Noeller

This is a truth fact, sir. But he's a rabid CFL fan. IIRC, he grew up a big Ottawa RRs fan...

Would LOVE to see your proof on that. Chris Cuthbert is one of the biggest CFL fans going and always has been.

Some interesting thoughts from Chris Cuthbert.... https://3downnation.com/2021/03/12/long-time-cfl-play-by-play-man-chris-cuthbert-worries-xfl-talks-are-a-deal-with-the-devil/ For 16 years, Chris Cuthbert was the voice that soothed CFL fans. The league’s announcement on Wednesday that it is seeking opportunities for collaboration and innovation with the XFL has that voice wracked with worry. “I’m still concerned that this is potentially a deal with the devil,” Cuthbert told Scott Rintoul on Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver. “My concern level is extremely high, but I guess if you’re asking me 48 hours later, I am open to hearing what the benefits might be.” The veteran play-by-play man who left TSN in 2020 in order to continue calling NHL games remains a passionate fan of the three-down game and while he’s trying to remain open-minded, Cuthbert sees some of the speculation surrounding a merger of the two leagues as almost sacrilegious. “There’s some elements that are non-negotiable and that’s obvious from a Canadian football standpoint. The most important word in the Canadian Football League is Canadian. To me, it’s essential. It’s three downs,” he emphasized. “I guess a hybrid size field that’s bigger than an NFL field and slightly different than a CFL field is somewhat palatable, but for the most part, I think the uniqueness of the game is what’s kept it alive. For many of us, it’s why we love it so much.” Also potentially on the chopping block is the Canadian ratio, a particular hot button for Cuthbert’s long-time broadcast partner Glen Suitor. Cuthbert has seen some suggestion that it would be maintained in some form for a merged league but doesn’t believe it’s possible. “I could see a ratio of X number of Canadians on the Canadian teams and international players on an XFL team, but from what I understand the labour laws in the States will not allow any ratio of any kind,” Cuthbert said. The ratio wasn’t applied to US teams during the league’s ill-fated American expansion in the 1990s and while some have noted that the financial boost from new franchises helped stabilized the CFL, Cuthbert insists that road is one best left firmly in the past. “We could spend an hour with all the horror stories of that experiment,” he said. The CFL has been awarding the Grey Cup for over 100 years. Meanwhile, the original XFL lasted one full season in 2001 and the revival in 2020 played just five weeks before folding due to the pandemic. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and his associate purchased the bankrupt league for just $15 million and while Cuthbert isn’t opposed to the concept of a post-season bowl game or all-star showcase between the two leagues, he questions whether the league has truly explored all options before rolling over to American star power. “The government has had a justice committee reviewing a bill that would allow sports betting and the CFL elected not to accept the invitation to be there in committee. Now I’m told that they are filing off their views on it, I thought that was a missed opportunity,” Cuthbert said. “We’ve been sitting around for a year and have we done anything to talk about revenue sharing? I still think there are things to be done or that could have been done exclusive to joining a league that’s already folded twice.” While some have championed a move to four-down American rules as a fix-all cure for the CFL’s attendance woes in major markets, Cuthbert dismisses that view entirely. “The National Football League is the powerhouse of all sports properties. There’s no point in trying to be an NFL lite,” he explained. “Be unique, be different, be the game that Canadians have loved.” While that is a view shared by many fans, the league’s wealthy owners may prefer another strategy to recoup their pandemic losses. As a fan of the game, Cuthbert is very worried. “It’s already clear the CFL that we knew is probably in real jeopardy and I’m just hoping we can preserve some of the basic tenets that made the CFL special.”

I'm one of those people, but I truly feel I'm in a very small minority. The vast majority are going to be out in droves...

I've been saying for awhile that we're going to see a sort of boom similar to post-WW2, where people want to go out and do stuff and spend money. I think it'll be a bit of an over-correct for awhile, but it'll certainly help the economy rebound...

So, while I agree with most of what's been said recently in this thread, I wanted to just say that I think there'll still be a level of interest in regional rivalries. So regardless of what rules, and the ratio and all of that......it'd still be Winnipeg playing Regina playing Calgary playing Edmonton........so there will always be a passion for the "local sports team", regardless of all the extraneous stuff. That's something that I've thought long and hard about this week. The thing that makes the CFL special to me, is it's my home province playing against other provinces and that's probably what I cheer for the most. And nothing, regardless of rule changes or whatever, is going to change in that regard. They're not taking away the Bombers.

Man, when live sports is available on my Roku TV (I have one of those fantastic TCL Roku TV's) via a streaming platform, I'm gonna be a happy camper. The only reason I have cable is for the live sports. And I don't wanna go through some shitty website which I have to stream to a Chromecast stick. I want it via direct app on my TV...

We had no chance once it went to OT. Jets are a big, heavy 5 on 5 team, but not enough pure skill for the fast pace of OT. **** I hate losing to the Leafs.

Ugh. **** I hate the Leafs and their fans...

Helle once again all world... That paddle save he made midway thru the 3rd was insane.

Bob Young's comments about "100 years ago, the Stanley Cup was a Canadian trophy, and 100 years ago you couldn't move the ball forward with a pass" really got to me.... as lame as it might sound, I've really had to do a lot of soul-searching about what it is about the Bombers and CFL that I support. What is it that makes me a superfan? As SF alluded to, what hill am I willing to die on to maintain the old ways, if the old ways mean no more Bombers ever....?

I will say this: I'm less angry/upset/depressed about this situation than I was yesterday. Just let me have some Winnipeg Blue Bombers football, whatever that looks like, and get back to some semblance of normal

some interesting comments from Bob Young... https://3downnation.com/2021/03/11/ticats-caretaker-bob-young-has-strong-opinions-loosely-held-on-xfl-talks-intrigued-by-prospect-of-international-championship/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=ticats-caretaker-bob-young-has-strong-opinions-loosely-held-on-xfl-talks-intrigued-by-prospect-of-international-championship “You both have to respect and honor your traditions — you have to bring your loyal fans along with you on your adventure — but you equally have to move forward,” he said, noting the Stanley Cup was once a national prize before becoming a national symbol for hockey supremacy. “I was watching on Twitter and [fans] were saying ‘Canadian football has been around for a hundred years and if they change any of the rules, I’m going to refuse to watch’. I go, hold on, a hundred years ago you were not allowed to pass the ball forward,” Young continued. “Our rules do keep changing and as long as they change for the better our fans will follow us. If they change for the worse, they won’t follow us. That’s our responsibility, to figure that one out and take our fans on a journey that they’re excited about.”

I've seen a lot of protetionist arguments about saving the rouge, but man...... of all the truly Canadian elements of our game....the rouge is one of the least important, to me. Keep the field size, keep the same number of players on the field, keep the downs, and keep the Canadian players. That's the non-negotiables for me.

Dunk says the only way the CFL plays in 2021 is with a financial backer, and that XFL might be such a backer. What it's going to cost the CFL in the long run (being force to change rules, etc) is unknown yet, but according to Dunk (for what that's worth...) the XFL is keeping the CFL afloat for now...

ahhhh that'll do it.... still an outbreak situation in Puk?

not sure I like the consistent creeping back up of daily case counts.... tho certainly to be expected with the re-openings....

I don't know if you can feel vindicated when nothing has actually happened yet. If this actually goes the way some of us fear, THEN you can feel vindicated.

Yaaaaaaaa.... That's what it was...... I don't know that that's true at all. The Rock is the highest paid actor and overall one of the biggest stars on the planet right now. WAY bigger than Vince ever was on a mainstream level. I mean, the Rock has conquered Hollywood completely. And I'm not altogether certain that Vince has more money either... I'd like to see the books on that.

so our man Tait did a full sit down with Wade about everything.....worth a read. https://www.bluebombers.com/2021/03/10/cfl-explore-opportunities-alignment-xfl-owners/

it's one of my greatest regrets that I no longer have that t-shirt...I got it as a present when I was about 14. Friiiiig.

I'm really partial to the Canadian Content, as well....I know some people don't really give a ****, but it's important to me to have Canadian players in this game and the whole juggling of the ratio each week.

I chuckled because I was expecting this...