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'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 a very professional and highly competitive league, but its important to understand some important differences between it and the NFL:
At the most basic level, the football itself is bigger than the NFL ball. It is longer and fatter than the NFL ball. The CFL goal posts are on the goal line, while the NFLs are on the end line at the back of the endzone. 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.
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.
A major difference in the scoring is the 'single' which awards CFL teams one point for a kick--usually a punt or missed field goal--that lands in the end zone. This will frequently produce partial game scores of 1-0 or 1-1 that are impossible in the US game.
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' 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--you'll 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 don't 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.
Furthermore, the parity that you see in the NFL where on any given Sunday any team can beat any other team is magnified in the CFL. The primary reason is the rules mandating Canadian native players. I dont think itll offend any Canadians if I suggest that football is played at a higher level in American high schools and colleges. That means that at least 50% of each team is of essentially equal level of talents. Now that may be a bit of an oversimplification"certainly there are differing levels of talent among Canadian players"but the Canadian native rules do serve to further codify the inherent tendency toward parity that you see in most professional sports.
Considering the 21 non- Canadians on the team, its also important to remember that the CFL doesnt get the pick of the litter of American football talent. Certainly those who have the ability are in the NFL, or on an NFL practice or developmental squad. While some players are uniquely suited for the CFL game--former Clemson University QB Nealon Greene, for example, who couldnt make the NFL but has had a lengthy career in Canada--most of the Americans in the CFL are players whose ability just isnt up to NFL levels. Remember Vince McMahon's failed XFL experiment? That gives a good indication of the type of American player that ends up in Canada.
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.
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 a very professional and highly competitive league, but its important to understand some important differences between it and the NFL:
At the most basic level, the football itself is bigger than the NFL ball. It is longer and fatter than the NFL ball. The CFL goal posts are on the goal line, while the NFLs are on the end line at the back of the endzone. 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.
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.
A major difference in the scoring is the 'single' which awards CFL teams one point for a kick--usually a punt or missed field goal--that lands in the end zone. This will frequently produce partial game scores of 1-0 or 1-1 that are impossible in the US game.
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' 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--you'll 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 don't 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.
Furthermore, the parity that you see in the NFL where on any given Sunday any team can beat any other team is magnified in the CFL. The primary reason is the rules mandating Canadian native players. I dont think itll offend any Canadians if I suggest that football is played at a higher level in American high schools and colleges. That means that at least 50% of each team is of essentially equal level of talents. Now that may be a bit of an oversimplification"certainly there are differing levels of talent among Canadian players"but the Canadian native rules do serve to further codify the inherent tendency toward parity that you see in most professional sports.
Considering the 21 non- Canadians on the team, its also important to remember that the CFL doesnt get the pick of the litter of American football talent. Certainly those who have the ability are in the NFL, or on an NFL practice or developmental squad. While some players are uniquely suited for the CFL game--former Clemson University QB Nealon Greene, for example, who couldnt make the NFL but has had a lengthy career in Canada--most of the Americans in the CFL are players whose ability just isnt up to NFL levels. Remember Vince McMahon's failed XFL experiment? That gives a good indication of the type of American player that ends up in Canada.
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.
About the Author:
Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.
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