By now, everyone knows that because President Trump called out the NFL owners for letting their racist pro-black players protest against the United States and their fellow Americans, millions of once NFL fans have turned away from watching the TV broadcasts of the NFL. Yesterday, the President brought into question why Congress lets municipalities and states float tax exempt bonds to build NFL stadiums (see: PRESIDENT TRUMP VS BILLIONAIRE NFL OWNERS AND THEIR TAX-FREE BOND SCAM )
While these ex-NFL fans who can be found on Twitter using the hashtag #NFLBoycott could take up watching NCAA college football, there is a high-quality professional alternative to quench their football thirst, the Canadian Football League. So if you are among the millions boycotting the NFL, I encourage you to watch the CFL.
There are four weeks remaining in the season. The playoffs will follow thereafter. Here is the U.S. broadcast schedule if you have ESPN2 or ESPN3.
Here is a quick run down of the codes between the two games:
CFL teams play an 18-game regular season. NFL teams only play 16.
A CFL field is longer (110 yards vs 100; 55-yard line at midfield vs 50). CFL end zones are deeper (20 yards vs 10). A CFL field is wider (65 yards vs 53 and 1/3 yards)
In the CFL, an offense gets three tries to advance the ball 10 yards. In the NFL, an offense gets four, one extra chance.
In the CFL, after the play is over, the offense has 20 seconds to snap the football after the referee whistles the next play to start. The NFL generously gives their offenses 40 seconds.
In the CFL, it is much harder to defend the run and the pass. Defensive linemen must line up 1-yard opposite the line of scrimmage prior to a play.
Before a snap, all offensive backs and receivers are allowed unlimited motion provided that they remain more than one yard behind the line of scrimmage.
In the NFL, it is much easier to defend the run and much easier to rush the quarter back. Defensive linemen may line up immediately opposite the line of scrimmage.
Before a snap, only back or receiver may move, but only in parallel with the line of scrimmage.
Each CFL team gets one timeout per half. Each NFL team generously gets three.
The CFL features a three-minute warning. After the three minute warning, the play clock runs only from the snap of the ball to when the referee whistles the play dead. The closing three minutes of a CFL game fosters miraculous comebacks by trailing teams.
In the NFL, the game clock runs constantly even after the two-minute warning. NFL teams rely up calling time outs and "spiking the ball," which contradicts the intentional grounding rule.
On punts, the CFL requires the punt returner to gain possession of the ball. There is no fair-catch rule. The punting team must give a 5 yard empty zone around the punt returner to let him attempt a catch.
In the NFL, lets a punt returner signal a fair catch. Upon a fair catch, the ball becomes dead. It can not be advanced nor can the punting team gain possession.
In the CFL, if the punt receiving team fails to secure possession, the punting team can gain possession. An unhandled ball from a punt may be legally recovered by the kicker. In the NFL, the receiving team can let the ball bounce into the field of play where the kicking team can down the ball. Possession remains with the punt-return team.
In the CFL, the team either attempting a field goal or punting can score a point called a rouge when a missed kick or punt ends in the end zone and the defending team fails to advance the ball out of the end zone because the kicking or punting team prevents the defending team, the player possessing the ball elects to drop to one knee while still in the end zone or elects to run with the ball from the end zone out of bounds rather than enter the field of play.
In the NFL, on a punt, if a player catches the ball in the end zone and elects to take a knee, the ball gets advanced automatically to the 20 yard line and the defending team gains possession. On a field goal attempt, the defending team can elect not to possess or advance the ball. The ball gets placed at the spot of the kick attempt and the defending team gains possession.
The CFL has 12 players a side. The NFL only has 11.
Because CFL only grants three downs to advance the ball ten yards, offense play is much more aggressive. There is much more passing and more attempts at getting bigger chucks of yards.
As well, going for it on third and short is much more common in the CFL than going for it on fourth and short in the NFL. Maintaining possession in attempt to score is key in games such as football and rugby. Thus, there is greater pressure on CFL teams to go for it on their third down.
With the rouge (one-point kicking score) and no fair catch, the CFL makes kicking to be an exciting parts of the game. Since the hash marks are further apart on the CFL field, field goal tries are much harder as the wider hash marks create tougher angles.
With the larger field, there simply is more space for offenses to get receivers open. Because the play clock is 20 seconds versus 40, there is more action in the CFL.
So you should know, Canadians invented the game of football having derived it from rugby. They taught Americans how to play it. So give it a watch, eh.
Watch this crazy CFL game finish because of the rules. NFL rules never could create this kind of excitement.
And here is CFL legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon talk about his days in the CFL:
Gab It
