I find myself watching the Grey Cup game this evening. For those not in the know, the Grey Cup is the trophy handed out to the champion in the Canadian Football League.
I find myself watching this game, after watching a barn burner of an NFL game this afternoon between New England and Miami, and I find myself really thinking about the differences between the two games. Of course there's the obvious things, like the different rules (Canadian football has three downs instead of the NFL's four) and the odd scoring plays (rouges anyone?).
But there are some subtle differences as well, and Americans and anyone who prefers the NFL-style game might overlook, whether by choice or because they choose to ignore them.
The Canadian game is faster, with more agile players. It's a rare NFL quarterback who can scramble and pick up a first down. There are at least eight or nine of them in the CFL who can do that, and there are only eight teams! You see much more competitive games. Blowouts aren't as common, which makes for more exciting games.
Most importantly, it's a game that truly belongs to us as Canadians. Except for a brief foray into U.S. expansion (which failed spectacularly), all the teams are in Canada. Sure, there are Americans in the game, but it's still ours. And these teams, especially those in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and I suppose the one in Montreal, have some of the most loyal, rabid fan bases in professional sports. Hockey may be Canada's sport, but 24 of 30 NHL teams are based in the United States.
So as I watch the end of the game, with the Calgary Stampeders leading the Montreal Alouettes 22 to 14 with a minute to go, I'm proud of the fact there's a game and a trophy that's in Canada, and will always stay that way.
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