NFL personal guru Gil Brandt answered a few questions on NFL.com. This one was pretty sweet:
Steven, TORONTO 12:15 PM ET
What do you think of the idea of the CFL All stars playing the NFL All stars at the Pro Bowl?
Gil Brandt, NFL.com
Hi Steven. At one time the CFL had a lot of good players and that would be interesting. But the talent level of the CFL has really dropped off considerably. So I don't think it would work.
There was a time -- back in the 1950s -- that the NFL changed the date of the draft because they were worried about the CFL coming in and signing top college talent. That was a long time ago.
It's an utterly ridiculous question, but let's roll with it.
1) Canadian Football, while intriguingly goofy, isn't even AAA of the NFL. It's maybe AA Southern League quality using baseball terms. Maybe.
Steven, TORONTO 12:15 PM ET
What do you think of the idea of the CFL All stars playing the NFL All stars at the Pro Bowl?
Gil Brandt, NFL.com
Hi Steven. At one time the CFL had a lot of good players and that would be interesting. But the talent level of the CFL has really dropped off considerably. So I don't think it would work.
There was a time -- back in the 1950s -- that the NFL changed the date of the draft because they were worried about the CFL coming in and signing top college talent. That was a long time ago.
It's an utterly ridiculous question, but let's roll with it.
1) Canadian Football, while intriguingly goofy, isn't even AAA of the NFL. It's maybe AA Southern League quality using baseball terms. Maybe.
2) What rules would they use? I'd like to see the Bears scrounge up a 6th receiver (or 3rd, 4th, or 5th, for that matter) to throw on the field using CFL rules. And imagine some crappy CB from North Saskatchewan Tech try covering Larry Fitzgerald after he gets the pre-snap running head start! (Note: Two sources - Goldy and Train - are at least 90% confident this is legal in the CFL.)
3) Does Canada even have flights to Hawaii? Airplanes? Just kidding, I love Canada.
4) If they use NFL rules, would the CFL have to coax Doug Flutie out of retirement? Warren Moon?
Here's a question Train and I couldn't answer. Do Canadian high schools play football? If so, do they play CFL style? San Diego drafted a guy from Western Ontario University this year. Do they play CFL style? Any Canadian Hackers with answers out there?
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Oh, and an answer to a different question caught my eye....
Eric, Bucks County 12:10 PM ET
If you owned a franchise who would you name as general manager and head coach? Who would you want as your quarterback?
Gil Brandt, NFL.com
Hi Eric. Well, I probably would want Bill Belichick as my head coach. I think I would want Ted Thompson of Green Bay as my general manager, and Peyton Manning as my quarterback.
Eric, Bucks County 12:10 PM ET
If you owned a franchise who would you name as general manager and head coach? Who would you want as your quarterback?
Gil Brandt, NFL.com
Hi Eric. Well, I probably would want Bill Belichick as my head coach. I think I would want Ted Thompson of Green Bay as my general manager, and Peyton Manning as my quarterback.
5 comments:
Leave Anthony Witrado alone..just kidding. That was funny. As someone that frequents Canada quite a bit, I can actually acknowledge that they do have high school and "University" football eh. Although there are fans in select CFL communities, football is looked upon in Canada as soccer is looked upon here in the US of A. Hockey and Tim Horton's are pretty much all they care about eh. As much as we like to rip on our less adequate North American counterparts, people from say Toronto and Vancouver don't fit the typical Canadian stereotype, however when you go to the rural areas...it's like watching the Red Green show. You can ask them for a good "Newfie" or Canadian joke, you'll get a brief chuckle. What is similar between American Beer and making love in canoe?....they're both F'in close to water.
See you at the game tonite!
Ted Thompson everybody!
Brad Nelson is gone without ever getting that first hit. I couldn't be happier, lol.
"2) What rules would they use? I'd like to see the Bears scrounge up a 6th receiver (or 3rd, 4th, or 5th, for that matter) to throw on the field using CFL rules. And imagine some crappy CB from North Saskatchewan Tech try covering Larry Fitzgerald after he gets the pre-snap running head start! (Note: Two sources - Goldy and Train - are at least 90% confident this is legal in the CFL.)"
I think that the differences between American and Canadian football actually originated from one "home and home" football match between Harvard and some Canadian school (McGill?). Harvard didn't have the right size rugby pitch so they drew up a smaller field. Because of the smaller field they reduced the number of players. And because we're Americans and we like high scores, they added an extra down.
I don't think the AA comparison is fair to the CFL. They play a different game, and some of the better NFL players have flamed out big time in Canada (Andre Rison, Vince Ferragamo, Dexter Manley, and Ricky Williams come to mind immediately, for starters). Their game puts more emphasis on speed and agility over the sheer power required for the NFL. It's like comparing baseball to softball. Sure, they have bases, balls, and bats, but beyond that, it's a different game altogether.
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