CFL vs NFL vs NCAA

[transplant99]

Found these stats.

Total no. of overtime games (1974–2003) 365
Both teams had at least one possession 261 (72 %)
Team won toss and won game 189 (52 %)
Team lost toss and won game 160 (44 %)
Team won toss and drove for winning score 102 (28 %)
Games ending in a tie 15 (5 %)

[calgaryrocks]

my thoughts on the time clock issue,
i can understand that some people like the strategy more than others, but I would much rather watch a game that is in doubt til the end, than one that is over with 3 minutes left. look at 2 of the last 3 esks-stamps games, right down to the wire. last minute drives, drives that wouldn't have happened in the nfl. sure you can say that its the teams fault for blowing it, but its a different kind of clock management, and those were exciting finishes. thats why i watch football, for the plays. not for clock management (although it has varying level if importance in BOTH leagues).

bottom line i want to see more plays. there is alot of killed time in the nfl, more than the Cfl for sure.
as for the scoring argument, just like in the NHL, it comes down to exciting plays. not so much scoring (maybe bettman differs on this). i like end to end action, big hits, big goals, big saves, drama to the end. its fine to like defensive hockey, discuss knowledge all you want, in the end, most people watch sports for the entertainment (and gambling i suppose). an 8-5 hockey game may not be more exciting then a 1-0 game, or it might be, there are lots of other factors. just like with cfl and nfl, its not just that the cfl has more scoring.
to answer one question from above, if i don't have a rooting interest in one of the teams, even sometimes when i do, i would rather see a game tying or lead changing score near the end of a game then a qb sack on the 3rd down. i almost always root for overtime, unless the Stamps are winning of course!
last second winning scores, lead changes back and forth, great entertainment. and yes, the nfl does have that too, but the CFL game creates more opportunity for this to happen, along with more aggressive play calling at times because of limited downs. (4 downs to get 10 yards=rush, 3 downs= more likely to throw)

i for one love the fact that the clock slows down in the last 3 minutes, and there are more opportunities to score. the defence still has a chance, they can stop 2 plays and give there offence a chance, just don't rely on it too often to come back of course.

[Displaced Flames fan]

And for me, the only thing that needs to be compared to is first possessions of a game. How often does the team with the ball first score on the first poessession of a game? If the numbers are similar, or higher then blaming the coin toss for anything in OT is ridiculous.

[The Special One]

My biggest problem with the NFL is the amount of commercials. I can't watch any NFL anymore unless I have it PVR'd. I'm a big soccer fan so I'm used to getting 45 minutes straight without any commercials.

You complain that they're aren't enough close finishes in the NFL? Why don't they just go out and decide things with a toin coss instead of actually playing the game, is that enough excitement for you?

[calgaryrocks]

i think both leagues should tweak thier overtime rules. i don't like the fact that the first team to score wins in the nfl overtime. sure, those stats make it look pretty even, but hey, im just not a fan of it, what if its two highly offensive teams playing each other, with not great defence? the coin toss winner stands a better chance. or vice-versa.
not sure what to fix there, just not a big fan of it.

the CFL system is fine, much like NCAA overtime. here it makes scoring too easy, start at the 35yard line? thats almost automatic field goal. sure the defence can make a stand, get a sack and it changes things. i think they should have to drive a bit more, like start at midfield (55yard line). not that it happens much, but that toronto-hamilton game was interesting last week. hamilton missed the kick after the to defence made a stand and the d ran it out of the endzone. toronto gained about 4 yards and kicked a winning field goal. too much special teams emphasis.

no league has perfect rules though

[calgaryrocks]

Originally Posted by The Special One

My biggest problem with the NFL is the amount of commercials. I can't watch any NFL anymore unless I have it PVR'd. I'm a big soccer fan so I'm used to getting 45 minutes straight without any commercials.

You complain that they're aren't enough close finishes in the NFL? Why don't they just go out and decide things with a toin coss instead of actually playing the game, is that enough excitement for you?

first off, i agree on the commercials, sooo many. it sucks (and both leagues have lots of commericials, the nfl has more, the cfl has less but they keep repeating them, annoying either way!)

second, its one persons picture of enjoyment. one person might enjoy a 1-0 hockey game that has no scoring chances and is basically trap hockey (anahiem-minnesota series in 03 anyone?), me? not so much.

a coin toss wouldn't be exciting, no big plays (only one play actually) no teams trading chances, sacks, hits, last second heroics...you get the picture

im not saying the NFL doesn't have enough close finishes, as they play more games, so 4/16 games in tight finishes = all the games in the CFL. what im saying is that the NFL game (rules etc) allows for less tight finishes and that sort of thing. sure they have good finishes sometimes, but more often then not its a team with a lead kneeling the ball for the last 2 minutes of the gameplay (this is because of good clock management, having 4 downs instead of 3, 40 second time clocks - double the cfl, and not having to play the last play.

[transplant99]

Another terrible end to an NFL game...thing was decided well before the end.....errrr maybe not.

[HOOT]

You know what sport sucks....MLB! Even worse than the CFL.

[GGG]

One of the best parts of the CFL is the false hope you have of your team being able to come back. With 3 minutes left you can score 3 times without onside kicking. So if you are down 17 points and your team gets the first touchdown quickly you believe that your team is going to have the miricle comeback. It rarely happens but the belief that the impossible can happen makes sports exciting to watch to the end.

Look at the Patriots game tonight. It was an exciting game at the end because the improbable happend. The two score plus comeback in the last 5 minutes just doesn't happen enough in the NFL so that makes CFL more exciting.

The other thing I really like about the CFL is that i can watch every game and really know everyteam. I can't do that with any other sports league. (yes it is also a drawback that there are only 8 teams)

Its really a pointless argument but what I don't understand how people can be totally in love with one and hate the other. To me that seems like uneducated predjudice. I would suspect that people who unilaterally perfer one over the other either don't understand one of the formats or are homers that only watch sports if their particular team is playing. If you enjoy football both games should be worth watching to you.

Right now with 18 seconds left in the Raider Game the annoucers are declaring the Chargers as the victors. THis bugs me no matter how improbable they should be building excitement for the last 2 plays.

[rubecube]

Man, these boring NFL games tonight that are already decided with 2 minutes still left in the game...

[flip]

Another typical night of boring NFL last night...

[JayP]

Originally Posted by T@T

To me I'll take watching extreme talent work their position over a bunch of hasbeens who for the most part can't even make the arena football league. Every-time I watch a CFL game I just laugh at the miss tackles, dropped passes and stupid fumbles.

I'd like to hear everyone's opinion of last night's Pats/Bills game.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by flip

Another typical night of boring NFL last night...

Green text?

Didn't actually watch the games?

Gotta be one or the other.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by calgaryrocks

first off, i agree on the commercials, sooo many. it sucks (and both leagues have lots of commericials, the nfl has more, the cfl has less but they keep repeating them, annoying either way!)

I guess the plus of this is that if you get the U.S. commercials like I do, they're hilarious. Finally got satellite, and during the Saints/Lions game I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard over commercials. I like the CFL, but it sure beats the hell out of watching Rona and Canadian Tire commercials 10000 times.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

I guess the plus of this is that if you get the U.S. commercials like I do, they're hilarious. Finally got satellite, and during the Saints/Lions game I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard over commercials. I like the CFL, but it sure beats the hell out of watching Rona and Canadian Tire commercials 10000 times.

You'd better pvr Flames games on Sportsnet. How about a nook?

[Zarathustra]

I like both the NFL and CFL. They are two different types of football (kinda like rugby league vs. rugby union) and they are both enjoyable to watch. It's been a great start to the NFL season too.

However, I can't stand NCAA. The games are so boring. SEC games are the worst. They run 4+ hours, and pretty much every offensive play is a run. I can't even count the number of times I've fallen asleep with watching a college game. They are great for helping me have naps.

Has anybody noticed the frequency of commercials during NFL games? Either the amount of commercials has increased or it's just me. I think I'll start tivoing games instead of watching them live so I can just zip through the commercials.

[flip]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Green text?

Didn't actually watch the games?

Gotta be one or the other.

Green text, and a shot at myself. I think I said a page or two ago taht the NFL is GENERALLY more boring than the CFL.

Although, FTR, I still like CFL better, then NCAA (despite the horrible, horrible scheduling/championship/conference issues) then the NFL.

I like the NFL but I agree with other posters that its popularity is all hype and gambling. Without those it isn't even one of the big four sports.

[TheU]

I love College ball which won't come as a shock. I was sold on it 4 years ago and have been a fan since. It's exciting, the kids play with pure heart and soul, and the fans are into it more than any other sport I've ever seen. Every week you have a marquee do or die match up, it's just beautiful.

National championship this year, mark it down. The U vs SC. SC wins and breaks the 'Canes hearts

[TheU]

oh and i should add im a cfl fan too but only by birth. lets admit it and face facts; if we weren't born here we would think the cfl is a ridiculous bush league joke. the officiating is as bad as it can get, the HEAD officiating which screwed montreal is just as bad, and calibre of player is lower.

i do like some of the rules tho, but in general NFL and College football are some of the best sports you will ever see

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

You'd better pvr Flames games on Sportsnet. How about a nook?

Hahaha exactly. Worst.