Ya'Gotta: Canadian Football League
Credit: Tourism Saskatchewan
From late June until early November each year in Canada, there's a truly Canadian tradition that visitors, especially sports fans, should take-in…A Canadian Football League (CLF) game!
Although football in Canada and the United States are very similar and have their origins in rugby. History tells us that during the 1860's Canadian rugby teams were changing the game.
The CFL game is specifically Canadian, as the rules (see below) are much different than NFL football played in the United States and our annual championship Grey Cup Game is 58 years older than the American Super Bowl. Australian rules football (footy) is also much different than either variety of the North American Game.
The two North American games have their origins from a rugby type game played in the 1860's. According to the CFL website, they describe the origins of the game are as follows:
"The rules of a hybrid game of English rugby devised by the University of McGill (sic. Montreal) were first used in the United States in a game at Boston between McGill and Harvard. On May 14, Harvard won 3-0 using Harvard rules. The next day, the teams tied 0-0 while playing Canadian rules. Harvard liked the new game so much they introduced it into the Ivy League. Both U.S. and Canadian football evolved from these games".
Rules changed, during the later part of the 19th century and in 1909 Lord Earl Grey, the Governor General of Canada, donated a trophy to be awarded for the Rugby Football Championship of Canada. This became our cherished Grey Cup, now almost 100 years old! Two of the Eastern Conference teams, Hamilton Tiger Cats and the Toronto Argonauts, trace their origins directly back to 1868.
The post WWII period was when the CFL as we know it now. With teams in Vancouver (BC Lions), Calgary (Stampeders), Edmonton (Eskimos)*, Regina (Saskatchewan Roughriders), Winnipeg (Blue Bombers), Toronto (Argonauts), Hamilton (Tiger Cats) and Montreal (Alouettes). Since 1954 only CFL teams compete in the annual play-off, Grey Cup game that occurs in late November. Many of the games are played in league's outdoor stadiums at Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Hamilton and Montreal. If you take-in an outdoor Grey Cup, be sure to dress warm!
* Furthest north professional football team
For NFL fans, you will notice several distinct differences:
- The are 12 players on a CFL team
- CFL is 3 down football (e.g. 3 chances to make 10 yards)
- Our time clock is only 20 seconds
- Unlimited backfield motion of offensive receivers
- Field goal or convert attempt kicks that are missed can be returned for touchdowns
- Opposing teams line-up further apart on the line of scrimmage
- No fair catch after a kick (i.e. If you catch it...you must run it and if you don't receive it, the ball's live and can recovered by the other team)
- The field is longer (110 yd.) and wider (65 yd.) with longer end zones (20 yd.)
When you come to Canada be sure to take in a CFL game, which Ya'Gotta (being Canadian) feels is the most exciting game of football in North America!
If you would like more information about attending a CFL game visit the league's website.
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