Jenn Writes

Tag: NFL

  • Celebration!

    Celebration!

    It comes as no surprise to those who know me that I’m a sports nut. Football (particularly the CFL and the Toronto Argonauts, but also the NFL and the Detroit Lions) was and continues to be my first love, with Auto Racing (Formula 1, IndyCar, and NASCAR in that order) a close second. Third place has changed a few times – most of the time it’s Baseball, unless the Olympics are on, with Hockey and Basketball tied for fourth in my hierarchy of sports. Living in Blue Jays’ country (which, technically is all of Canada since they’re the only professional baseball team in the country) though, it’s hard not to get caught up in the excitement that has been gripping the Toronto sports community.

    A picture from behind home plate in the upper levels at Skydome of a full stadium, players on the baseball diamond and the large Canada Flag in the outfield
    Skydome at its finest. Image courtesy CTV News

    Yes, I scream at the television whenever a commentator says “the city of Toronto has been starved for a championship” because the Argos won the 100th Grey Cup in 2012, also taking home the title in 2004, 1997, and 1996 since the Blue Jays last won the World Series in 1993. Despite that, I get it. This city really wants to be seen as a world class city and part of that is having a championships in one of the 3 professional sports (Hockey, Baseball, and Basketball) played in both Canada and the United States.  As the Blue Jays season has progressed, so has my interest in watching baseball. Which brings me to today, and scheduling work around being able to watch the first game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, to see if the Jays could clinch their first division title since the world series win in 1993.

    The Blue Jays clearly knew the importance of the game and worked hard to get out in front, never looking back. After the game, and despite the fact that game 2 of the doubleheader was set to start half an hour after the end of the first one, the team erupted onto the field. Which brings me to today’s word Wednesday word: Jubilation. It’s the perfect word for the look on the faces of the Blue Jays’ players, coaches, and management. It is also what many long suffering Toronto sports fans are feeling tonight.

    Stylized version of the word Jubilation
    Jubilation

    Jubilation comes from Middle English (with a nod of the head to French)  jubilacioun, which in turns, come from Latin jūbilātiō which means to shout for joy. Seems pretty fitting for a team that was jumping around and shouting as soon as the final out was recorded. 

    Jubilation (ju·bi·la·tion) noun

    1. great happiness or joy
    2. an act of rejoicing :  the state of being jubilant.

    Now, I’m going to go back to watching the second game to see the further jubilation that ensues when the Jays are able to fully celebrate when the second game is over.

     

  • Why I love the CFL

    Why I love the CFL

    Recently I’ve had a number of conversations on twitter and out in the real world about the CFL and how it’s seen to be bush league or second tier.  First off, if you were one of the people with whom i had those conversations, I’m sorry.  I must have seemed like a zealot.  The fact is I love 3 down football.  Always have.  Maybe because i was exposed to it years before the 4 down version.  I know I that I live and breathe Canadian Football.  I’m sure the nice people at Toshiba were sick of me by the end of the She’s Connected conference.  While most of the other women there were worried about which apps were available for their kids, I kept asking about football apps.  (In case you’re wondering, I want an app that lets me create and run plays against multiple defensive schemes and – most important of all – allows the right number of players on the field).

    Yep.  I’m addicted to football.  I enjoy NCAA and NFL football too (Michigan State Spartans and Detroit Lions!) but given my druthers, I’d much rather watch 3 down football.  It’s not just the speed of the game (though on average it takes 45 minutes less to play a CFL game than an NFL game – and I’d argue that only about 20 minutes of this is commercial and the slightly (2 mins) longer halftime (again due to commercial breaks)) it’s the character.  I like the 20 second play clock because it keeps the game moving.  40 seconds feels like an eternity to me and i find myself yelling at the TV during NFL games for the Quarterbacks to “Hurry up”.

    I take issue with people who call the CFL second rate.  It’s not a second rate league in anything except the TV revenue.  In fact, until the late 1970s NFL players came up to the CFL because they could make more money!  People such as Cam Wake who have played in both leagues have said that the NFL isn’t a tougher league, just different.  In fact, in an interview with ESPN 760, Cam Wake said that the rules made the CFL tougher to play in as an outside linebacker.

    He’s right – and the changes don’t just make it harder for the Defence either.  The wider field has been known to give NCAA Quarterbacks, even those who have won a Heisman Trophy fits.   Wide receivers can have problems adjusting their routes to the wider field.  The extra 10 yards in field length makes running a kickoff back for a touchdown that much harder.

    Then there’s my favourite difference between the CFL and the NFL – the 3 downs.  Having 3 downs means that you actually have 2 real attempts to get the ball 10 yards.  This means that running (which typically averages 3-4 yards a carry) won’t get you a first down.  So there are more pass attempts in the CFL.  Take Sunday’s Eastern Semi-Final as an example and compare it to one of the NFL games on at the same time.  The LOSING Quarterback in the Eastern Semi-Final completed 30 of 42 pass attempts for 513 yards.  AND HE LOST THE GAME.  In contrast, Tim Tebow, the quarterback for the Denver Broncos, DID NOT MAKE A PASS ATTEMPT IN THE FIRST HALF.  At the end of the game he was 2 for 8 for 69 yards.  You just can’t do that in the CFL.  You have to have a good passing game as well as a running game to mix things up or you’ll be eaten alive. (Note the troubles that both the Argos and the Riders had this year as an example – though you *can* win in the CFL without a solid passing game, it’s much harder and usually at least partly dependent on special teams).

    The Rouge.  Oh the Rouge.  I love the Rouge (and not just because I’m on RougeRadio.com).  I have had to explain the Rouge until I’m literally red in the face.  It’s not a reward for missing a Field goal.  It’s a reward for preventing the other team from running it out.  If it was simply a reward for failure, it wouldn’t be awarded on a punt.

    No Lead is Safe – this is the CFL’s most recent ad campaign.  It’s very true.  Very few games are complete blowouts with no chance for redemption.  In the final week of the regular season, I stayed up really late to watch Montreal at BC.  Even though BC had a decent lead at the half, I didn’t want to go to bed because I have witnessed Anthony Calvillo put up insane numbers in one half, so I couldn’t trust that it wouldn’t happen.  It didn’t but overall, it seems that the last 4-5 minutes of a CFL game end up having more weird and wacky endings than the NFL ones.  (the one thing that drives me nuts with the NFL play clock is that with 1:30 on the clock, and a fresh set of downs, the QB can take a knee and the game’s done.  You’d have to get at least a 1st down in the CFL.

    Finally, I love the CFL because Our Balls are Bigger.  It’s not just a slogan.  It’s true.  I even have the T-Shirt.

     

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