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An Introduction To CFL Canadian Football For The NFL Fan
Posted by: | CommentsIts that time of the year again–Americans are getting ready for football. In a few months NFL teams will be opening training camp and college football teams starting practice. Up north, however, the footballs are already flying as pro football is in full swing up in Canada with 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\’30 and the Grey Cup championship (essentially the CFL Superbowl) has been in existence since\’09. 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:
The most obvious difference is the football itself–the CFL football is longer and fatter than the NFL ball. The CFL still has their goal posts on the goal line, which the NFL moved to the back of the end zone years ago. The field is 10 yards longer and 12 yards wider than the NFL field, and the CFL end zones are 20 yards deep instead of the NFL\’s 10 yards.
Teams have 12 players on the field at once as opposed to 11 in the NFL. On offense, the extra player is a receiver, on defense a defensive back. And unlike the American game, where teams have 4 downs to move the ball ten yards the CFL has only 3. Maybe the hardest thing to get used to when listening to CFL broadcasts is the frequently references to teams going two and out. There are a few other subtle differences as well\”teams only have 1 time out per half, only 20 seconds between plays, and all backfield players can be in motion prior to the snap (as opposed to only one in the NFL).
There\’s also a significant difference in the way the game is scored. The first time many US fans see a CFL score update reflecting a 1-0 game they\’re usually left scratching their head in confusion. CFL teams are able to score a single point, known as a \”single\” for a kick that lands in the end zone such as a punt or missed field goal.
The rule differences also extend into the front office, where teams are required to have a certain quota of their roster be Canadian born. In an effort to prevent the CFL from becoming an NFL farm system, and to protect the unique identity of Canadian football\’ of the 40 players on the roster must be natives.
Despite the rule differences that suggest a higher scoring, more wide open style of play than in the NFL it really doesn\’t work out that way. Most games end up with a final score in the 40\’s and have a similar pace to their NFL counterparts. There may be a few individual rule differences, but a strong rushing game and defense are tickets to success in the CFL as in the NFL.
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.
The CFL isn\’t in a financial position to draw the top level US players away from the NFL or, in most cases, even a NFL practice or developmental squad. While some US players are uniquely suited to the CFL style of play, most of the US players that end up there are of a similar talent level as to that seen in Arena Football.
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.
In the pre-Internet era, it was often difficult for US fans to find information on the CFL. They don\’t get coverage on ESPN, but they receive extensive attention in the Canadian press. Each CFL city has their own sports media, and the official CFL website also has many resources including previews and statistics.
Ross Everett is a freelance writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.
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2008 SEC Championship: Gators Top Tide
Posted by: | CommentsThe Florida Gators would go on to win the NCAA Football Championship, but it was a 31-20 victory over #1 ranked Alabama in the SEC championship game that got them there. The Gators scored– 4th quarter points to secure victory in a contest that was an epic struggle for three quarters with five lead changes and two ties.
The Gators scored first, taking a 7-0 lead on a three yard Tim Tebow TD pass to Carl Moore. The Crimson Tide quickly answered, tying the score on an eighteen yard run by Glen Coffee and taking their first lead of the game at 10-7 several minutes later on a 30 yard FG by Leigh Tiffin. Florida came right back in the second quarter, tying the game on a Jonathan Phillips\’ yard FG and taking a 17-10 lead into the halftime break on another Tebow TD pass, this one to David Nelson from five yards out. Alabama regained control in the third quarter, tying the score on a 2 yard Mark Ingram touchdown run and then regaining the lead at 20-17 in the final seconds of the period on another Tiffin field goal. Florida put them away for good in the fourth, however, on a 1 yard Jeffrey Demps TD run followed by Tebows third touchdown strike of the day.
As was the case more often than not during Floridas run to the BCS title game, Tim Tebow was the big star for the Gators. The junior QB had 216 yards passing with 3 TDs and no interceptions plus fifty seven yards on the ground. Florida head coach Urban Meyer wasnt hesitant about praising Tebow effusively in his post game comments:
\”I\’ve had some great players, and I\’ve got some great players on this team. But I\’ve never had one like this. Tim\’s got something special inside him. I\’m not talking about throwing. I\’m not talking about running. I\’m talking about making everyone around him better. That fourth quarter was vintage Tim Tebow.
Alabama coach Nick Saban concurred:
\”He\’s a great competitor. He takes his teammates on his shoulders a lot. They have a lot of confidence he\’s going to make plays, and they play that way. They scored two touchdowns where we had them covered about as well as we could cover them.\”
The conventional wisdom is that the Gators are a speed and finesse team, but according to cornerback Joe Haden the world has underestimated their toughness:
\”Our team is a tough team. The only reason they look past our toughness is our speed. They said we were a speed team and they were a tough team. We\’re just as tough. We can still be pretty and fast and tough at the same time.\”
While Crimson Tide fans were no doubt disappointed by their late season loss, some perspective is necessary: the team was only two years removed from a 6-7 record in their last year under Mike Shula. In only two years at the helm, Nick Saban has amassed a\’-7 record at Alabama with no signs of slowing down.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.
Please take a moment and buy us lunch or a java!MMA Flashback: Kimbo Slice And Elite XC Debut On CBS
Posted by: | CommentsIt wasnt the decisive blowout that EliteXC was hoping far to send Kimbo Slices stardom into the stratosphere but with some seriously tense moments for the former street fighter against a game James Thompson everyone concerned is likely happy with a victory of any sort. Kimbo at times displayed some surprising skill on the ground, while at other times looked amateurish and lost. Slice clearly had the edge in the standup exchanges, and appeared to have Thompson on the verge of going down for the count several times in the fight.
This strategy worked well for Thompson until the final round. Though \”The Colossus\” kept his feet through several punishing combinations, the beginning of the end came when a Slice punch nearly sheared his ear off. The bloody, grotesque ear was clearly at risk of being seriously damaged and Kimbo punctuated this with four or five uncontested power punches. Thompson by this point was out on his feet and the ref jumped in to bring the proceedings to a halt giving Kimbo a TKO victory.
While Thompson and his corner complained of an early stoppage, given the severity of the ear injury and the four or five uncontested power shots by Kimbo its a tough case to make. Furthermore, it was consistent with the officiating all night which obviously was trying to err on the side of caution in the first MMA event on prime time major network television. The ref was quick to call several of the earlier bouts, and the ringside physician was involved. The fights on the card that ended by stoppage could have arguably been called a second or two early, but as the old saying goes better a second too early than a second too late.
Despite the tough test faced by Kimbo Slice, EliteXC overall has to be very happy with how the event came off. The presentation was highly professional all night, and the announcing was superb. There was no question that Gus Johnson and Mauro Ranallo are solid pros, and Frank Shamrock is obviously a well spoken and experienced expert commentator but the three meshed together exceptionally well.
The emphasis from the start was on selling the sport of MMA. This was done via nicely produced and informative instructional videos, which would be helpful to a first time MMA viewer but didnt come off as sophomoric to the seasoned aficionado. Given the often unpredictable nature of the sport, EliteXC has to be pleased with how everything came off and the results of the fights on the card.
Overall, it was a professionally produced and entertaining night of action. With the exception of the less than decisive victory by Kimbo in the main event, it couldnt have gone better for EliteXC had it been scripted.
Ross Everett is a freelance writer and respected authority onsports betting. He is also a consulting handicapper for Sports-1 Sportsbook and is in charge of setting NFL lines. He has written extensively on sports betting theory along with a wide range of other topics including fencing, self defense and falconry.
Please take a moment and buy us lunch or a java!The Early Years Of MMA: Ali Vs. Inoki
Posted by: | CommentsWhile mixed martial arts fighting has only recently become popular in the United States, contests between fighters of different martial arts disciplines have taken place in Japan for many years. They weren\’t called \”mixed martial arts\” until recently, but they were definitely an embryonic form of the now booming sport. Many of the most famous events of this type took place in Japan during the\’70\’s involving pro wrestling legend Antonio Inoki.
Inoki would often face other martial artists in fights that are widely accepted to have been \”worked\” (having a predetermined outcome) in the same manner as professional wrestling matches. While Inoki faced a number of karate, judo and boxing champions his most famous match was certainly his fight against world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali.
There\’s a great deal of uncertainty about many of the stories surrounding how the event came together and transpired, but a few facts are now known. Ali took the fight as it was a large and presumptively easy paycheck. The big money he was earning is what kept him from walking out when his camp started to disagree with Inoki\’s handlers over the rules and \’finish\’ fo the fight. Some suggest that it was supposed to be a fair fight going in, but Ali at the last minute insisted on rules more favorable to him. The more likely version of events is that Ali\’s handlers agreed to a predetermined finish, only to have Ali balk at the last moment.
By the time the fight began, Ali\’s handlers had obtained a ridiculously one sided set of rules that prohibited Inkoi from using a closed fist, striking Ali in the head at all, using any chokes or submissions or even trying to take the fight to the ground. Were it not for the huge amount of money he\’d be leaving on the table, Inoki would have been justified in not fighting at all under these highly restrictive and one-sided conditions.
The result was an absolutely horrible fight. Neither man showed much interest in engaging the other, with Inoki spending most of the time on the ground doing what he could under the one sided rules. Inoki threw kicks at Ali\’s legs, Ali threw an occasional jab and tried to protect himself from his opponent\’s leg strikes. The fight ended a 74-74 draw, with the real losers being the fans.
An interesting postscript to the fight is that the referee was former pro wrestler \”Judo\” Gene Labell, a legit tough guy whom some have suggested could have beaten up both Ali and Inoki at the same time despite his advanced age. Had he chosen to do so, it would certainly have been welcomed by those watching the fight live and on closed circuit.
The fiasco didn\’t hurt Inoki\’s popularity in Japan whatsoever. Oddly, he became something of a hero for trying to take the fight to Ali despite the one sided rules. He would remain one of Japan\’s most popular pro wrestlers and later serve in the country\’s parliament. Inoki\’s fights against other martial artists remained wildly popular, and are often credited as being the forerunner of PRIDE, RINGS and the major MMA organizations in Japan today.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer specializing in casino gambling, entertainment and sports betting. He has appeared on a number of TV and radio programs offering strategies for successful NFL football betting. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a pet llama. He is currently writing a biography of former NFL quarterback Jim Plunkett.
Please take a moment and buy us lunch or a java!Cincinnati Rips Chicago
Posted by: | CommentsFormer Chicago Bears running back Cedric Benson got revenge on the team that let him go in the best possible way. Benson amassed 189 yards rushing and led his new team, the Cincinnati Bengals, to a 45-10 rout over the visiting Bears on Sunday. Carson Palmer threw for five touchdowns with no interceptions in the blowout victory.
The Bengals also made short work of the NFL pointspread, easily covering as +1\’ home underdogs. Cincinnati improved to 4-3 against the number while Chicago evened their ATS mark at 3-3. The 55 combined points sailed OVER the posted total of 42\’. The Bengals have gone OVER in four of seven games this year while the Bears evened their NFL totals mark at 3-3.
A smug Benson described his feelings after the win:
\”Everybody knew it was going to be an emotional day. Everybody knew. What a wonderful day and a wonderful thing, to go out there and strut your stuff.\”
Despite the evidence to the contrary, Benson downplayed the motive of revenge:
\”I continue to be as graceful as I can be. I\’m not shoving anything in anybody\’s face. Like I say, it wasn\’t a revenge day for me. I just wanted to take advantage of the opportunities.\”
He said his biggest problem was trying to keep his emotions in check and play under control:
\”There were a few times where I may have gotten a little too hyped up, a little too antsy. A couple of drives, I found myself having to calm myself down and gather my emotions to stay poised. Once I got past that, we were good to go. Keep it rolling.\”
Bengals\’ receiver Chad Ochocinco had 10 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. He shared his thoughts postgame:
\”I don\’t understand why it went this way today and why it didn\’t go that way last week or the week before that. The offensive line played unbelievable. For Ced to run the way he did today and for us to be able to throw, we could have done what we wanted to do.\”
Chicago gave up more points than in any game all season, a fact that left defensive end Alex Brown looking for answers:
\”That was pretty embarrassing. It\’s embarrassing to come out and play like that. I tip my hat to their whole team. Cedric ran the ball like crazy. They did whatever they wanted to do.\”
The Bengals will enjoy a bye week before hosting the Baltimore Ravens on November 8. They\’ll then play two games on the road at Pittsburgh and Oakland. Chicago will try to get back on track this Sunday as they host the Cleveland Browns. The Bears are -13\’ home favorites with the total set at 40. They\’ll host the Arizona Cardinals the following Sunday before heading west for a Thursday night game against the San Francisco 49ers on November 12.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer specializing in casino gambling, entertainment and sports betting. He has appeared on a number of TV and radio programs offering strategies for successful NFL football betting. He lives in the Nevada desert with three Jack Russell Terriers and a pet llama. He is currently writing a biography of former NFL quarterback Jim Plunkett.
Please take a moment and buy us lunch or a java!
