NFL Coming to Winnipeg for Preseason Game

[TBURGESS]

3 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Numerous NFLers who have spent time in the CFL have stated that the top rung NFL players are significantly better but that a majority of the players are on the same level. I trust what guys who have played in both leagues say.

You're talking about guys who were fringe players in the NFL. They want to believe it.

[17to85]

Or maybe it's just true....

I mean you get the outliers, the very best, but then a huge mean... 

[rebusrankin]

31 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

You're talking about guys who were fringe players in the NFL. They want to believe it.

Chad Johnson was a pro bowler numerous times and said that with the exception of the elite players, the talent was comparable. Ricky Williams was also a pro bowler and said the same thing.

[Jesse]

1 hour ago, rebusrankin said:

Chad Johnson was a pro bowler numerous times and said that with the exception of the elite players, the talent was comparable. Ricky Williams was also a pro bowler and said the same thing.

I don't want to jump into this debate - because it's a ridiculous one - but what would they gain by disparaging our league and saying the talent level is crap?

No matter what they think, that's what they're going to say. 

[blueandgoldguy]

6 hours ago, TBURGESS said:

I'm talking about players who actually make teams, not those who can't make it in either league. The best CFLrs are fringe NFLrs at best and yes.. that's about talent level.

The majority of NFL players are fringe players too.  Only 24 starters per team plus some rotational players but there are 53 players dressing for the game and a tonne of practice roster players.  Most of these guys barely see the field or don't see it at all.  Several of these players bounce around for a few years before leaving the game or coming to the CFL to hopefully earn a paycheque.  The younger players they are replaced with are not necessarily better, but there is a hope they will be.  

There is also the question of veteran status that factors into the decision to keep a player.  Once a player reaches a certain number of games or seasons in the NFL, they receive a minimum salary per the collective bargaining agreement.  This can lead to the release of the player for someone younger though not necessarily better.  

 

Remember Derrick Armstrong?  Started his career as an all star with Saskatchewan, went to the NFL and played for Houston for 3 years starting several games.  I think he was a number 4,5,6 receiver for the duration of this stay.  When he was released/not signed was he all of a sudden not good enough to play in the NFL?  Unlikely.  What is more likely is that he reached a point at which, given his veteran NFL status, he would have to be signed to a higher minimum salary.  Houston and other NFL teams chose not to sign him in favour of younger players with perceived higher upside and cheaper. 

 

Armstrong then had a choice to retire or return to the CFL.  He came here and played 2.5 pretty good seasons, though it should be noted he was not even the #1 receiver on the team despite playing in the greatest league in the world.  

 

The NFL is filled with hundreds of Derrick Armstrongs playing different positions - brief starters, backups, backups to backups, practice roster players.  These make up the majority of players...in and out of the NFL within a few years.  Most of these are comparable to the typical CFL player.
 

Edited June 15, 2019 by blueandgoldguy

[TBURGESS]

17's argument isn't that some CFLrs are as good as fringe NFLrs. His argument is: "The CFL is filled with guys who have enough talent to play in the NFL" and "the bottoms of rosters in terms of skill are very comparable". If the majority of CFLrs were as good as the majority of at least the bottom NFLrs, then it stands to reason that our stars would easily make teams when they went down to the NFL and that's simply not true. Most aren't even good enough to become backups.

The Armstrong story isn't just about a CFL player who wes good enough to make an NFL team. It's also about a player who was no longer good enough for the NFL coming back to the CFL so he could continue to play. If he was good enough to stay in the NFL, he would have stayed there. For every Armstrong, who makes it in the NFL, even for a short time, there are a bunch of CFL stars who don't make one of their teams.

Most CFL stars who go down to the NFL never become even brief starters, backups, backups to backups or practice roster players. If the majority of CFL and NFL players were on the same level, those types of players who choose to continue their careers in the CFL wouldn't be highly thought of or sought after. Just having an NFL TC under your belt or a year on an NFL PR is enough to make fans salivate.

Anyway, there's no need to continue this argument. We've all made our points and no one is changing anyone elses mind. Just about game time, so I'm outta here.

[Brandon]

Different game and different players would thrive or tank in the CFL.  

I always will go back to how Flutie was screwed in Buffalo because they choose Johnson (or whatever the other qb) because he was a big guy despite Flutie winning with their current club.  Johnson goes in with the same club and proceeds to **** the bed and the Bills had a terrible 2- 10 type record with him.   I definitely think a lot of CFL guys would thrive in the NFL.  

[Mark F]

Some of what happens in the NFL is GManagers saving face.... like the Vikings playing Treadwell for years, when it's been obvious since his first year, that he's not very good.

also, they are rigid thinkers, and look for certain things for certain positions. That's why we got Bighill. Too short for those idiots.

 it  took them years to acknowledge that Russell Wilson was a top level qb. Cause he was too short, and scrambled. Of course they are sophisticated, so now that they like scrambling, they call it "extending the play"

There is a huge amount of hype around the NFL. cause big big money.

NFL misses a lot of good players cause of preconceived ideas about what they need.

anyway,  we'll see how Duke Williams does in Buffalo this season. I say he'll do well.

Edited June 15, 2019 by Mark F

[blueandgoldguy]

Apparently there was a tweet that said only 6,000 seats have sold.  Not sure of the credibility of the source but looking at the ticketmaster seating chart, it appears they are not far off the mark. Lower bowl appears to be over 80% unsold.  Expect to see massive discounts soon for corner end zone and back of the end zone seats as well as the middle of the upper deck.  Also, I think they will start selling blocks of seats to corporations for large discounts.

[Super Duper Negatron]

The heritage classic was cheaper and I got two games for that.

[Mr. Perfect]

I'm surprised at how poorly this game has been marketed to be honest. Its obviously been priced quite high, so you're going to have to sell people on it. 1290 had an interview with the CEO I believe it was of On Ice Entertainment maybe about a week ago to talk about the event, but aside from that and the actual announcement itself, you'd have no idea the game was coming here.

[blueandgoldguy]

2 hours ago, Mr. Perfect said:

I'm surprised at how poorly this game has been marketed to be honest. Its obviously been priced quite high, so you're going to have to sell people on it. 1290 had an interview with the CEO I believe it was of On Ice Entertainment maybe about a week ago to talk about the event, but aside from that and the actual announcement itself, you'd have no idea the game was coming here.

Maybe they thought that an NFL exhibition game sells itself.

[Brandon]

I've seen and heard zero ads for it so far. I haven't even heard anyone talking about it in my group of friends and also at work.

It's been poorly advertised.

[nate007]

5 hours ago, Brandon said:

I've seen and heard zero ads for it so far. I haven't even heard anyone talking about it in my group of friends and also at work.

It's been poorly advertised.

Ads have been showing up in my social media feeds, but that's the only place I've seen anything.

[NorthernSkunk]

I'm still not going.

[Firekid]

From the interview I had heard on 1290 I gathered that there is going to be a big ticket drive coming up soon and a bunch of events are planned around this game to give back to youth football and such. They were being very careful not to let the puss y out of the pants because there was some big announcements coming up for this. I don't know when but I would expect it would be closer to the game date. 

[blueingreenland]

On 2019-07-06 at 10:13 PM, Mr. Perfect said:

I'm surprised at how poorly this game has been marketed to be honest. 

I've heard ads for it over here on Saskatchewan radio. 

[Mr Dee]

16 minutes ago, blueingreenland said:

I've heard ads for it over here on Saskatchewan radio. 

With explanations on what NFL stands for?

[Geebrr]

1 hour ago, Firekid said:

 They were being very careful not to let the puss y out of the pants 

😂

[johnzo]

The one thing I really notice in terms of player skill level between the two leagues is that the NFL tackling seems way better.  I notice many many more broken tackles in the CFL.

I dunno, this might be because of the smaller field, making it easier for the D to rally to the ball since they're not as spread out -- but my impression is that most one-on-one situations in the NFL result in a tackle, whereas in the CFL it's not nearly as sure a thing.

[Brandon]

Now that the word has come out that they are really low in sales. Every Winnipeger will now wait for the eventual slashing of ticket prices.

This was poorly done and they should of made that ticket drive push way earlier.

[SpeedFlex27]

1 hour ago, johnzo said:

The one thing I really notice in terms of player skill level between the two leagues is that the NFL tackling seems way better.  I notice many many more broken tackles in the CFL.

I dunno, this might be because of the smaller field, making it easier for the D to rally to the ball since they're not as spread out -- but my impression is that most one-on-one situations in the NFL result in a tackle, whereas in the CFL it's not nearly as sure a thing.

The NFL still has padded practices with helmets. They work on tackling drills. The CFL has 90% of the practices with no pads & helmets. Very little tackling fundamentals are taught or stressed.  Even pros need to practice fundamentals & technique.

[17to85]

12 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

The NFL still has padded practices with helmets. They work on tackling drills. The CFL has 90% of the practices with no pads & helmets. Very little tackling fundamentals are taught or stressed.  Even pros need to practice fundamentals & technique.

I would also think that the bowling lane they play on in the states has something to do with it. Makes a much more straight ahead game without as much worry about someone getting outside and having all kinds of room to run. 

[Geebrr]

The people who arent going to this game/don't want it spend the most time taking about it.

[MOBomberFan]

At least there won't be long lineups at the concessions