The Grey Cup vs. the NFL
I watched the Grey Cup on Sunday (which I've done for about the last decade). It reminded me of how much fun the rules of Canadian football are compared to the American version.The NFL has legislated and commercialized itself into the form of a battleship. It's frequently ponderous to watch. Sometimes, it aspires to be ponderous.
It's hard for me to accept, having watched since I was five. The number of interruptions, though, has gone past annoying into staggering.
The CFL, by contrast, has shorter commercial breaks and far fewer interruptions. The field is wider and longer, which gives players more room to operate (yes, 12 players instead of 11, but the size of the field more than compensates). Three downs instead of four, which encourages aggression on offense. It has a liveliness that almost every team but the Chiefs lack.
Plus, it's wacky in the very best way.
The CFL just has a vitality that the NFL lacks. It's more fun. In the NFL, it seems like every time something exciting is about to happen, a coach calls a timeout, or a play is stopped for review. There's just no momentum anymore.
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