2023 CFL Draft Discussion

[JCon]

It's amazing that people would watch the XFL/USFL if they just changed their name to the "CFL" and would actually prefer that. Yuck. 

[SpeedFlex27]

Just now, JCon said:

It's amazing that people would watch the XFL/USFL if they just changed their name to the "CFL" and would actually prefer that. Yuck. 

I have a few ideas about what the CFL should do to become more popular but all that would do is elicit angry responses so it's not worth it for me to even discuss this any further. I don't need the grief. I think it's sad we can't have a discussion about the future of the CFL & throw ideas around ithout being accused of being disloyal. 

[JCon]

3 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I have a few ideas about what the CFL should do to become more popular but all that would do is elicit angry responses so it's not worth it for me to even discuss this any further. I don't need the grief. I think it's sad we can't have a discussion about the future of the CFL & throw ideas around ithout being accused of being disloyal. 

It's not disloyalty that's just what it would be. 

This league is Canadian and should have Canadians playing in it. No way we see Canadians if they can get cheap crap from the US that's used to playing in the those leagues down south. 

[SpeedFlex27]

13 minutes ago, JCon said:

It's not disloyalty that's just what it would be. 

This league is Canadian and should have Canadians playing in it. No way we see Canadians if they can get cheap crap from the US that's used to playing in the those leagues down south. 

And if the best Canadians don't play or have no interest in playing in the CFL then what will Canadian football fans think if only second tier Canadian players start in the CFL? Players that would never start in today's CFL but will in tomorrow's? Do you think that Canadians will still want to watch? They aren't now. i'm not arguing. I'm just asking what you think?

[Noeller]

Ignoring all the truly awful takes in this thread....here's some great content from Our Man Tait ahead of the combine this week: 

https://www.bluebombers.com/2023/03/21/i-cant-wait-to-get-started-cfl-combine-preview/?fbclid=IwAR2QjeGYnWBcNE_J6OrNMqA3cfxs5fW4fR5psCqAuTuwP2VxKrUpenEubzI

[SpeedFlex27]

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

Ignoring all the truly awful takes in this thread....here's some great content from Our Man Tait ahead of the combine this week: 

https://www.bluebombers.com/2023/03/21/i-cant-wait-to-get-started-cfl-combine-preview/?fbclid=IwAR2QjeGYnWBcNE_J6OrNMqA3cfxs5fW4fR5psCqAuTuwP2VxKrUpenEubzI

You can call them awful takes. That's your opinion. You're in the minority saying you'd watch an All Canadian football league. You have one. U Sports & we know the kind of fan support they get. I'm convinced most Canadian football fans want to see the best players play in the CFL regardless of where they come from. Now, will it happen? Who knows. 

[Jesse]

9 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I have a few ideas about what the CFL should do to become more popular but all that would do is elicit angry responses so it's not worth it for me to even discuss this any further. I don't need the grief. I think it's sad we can't have a discussion about the future of the CFL & throw ideas around ithout being accused of being disloyal. 

The fact that it would elicit angry responses could be a clue that your ideas wouldn't make it more popular.

[Booch]

23 hours ago, Noeller said:

I know Al is just being an ******* about this, but I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'd rather watch an All Canadian CFL than an All American CFL. 

i would 100 percent stop following the league in that case....

 

12 hours ago, TBURGESS said:

No ratio doesn't mean no Canadian stars. It means no older Canadian backups. 

The best Canadians play in the NFL, the second best start in the CFL, the third best play special teams, the rest are backups.

The CFL isn't the ratio. It's the rules. It's the home town team. It's the stars and it doesn't matter if they are American, Globals, or Canadians. 

have to agree...CFL is more about the rules and field and sure it gives a chance for Canadian kids to play...and they still will...but the ratio to me isnt a "gotta have" and every time it got reduced...or gets reduced, it makes the quality of the game that much better....those are facts....Sure the  Demski...Rourke...Harris...Sinopoli...Desjarlais...the list can go on are good/great players, but you could find multiples of them every yr down south...likely better....and not have to put 2..3..4...yrs into them to become what they are...

CFL is unique and Canadian based on the game itself...not who is playing...even tho you get that faction of people claiming otherwise...

10 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

You can call them awful takes. That's your opinion. You're in the minority saying you'd watch an All Canadian football league. You have one. U Sports & we know the kind of fan support they get. I'm convinced most Canadian football fans want to see the best players play in the CFL regardless of where they come from. Now, will it happen? Who knows. 

anyone in my orbit agrees...and an all canadian player cfl would be putrid.....and hard to stomach...and pay the ticket price you pay now.....epic failure and end to league if that ever occured

[JCon]

You think for a second that they'll maintain the rules if it's an all American league? Why would they? 

 

I'm not even sure how it would work with immigration? We're just handing even more jobs to foreigners? I'm sure the gov't wouldn't love that.

Yeah, I'm not watching XFL North. No thanks! 

Edited March 22, 2023 by JCon

[Jesse]

49 minutes ago, JCon said:

You think for a second that they'll maintain the rules if it's an all American league? Why would they? 

 

I'm not even sure how it would work with immigration? We're just handing even more jobs to foreigners? I'm sure the gov't wouldn't love that.

Yeah, I'm not watching XFL North. No thanks! 

The fact is, neither absolute would be successful.

[WBBFanWest]

Just now, Jesse said:

The fact is, neither absolute would be successful.

I agree.  I just wish there was some way of insuring that a certain number of starting positions on each team had to be citizens of the country in which the games are played in.  That way citizens would have some opportunity but there could still be people from other countries able to compete too.  Oh well, a system like that would probably be way too complicated to be practical.  

[Wideleft]

14 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I'm no Captain Canada here. either. My preference is to see the best players play regardless of where they come from. However, I happen to believe that Canadians would still play without the ratio. All I'm saying is some of the things the league does need to change. The Draft, Neg Lists & the ratio. It's either that or switch to 4 down football. Everything needs to be discussed but it's not at the league level. Times change & the CFL needs to as well. However, the CFL will stick with doing things the same way they did 50 years ago. As long as the BOG's don't think it's broken. 

So, you seem to think that somehow that'll change? If someone is a good coach then they'll advance. Competition is a good thing. Why are people so afraid of it? 

• Tweaking/eliminating the ratio isn't going to change the fact that the best players are in the NFL.
• God no.

[GCn20]

The CFL is about to face a crisis on high end NAT talent. Almost 150 draft eligible players have deferred their draft year to next year including 8 out of the top 20 prospects. No one is really sure why? The NCAA guys I can understand, they can now make more playing college football than CFL but the rest makes no sense. GMs are at a loss to explain it. This year's draft is about to become complete bunk and next year, unless we see mass deferral again, is going to see way too many players and not enough rounds to draft them all making them FA's outright.

Edited March 22, 2023 by GCn20

[bigg jay]

14 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I have a few ideas about what the CFL should do to become more popular but all that would do is elicit angry responses so it's not worth it for me to even discuss this any further. I don't need the grief. I think it's sad we can't have a discussion about the future of the CFL & throw ideas around ithout being accused of being disloyal. 

You're advocating to remove/reduce the ratio to make it more popular when that's already been done over the years.  As Booch pointed out, the quality of the game has improved every time the ratio has been reduced and yet attendance/popularity is still down in certain markets.  The league certainly has it's issues but I don't think the ratio is the problem or solution.

[Tracker]

For my part, if the Canadian ratio in the CFL was to be eliminated, I would be gone. The CFL would become a second-tier feeder league for the NFL, the rules and field would change and I might as well watch the NFL. 

[Booch]

3 hours ago, JCon said:

You think for a second that they'll maintain the rules if it's an all American league? Why would they? 

 

I'm not even sure how it would work with immigration? We're just handing even more jobs to foreigners? I'm sure the gov't wouldn't love that.

Yeah, I'm not watching XFL North. No thanks! 

certainly would....as it wouldnt be an all american...it would be a league with best players playing...and prob have a caveat that each team needed x amount of canadians on it...but not neccessarily as starters...the best Canadians would still play...or get the chance to play pro....it's just the slugs...and there are many ...that would lose jobs, and are only on a roster due to the ratiowhich brings down the quality of the game...and in eyes of many really good American players who balked at coming up here, as basically if they didnt beat out an established vet....would be cut for an inferior player...so why even waste the time....and believe me...it happens way too many times...this league missed out on superstar after superstar...or shall I say would have became one...just because of the ratio....U could have had a game breaking receiver say for example...who could help you out in a big way...but we get the Petermans and the Matt Dubucs of the world who basically take up a spot...take minimal reps if any...most times don't even become the starter when a starter goes down....and if they do....they are well below average for a pro...Just cause they Canadian...slice and dice it any way you want....but the ratio allows for a subpar product...yet we are forced to pay premium price to watch it....does that make sense to the intelligent person?...I think not

[Goldkobra]

5 hours ago, Tracker said:

For my part, if the Canadian ratio in the CFL was to be eliminated, I would be gone. The CFL would become a second-tier feeder league for the NFL, the rules and field would change and I might as well watch the NFL. 

We're already a feeder league for the NFL.  All our best players want their opportunity to go there.

[Booch]

2 hours ago, Goldkobra said:

We're already a feeder league for the NFL.  All our best players want their opportunity to go there.

Yeah we may be a second tier to NFL for sure....Already are and thats fine...no league is ever gonna be a tier above

We went all Canadian tho....we become a second tier league to pretty much every div 1 school in the U.S....and many Div 2's

[SpeedFlex27]

3 hours ago, Booch said:

Yeah we may be a second tier to NFL for sure....Already are and thats fine...no league is ever gonna be a tier above

We went all Canadian tho....we become a second tier league to pretty much every div 1 school in the U.S....and many Div 2's

The so called hardcore loyal "Canadian" fans here are steadfast that they don't want ot change anything. Just leave everything alone. They're saying if the rules are changed with the ratio or the league goes to 4 down they won't watch. Well so be it. Don't watch. No one is forcing you to do any of that. But my gosh. is there a sudden surge of growth the way things are now? Is attendance growing? Are league revenues up?  Viewership isn't growing. The next TV deal may not be as good as the last one & then what??? With game day attendance down that means our little gate driven league will be in trouble. How dumb is it to admit that things aren't working yet refuse to try to find solutions?The league will suck itself dry in a decade anyway the way things are going if changes aren't made. 

[bryan35]

Dont change the rules. We have a much more entertaining game to watch. 

Ratio is another thing. Maybe allow for a certain number of Canadians. 

[rebusrankin]

I like the ratio and the rules. I'd be ok with a ratio tweek or further refinement of americans counting as nationals depending on how long they have been in the league or with one team. I believe the league did this in the 60s. If you eliminated most of the Canadians and went to US rules, I'd stop watching.

[JCon]

8 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

The so called hardcore loyal "Canadian" fans here are steadfast that they don't want ot change anything. Just leave everything alone. They're saying if the rules are changed with the ratio or the league goes to 4 down they won't watch. Well so be it. Don't watch. No one is forcing you to do any of that. But my gosh. is there a sudden surge of growth the way things are now? Is attendance growing? Are league revenues up?  Viewership isn't growing. The next TV deal may not be as good as the last one & then what??? With game day attendance down that means our little gate driven league will be in trouble. How dumb is it to admit that things aren't working yet refuse to try to find solutions?The league will suck itself dry in a decade anyway the way things are going if changes aren't made. 

Of course no one is forcing anyone!?!?!? What on earth???

If this were an American league, I would watch the NFL only where the best players play.

You do whatever you want.

[Bigblue204]

21 minutes ago, JCon said:

Of course no one is forcing anyone!?!?!? What on earth???

If this were an American league, I would watch the NFL only where the best players play.

You do whatever you want.

It's starting to not even be worth replying anymore. Tburg level of posting. Speed should be the next commish as he has all the answers....but really I just want to watch him get mad at himself.

[TBURGESS]

Everyone around here loves to watch Collaros throw to Schoen and all the other US players on the team. I doubt they'd stop watching the CFL if the ratio was lowered or even eliminated. Changing the CFL rules to NFL rules is another thing. That would stop a lot of us old guys from watching the CFL but, we're no longer the fans that the CFL needs to attract. They need the younger generation and those football fans are NFL watchers.

[TrueBlue4ever]

12 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

Everyone around here loves to watch Collaros throw to Schoen and all the other US players on the team. I doubt they'd stop watching the CFL if the ratio was lowered or even eliminated. Changing the CFL rules to NFL rules is another thing. That would stop a lot of us old guys from watching the CFL but, we're no longer the fans that the CFL needs to attract. They need the younger generation and those football fans are NFL watchers.

So the million dollar question - does eliminating the ratio inevitably lead to changing the rules? We’ve already seen the end zones reduced from 25 to 20 yards, and the hash marks moved in. There is always some talk about playing a 4 down game in junior football in some quarters and if we have all Americans striving to get to the NFL, would they not want a 4 down game to showcase their skills?

Bottom line, stop worrying about the NFL and embrace that you are a minor league, a Canadian league, a summer league. I disagree with Booch that we “pay a premium” for lesser play. The cost difference of CFL tickets vs NFL for similar seats is huge, and also disagree that with no ratio the best Canucks still play. Right now there would be one Canadian playing in the CFL (last year) if there was no ratio - Nathan Rourke - and that guy was a unicorn. 

I honestly believe removing Canadians from the game is the next step towards removing the Canadian rules. I say no thanks to that idea.