, ball in the air = 15 yards). Many teams will take the no yards penalty if the ball touches the ground and they feel confident they can tackle the returner shortly after he collects the ball. There is also a rule that the returning team can waive the kickoff altogether and begin at their own 35 yard line, but that is mostly boring and used only if the kicking team has been dominant in pinning the return team deep in their zone. As to your question at 7:17 about perceived popularity of the CFL vs the NFL, I think it has to do with the television broadcasts. The Canadian game is fast-paced, but is (IMO) best appreciated live, whereas the NFL is a super slick TV production but watching a game in person tends to be a slog because there is so much time between plays. There was a time when one of the CFL's marketing campaigns read "You pay for the whole seat but only use the edge", which is an excellent way to describe the game in person. Final point about the CFL vs the NFL that was not addressed: prior to the late 60s, early 70s, the CFL was the better paying league for the athletes; it was only when the NFL managed to get massive TV broadcast contracts that the difference in salaries exploded.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

NFL games are more like watching Marvel movies with the presentation. The CFL focuses more on the sport itself.

[@exile220ify]

CFL football is simultaneously more strategic and yet wide open action all the time. I much prefer it. Full disclosure: I live in Calgary and am a Stampeders fan.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

CFL plays more like chess. Look at how the players move around the scrimmage zone

[@exile220ify]

@@GabrielNavarro-bo7stZactly. And that mindset explains why the kicking rules are so different, particular those involving missed field goals being LIVE PLAYS. It's all about field position and the receiving team needs to decide: run the ball out and get shitty field position, or concede the rouge and get better field position. And so on.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

​@@exile220ifyPlus the larger field allows the ball to bounce more freely. Similar to the box kick in Rugby.

[@richardolender9271]

Lots of misinformation here 1) The metric system has nothing to do with the field being 110 yards long...The CFL came into existence long before Canada adopted the metric system 2) you do not get a single for missing a field goal.....You get the point IF the receiving team fails to get the ball out of the endzone. Therefor, you can get a point if you miss, you don't get a point because you missed 3) A bigger football is not a myth. The Canadian ball was bigger until 1986 when the supplier of Canadian footballs went out of business The CFL then changed to the NFL size ball

[@wirehead1000]

As for Canada's 'big balls', that used to be true because we kept the fatter rugby-ball in use when I was in Elementary School in the early '60s exclusively for Canadian rules games. We hated it because the American ball was far easier to throw for kids. The CFL subsequently shrank the ball in the '70s or '80s.

[@dikemuff7764]

Life long cfl fan here. I find nfl boring. I will try to answer some of your questions. Firstly it is not a grave yard of failed nfl or ncaa players. Many come to Canada to learn the game properly because they get a chance to play. The issue with retention of players is all about money. NFL generates huge cash so they’re of players is always on returning or breaking into tha American League. Nothing to do with the nfl being a better game. Cfl game is way more fast paced = better to watch. One rule not mentioned curiously is the catch rule. In the nfl a sideline catch is only good if the receiver has both feet in bounds. Cfl only one foot I bounds is required. Btw ncaa rules is one foot as well. Which makes little sense as American college ball is the boot camp for nfl. Why teach them one method in college only to have that change when they get drafted to the nfl. There is so much to cover but I will end with this….cfl balls are bigger. Hold one from each league and see for yourself. I have no idea what the video commentator was talking about there. American just doesn’t want to admit they have small balls I guess. Of course a manufacturer would have a different machine to make balls to spec for however wants them. Pretty sure Wilson makes rugby balls too. The bigger balls is about girth in the cfl length compared to nfl is most likely close to identical. Cfl better mkay

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Tom Brady has deflated balls.😄

[@teo_heel]

CFL used to have a bigger ball, but nowadays CFL, NCAA and NFL have the same size balls.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

@@teo_heel People in Canada still inflate the ball more than usual. It makes the ball more like a rugby ball so that it rolls and bounces more smoothly.

[@markhammer643]

In defending CFL to Americans, they tend to note the smaller size of CFL players. My retort is that, one does NOT want to be lugging around 50 more pounds on 4 more inches of body-frame when the field is that much larger. The goal posts are essentially AT the goal line in the CFL, and not set far back as in the NFL. That, and several other game differences (e.g., a deeper end zone) make for some absolutely dramatic endings involving lots of kicking. Keep in mind that, with the goal posts so far back in American football, a potentially game-winning kick can't be determined until the ball has missed the uprights and gone into the stands or otherwise out of play. In Canadian football, a field goal attempt that goes wide can still be caught by the defending team AND kicked out again. Indeed, there have been a number of games that were tied, and the last play resulted in a back-and-forth kicking battle. I recommend looking at KZbins of an October 2010 game between Toronto and Montreal for an illustrative example (look for "CFL Montreal at Toronto - Wild Ending").

[@markhammer643]

One of the other big differences not at all addressed in this otherwise thorough recap is the size of the stadiums the games are played in. Stadiums in the typical 3rd-tier university are likely to have a larger crowd capacity than whatever stadium the Grey Cup is being played in. The stadium where the Montreal Alouettes play has a capacity of 25,000, and many American universities eclipse that easily. One of the consequences of this is that American games can *seem* more exciting and important because there are more people to cheer and make noise. When the CFL cities of Regina and Winnipeg had stadiums built in recent years, they were engineered to amplify crowd noise, and boy does it ever work! Games played in either of those stadiums just *feel* more exciting. Of course, smaller stadiums means lower team revenues, and lower revenues means player salaries can't be competitive with NFL salaries. So it is a regular occurrence to see outstanding rookie CFL players head south, just when we're beginning to look forward to their next season. I can't begin to count the number of players who thrilled us with remarkable kickoff returns or miraculous catches in their first season in the CFL, who then just disappeared off the Canadian map. Finally, with such an immense country, and only 9 teams, travel costs eat up a huge chunk of team revenues. Small wonder that, although their attendance is often modest at best (I like to joke that the hardest job in the CFL is the TV cameraman who has to make it look like it was well-attended), the Toronto Argonauts are a very profitable franchise, because they are centrally located. All the other teams in their league are easily travelled to by bus. *Some* western teams are able to bus between cities, but not all of them. For instance Regina-Winnipeg, or Edmonton-Calgary, could be done by bus as easily as Montreal-Toronto. Winnipeg-Edmonton or Vancouver-Calgary is another matter. Air travel costs are also likely why there has never been an east coast team, despite so many excellent CFL players coming from universities out that way. EVERY single game for such a team would require air travel, and it's not like the region has the populace to fill a 40,000 capacity stadium.

[@glen6945]

if you need 4 downs to get ten yards -you should play tennis

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

3 downs makes the sport more challenging.

[@thedyck69]

Money plays a big role in who plays where, regardless of the enjoyment of one version of the game over the other, and that is a direct consequence of population differences. And it is an impact both in television and live viewing of games. The U.S. has 32 teams and a population draw of around 330 million, a little over 10 million per team. Canada has 9 teams and a population around 36 million - 4 million per team, So potential fan base is 2.5 times greater in the U.S. It is also worth noting that attached to the American version is an atmosphere of extremist American nationalism, much less than we find in Canada, so yeah, its almost like a duty in the U.S. to show a devotion to much higher paid football teams, even though the game is less exciting than the Canadian version because of the rules differences.

[@jethro1963]

He didn't explain about the CFL not having a fair catch rule that there is a five yard halo around the receiver otherwise people would get clobbered catching the ball.

[@alburns9993]

It's far more exciting. More turnovers, more big plays. At one time BTW, the Canadian ball used to be larger. When I was a kid, I couldn't get a decent grip on a CFL ball. NFL ball, no prob. Back to football. In the CFL, a 20 point lead with little time to go can still be overcome. At one time the CFL meant a better deal to an American player, so we were able to attract some amazing talent from the States. I have watched a lot of US games that were as exciting as watching paint dry. I've seen Canadian games that would be up there with some of the most exciting sport this guy has ever witnessed. CFL rules!!! Enjoy your show BTW! Alistair Burns

[@swinecup]

The 2024 CFL season starts June 6th. Can't wait. Hopefully my Ottawa Redblacks will have a better year.

[@Bender13]

The CFL did try to start a league in the states a few years ago but it wasn’t successful. Kinda hard to sell Canadian football in an NFL market.

[@jethro1963]

They didn't try to start a league they had expansion teams in the US.

[@PhonePole68]

Receivers are in motion pre snap

[@trevorlambert4226]

The metric explanation for the 110 yard field sounds like post-hoc, made up nonsense to me. Canadian football goes back to 1861, while metric adoption officially began in 1973. So right there, it's pretty fishy. And ask yourself this, if they wanted to use the metric system, why wouldn't they just have left it at 100m? Why pick 100m as the target, but then convert it to the nearest round number of yards? Makes no sense. There's also no parallel examples in any other sports in Canada historically using the metric system in and around that time period. Lastly, I actually searched for this explanation on the interwebs and came up with nothing. This leads me to the conclusion the author of the original video just pulled it out of his ass because it seemed clever. I had always thought the end zones were 25 yards. Turns out they used to be 25 yards, but were changed to 20 yards in 1986. As to the question of how that difference to the 10 yard end zone in the NFL affects play, the most significant effect is that it's much more difficult to defend against a pass into the end zone, with all that extra room.

[@michaelkuntsi5086]

There is a simple difference between the CFL and NFL. If I wanna watch a good game then CFL, if I wanna nap then NFL...I'll be out in 10 min. You've never had fun until you have been to a Grey Cup. Every team has a fan there even if they are not playing. I went to the Grey Cup in Ottawa in '05 as a neutral. BC against Toronto. There was a bunch of guys behind us wearing Rider jerseys and long underwear...THATS IT. They were there to have a good time and that mission was accomplished.

[@Kwolf1]

I love the CFL. I wish more people watched it. I’m an Alouettes fan.

[@teo_heel]

2024 CFL Season is just around the corner. Preseason had concluded, teams made their cuts... we are to start. Are you ready?