2016 CFL Season

[Steveston]

Originally Posted by esquire

That's a long period

Not really the season you want to have heading into an nice shiny new stadium. On the other hand, the 'new place' attendance bounce will help counter any declines due to STH disillusionment with their quality of play (but is Riders' attendance dependent upon their record? Or are they like Leafs' fans?)

[elly63]

Copeland: Not stunned by Argos attendance, confident about future

President and CEO of the Toronto Argonauts, Michael Copeland joins Mike Hogan and Jeremy Taggart to chat about Argonauts latest attendance at CFL games, which events have been added to Argo's Game Days, and how the team has been succeeding recently.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by Steveston

Not really the season you want to have heading into an nice shiny new stadium. On the other hand, the 'new place' attendance bounce will help counter any declines due to STH disillusionment with their quality of play (but is Riders' attendance dependent upon their record? Or are they like Leafs' fans?)

Rider attendance us dependent on play. Anyone that doesn't believe so just needs to go back twelve years. We do okay when we are mediocre but it's going to get ugly if next year us just as bad.

[Andy6]

It's good to hear that they aren't panicking. No question that turning this around is a several-years proposition. I agree that the lack of advertising is one of the really nice things about the BMO/Argos experience.

I had a personal phone call to ask what I liked about the games that I attended. Never called them back but still, it's appreciated.

[lrt's friend]

In an local interview, Henry Burris admitted that his pinkie finger injury on his throwing hand was still not fully healed. This obviously affected his performance since his return. Thankfully, Trevor Harris is ready to go.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

In an local interview, Henry Burris admitted that his pinkie finger injury on his throwing hand was still not fully healed. This obviously affected his performance since his return. Thankfully, Trevor Harris is ready to go.

Burris is following Damon Allen's script almost to a tee. Become the MOP at a very advanced (for a football player) age, then injure your hand, then lose the starting role to a hot young up and comer... last stop, retirement.

On one level it's cruel how quickly these veteran QBs who can stick it out for 20 years quickly suddenly go from hero to unwanted, but what can you really say... whether it ends this year, next year or the year after, Burris has had an amazing career and I don't think anyone will judge him by the last season or two.

[esquire]

Damnit Ottawa, thanks for nothing.

[lrt's friend]

I am getting tired of Roughing the Passer calls no longer being a judgement call. I am also getting tired of coach reviews that consistently overturn big plays.

[Hybrid247]

CFL referees are a joke. Was at the game last night and couldn't believe all the ridiculous calls, especially the ones that went against the Redblacks. No wonder no one takes this league seriously. The excessive amount of flags completely ruins the flow of the game and greatly affects the competitive nature of it. Some these roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness calls have no place in a "pro" league.

[esquire]

^ Hard to argue with those comments.

The league needs to admit that things are getting out hand. I concede that they're getting a handle on the game delay issue, but I still don't like the way that challenges offer coaches a litany of ways to directly affect outcomes on a seemingly routine basis. Having drives extended because of a successful challenge against a roughing the passer (or PI or what have you) non call should be a relatively rare event, but it happens all the time now.

[cjones2451]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

CFL referees are a joke. Was at the game last night and couldn't believe all the ridiculous calls, especially the ones that went against the Redblacks. No wonder no one takes this league seriously. The excessive amount of flags completely ruins the flow of the game and greatly affects the competitive nature of it. Some these roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness calls have no place in a "pro" league.

There were 10 penalties last night and 1 coaches challenge. One of the better officiated games in my opinion! RedBlacks are the most penalized team in the league and shot themselves in the foot for the most part....
Officiating needs to improve, but also the context of the rules needs to changed.
I get they want to protect the QBs, but I am not sure calling any contact with the head is the correct rule, but it is so the refs call it.
I also don't like the objectional conduct calls for taunting. Its football, they won't get hurt feelings, but again, those are the rules so they call it.

[Acajack]

Well, speaking of officiating. At one point last night the official called a "no yards" on the RECEIVING team. None of the refs picked up that that made no sense. They marched off the penatly yards against the wrong team, placed the ball there for the punt to be kicked again. Then they realized the mistake, pulled all the players away from the line of scrimmage, calculated it again, and marched the ball back. And then allowed them to kick.

[cjones2451]

I am getting a little tired/pissed off at all the little TFC Argo haters on other forums and had to post this in response to a TFC supporter making fun of the Argo promo that offers free tickets to season ticket holders for friends etc. for the Aug 31st game...and no it was not the RPBoys Forum, I know it would get removed .........Am I wrong?

What's your point? Does this make the turf at BMO better.....
Everyone knows the Argos have done a shitty job the last 20 years and need to "market" to get fans back, and guess what they are doing that. They are trying, but it is a long process. The Argos are the weakest link in the CFL but CFL average attendance is about 24K per game and TV ratings are strong with anywhere between 500K - 1M viewers. Will the Argos attendance get better, yes. Will it take time, yes - so get over yourself!!

TFC has done a great job with their team (finally on the field too) and are one of the stronger teams in MLS, but there is still Dallas averaging 13K per game, Columbus, Chicago, DC, NE all struggling with attendance and the league average is just over 21K. TV deal in the US is okay but not great and ratings are not very good in the US or Canada.

TSN promotes the CFL because they get strong ratings and can sell that to sponsors, MLS games get a fraction of those ratings, so they can't make money off of it, so it is in TSNs best interest to promote and help the Argos (especially with Bell ownership). And people watching online streaming etc. doesn't generate TV revenue for the team so don't go there.

I am a fan of both leagues and want both to succeed. I get TFC fans "hate/dislike" the Argos at BMO, but it is what it is at this point, but it seems TFC fans get off on the Argos looking bad, when MLS has just as many issues. You are only as strong as your weakest link.

[esquire]

^ Are they still going on about the Argos? Good grief.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Well, speaking of officiating. At one point last night the official called a "no yards" on the RECEIVING team. None of the refs picked up that that made no sense. They marched off the penatly yards against the wrong team, placed the ball there for the punt to be kicked again. Then they realized the mistake, pulled all the players away from the line of scrimmage, calculated it again, and marched the ball back. And then allowed them to kick.

Yes, I was bewildered by that one. How can No Yards be called against the receiving team? And I thought they were not going to catch that one.

And the "Roughing the Passer" penalty which was challenged and sent to Toronto, and the referee really hesitated before announcing the successful challenge to the crowd knowing the hostile reaction. I do not know how you can prevent incidental head contact like that case. I know you need to protect the quarterback and prevent head hits but this is the second time there was minor incidental contact in the last couple of games. The previous one, the Ottawa player let up and bear hugged the quarterback and there was slight head contact in the process. Nobody went down. It was ridiculous. I believe in the case last night, there was slight head contact at the end of the tackle of quarterback, who already had his head down putting himself in a vulnerable position. I suppose, you weren't supposed to even touch him in that case. The 'ballet' reference came out of the crowd again. In a case like that, if the quarterback really wants to protect himself, just go down. And as in the case of a couple of games ago, the situation got more dangerous after the call with harder but legal hits on the quarterback.

[Hybrid247]

Originally Posted by cjones2451

There were 10 penalties last night and 1 coaches challenge. One of the better officiated games in my opinion! RedBlacks are the most penalized team in the league and shot themselves in the foot for the most part....
Officiating needs to improve, but also the context of the rules needs to changed.
I get they want to protect the QBs, but I am not sure calling any contact with the head is the correct rule, but it is so the refs call it.
I also don't like the objectional conduct calls for taunting. Its football, they won't get hurt feelings, but again, those are the rules so they call it.

Can't argue with most of that. In terms of total penalties you're right, there weren't too many. The calls, however, were definitely lopsided. I am a Redblacks fan so obviously there's some form of bias in my judgement, but when you call unnecessary roughness on routine hits to send the ball carrier out of bounds and don't make the same call when the other team does the same, there's a problem. It's one thing to make bad calls against both teams throughout the game, it's something else altogether when those calls are disproportionately assessed to one team. To me it's the same as a baseball game being umped by a guy who has a different strike zone for the opposing teams. Unacceptable.

Anyways, I'll end my rant there. This will always inevitably be a part of pro sports. I just think the CFL needs to find a way to improve its officiating.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Yes, I was bewildered by that one. How can No Yards be called against the receiving team? And I thought they were not going to catch that one.

And the "Roughing the Passer" penalty which was challenged and sent to Toronto, and the referee really hesitated before announcing the successful challenge to the crowd knowing the hostile reaction. I do not know how you can prevent incidental head contact like that case. I know you need to protect the quarterback and prevent head hits but this is the second time there was minor incidental contact in the last couple of games. The previous one, the Ottawa player let up and bear hugged the quarterback and there was slight head contact in the process. Nobody went down. It was ridiculous. I believe in the case last night, there was slight head contact at the end of the tackle of quarterback, who already had his head down putting himself in a vulnerable position. I suppose, you weren't supposed to even touch him in that case. The 'ballet' reference came out of the crowd again. In a case like that, if the quarterback really wants to protect himself, just go down. And as in the case of a couple of games ago, the situation got more dangerous after the call with harder but legal hits on the quarterback.

It wasn't the contact during the tackle at all. The penalized contact occurred a few seconds before, while Jennings was scrambling. It was a clear foul, I thought.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

CFL referees are a joke. Was at the game last night and couldn't believe all the ridiculous calls, especially the ones that went against the Redblacks. No wonder no one takes this league seriously. The excessive amount of flags completely ruins the flow of the game and greatly affects the competitive nature of it. Some these roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness calls have no place in a "pro" league.

that hit to the head of the quarterback against ottawa where he partially turned the qb's head around was a legit call if that is one of the incidents you are referring to.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by cjones2451

There were 10 penalties last night and 1 coaches challenge. One of the better officiated games in my opinion! RedBlacks are the most penalized team in the league and shot themselves in the foot for the most part....
Officiating needs to improve, but also the context of the rules needs to changed.
I get they want to protect the QBs, but I am not sure calling any contact with the head is the correct rule, but it is so the refs call it.
I also don't like the objectional conduct calls for taunting. Its football, they won't get hurt feelings, but again, those are the rules so they call it.

It's zero tolerance in both leagues. I watch the NFL quite often and a hit like that would be called if it is observed by an official.

[cjones2451]

Looks like there is a mid-season rule change on coaches challenge. Looks like a slight improvement. Posted from cfl.ca

The Canadian Football League has approved a rule change on coaches’ challenges.

Effective immediately, if a team makes their first Coach’s Challenge of the game and does not win that Challenge, the team will now lose a timeout. If the team wins its challenge, it will keep its timeout.

In other words, the first Coach’s Challenge is no longer a “free” one. With this change in place, teams now put a timeout at risk with their first challenge, in the same way they already do for their second challenge of the game. Teams must be in possession of a timeout to make a challenge. Teams are allowed two timeouts per game and can only use one timeout in the last three minutes of the game.

“We are listening to our fans,” said Jeffrey L. Orridge, Commissioner of the Canadian Football League.

“And while it’s unusual to have a rule change during the season, the league and our teams wanted to respond to fans’ concerns about the frequency of challenges. We are proud of the innovation we have brought to our game, including innovation in the use of replay, and the fact that these advances are being followed by other leagues. But innovation in any pursuit is often followed by adjustments and alterations. Fan enjoyment is vitally important.”

The league reviews its rules and procedures each off season, and intends to take a further look then at the issue of replay and challenges, said Glen Johnson, Senior Vice-President, Football.

“Our leadership believes this change is a step in the right direction, as our game continues to evolve in an era of technology,” he said.

This rule change was unanimously approved yesterday by the league’s Governors, following a recommendation from its Rules Committee.