UFL Schedule comes out 2-5-2024
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
Show posts MenuQuoteCFL.ca Staff
TORONTO -- The convert would be less automatic, receivers would have more space, and the game would speed up.
Those are the projected outcomes if rules changes proposed today by the Canadian Football League's Rules Committee are approved later this Spring by its Board of Governors.
"We have sought to be innovative while protecting the integrity of the game with a focus on player safety," said Glen Johnson, the CFL's Vice-President of Officiating and its representative on the Rules Committee.
"We believe we are recommending to our Board of Governors responsible ways to improve the tempo and flow of the game, reduce the number of stoppages including penalties, increase opportunities for scoring and excitement, and simplify our rules."
The Rules Committee is recommending modifying the convert that follows a touchdown.
A kick for a single point, which now comes from the 12-yard line, would come instead from the 32-yard line.
Last year, 99.4 per cent of kicks for a single point following a touchdown were successful. For field goal attempts from between 31 and 33 yards, 81 per cent were successful.
In fact, there have only been 24 converts missed in 15 seasons, a frequency of just once in every 232 attempts or 47 games.
Under the proposal, a kicked convert that is wide would remain live and can be run back for a two-point score.
If a team opts to run or pass the ball into the end zone for a two point convert following a touchdown, the ball would be scrimmaged from the three-yard line, instead of the current five-yard line, which may entice more coaches to "go for two".
Last year, there were only 23 two-point convert attempts, and seven, or 30 per cent, were successful.
The Governors also have the option of choosing to test a more radical approach during pre-season games: a convert worth three points when a team chooses to run or pass the ball over the goal line from the ten-yard-line.
To open up the passing game, the Rules Committee is suggesting a change designed to create more room for the offence.
It would allow a defensive player to contact a receiver that is in front of him within five yards of the line of scrimmage, but would not allow either player to create or initiate contact that impedes or redirects an opponent beyond five yards.
The Rules Committee recommends that on a punt play, when the ball bounces on the ground and a five yard no yards penalty is called, the penalty will automatically be added to the end of the return, or from the point the ball was first touched by the return team, whichever is better.
Currently, the receiving team has to choose between the five-yard penalty or the yards gained on the return.
It is believed that making the penalty more punitive may reduce the number of no yards penalties.
To increase the tempo of the game, the Rules Committee suggests that at any time in the game the offence be allowed to signal to the Referee that it doesn't want to substitute and it wants to use a tempo offence.
The officials would then blow the play in immediately upon the ball and yardsticks being set for play.
This new protocol will be combined with a rule change made last year - which meant the offence no longer had to wait for the defense to substitute before initiating a play if the offence had not substituted.
Together, the changes create an opportunity for the offence to dictate the pace of the game.
On punts, the Rules Committee recommends prohibiting the five interior linemen on the kicking team from leaving the line of scrimmage until the ball is kicked.
This should reduce the number of illegal blocking and perhaps no yards penalties, while increasing the amount of room the receiving team has to set up a return.
There would be a ten-yard penalty for violating this proposed new rule.
Also to improve game flow, the Rules Committee wants to remove the ability of a coach to request a measurement, leaving it to the Referee to measure when he is unsure if a first down has been made or not.
The Rules Committee recommends maintaining the ability for a coach to challenge Defensive Pass Interference, an innovation introduced last year. But it goes one step further this year, suggesting that Offensive Pass Interference also be made subject to video review.
It also recommends no longer giving the receiving team the option of demanding that a team kick again after one of its kick offs goes out of bounds. The receiving team will either take the ball where it went out of bounds, or at a point 30 yards in advance of where the ball was kicked off, whichever is better.
"Our governors are charged with the special responsibility of ensuring our product is fast and exciting for our fans and we treat our great game and players with the utmost respect," Johnson said.
"The changes we're putting forward for their consideration represent our best advice in meeting these objectives."
The Rules Committee includes several CFL coaches and general managers as well as representatives of the CFL, CFL Players' Association and CFL Officials.
All of its recommendations are subject to review and approval by the CFL's Board of Governors.
QuoteThe Wii U is performing dismally at retail. It's the depressing reality in which we live, and one that has caused us to think up ways to improve the console's fate. What if Nintendo no longer bundled it with the expensive GamePad? Or partnered with outside studios willing to create exclusive games for the Wii U? Then maybe the system wouldn't lag so far behind its competitors. Though such moves might help Nintendo in the short term, they would be mere Band-Aids on an open wound. The Wii U is in a dire situation. I believe Nintendo has reconciled itself to that fact, and has already planned a way to bail from this sinking ship.
Enter the "quality of life" (QOL) platform. No one knows what to make of Nintendo's proposed QOL initiative, partly because we know almost nothing about it. Nintendo wants to improve people's lives in some indeterminate way--using non-wearable technology--and is going to introduce this nebulous product some time next year. According to CEO Satoru Iwata, whatever the QOL platform is, it will be entirely separate from their gaming ventures. Iwata said, "When we use 'health' as a keyword, some may inevitably think about 'Wii Fit.' However, we are considering themes that we have not incorporated to games for our existing platforms." But what if Nintendo has much grander plans for this mysterious device than they're letting on? This could be Nintendo's next big idea. An idea much more in-demand than their ill-advised tablet controller, and one that could propel the company to the same heights it enjoyed during the peak years of the Wii.
QuoteTORONTO -- Every Canadian Football League game this season will be available live to fans in the United States thanks to a new multi-year agreement with ESPN, which was announced today.
"We are thrilled for our fans in the United States that the ESPN networks will be the exclusive home of our league there," said Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the CFL.
"This is a powerful showcase for our talented athletes, our exciting brand of football, and the CFL itself, a league with a proud history but, more importantly, a bright future."
A minimum of 17 regular season games and the Eastern and Western Finals will be televised live on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNEWS. The 102nd Grey Cup will be televised live exclusively on ESPN2. All other CFL games will be available to fans live on ESPN3 across computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices.
"Since the early days of ESPN, CFL games have been a valued part of our programming lineup," said Burke Magnus, Senior Vice President, Programming Acquisitions. "I'm proud to see our relationship continue as we strive to serve football fans 365 days a year."
The 2014 CFL season kicked off last night as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Toronto Argonauts 45-21. It continues on Saturday, June 28, as the Montreal Alouettes visit the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium. The game features the CFL regular season debut for Chad Johnson of the Alouettes and will be televised live on ESPN2.
The 2014 CFL season concludes with the 102nd Grey Cup championship game on Sunday, November 30 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
"Collaborating with a worldwide leader in sports content like ESPN is great news for our fans, our players and our teams," said Cohon. "It speaks to the strength of our product and the passion of fans in the U.S. for our game."
In Canada, TSN is the exclusive English language broadcaster for the CFL and Grey Cup, and RDS is the exclusive French language broadcaster.
QuoteTORONTO -- Today is an historic day in the world of football as the Canadian Football League announced that its Board of Governors has approved making pass interference subject to video review.
"We are constantly looking for ways to make our great game even better and I believe we have done that today with the approval of this rule change," said CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon. "Being progressive and using technology to compliment the excellent work our officials already do on the field is positive for our teams, players, and ultimately, our fans."
The Board of Governors also approved all other rule changes that were proposed by the Rules Committee. All rule changes will be implemented for the 2014 season and are listed below.
"We are very much looking forward to implementing the rule changes for the 2014 season now that we have received final approval from our Board," said Glen Johnson, CFL Vice President of Officiating. "We went through a very rigorous and inclusive process this off-season and we strongly believe that all of these rule changes will have a positive impact on our game."
Pass Interference Video Review
Coaches are now allowed to challenge both called and potential defensive pass interference fouls under certain conditions.
The new rule now provides a team with the ability to use any and all of its Coaches' Challenges to challenge a called or potential pass interference foul up to the final three minutes of a game. In the final three minutes of a game, and overtime, a team can only challenge such a call or non-call one time, and only if it still has an unused challenge and a timeout remaining.
A coach must challenge to trigger a video review of a pass interference call or a potential pass interference call. They will not be subject to automatic review by the Command Centre.
An unsuccessful challenge of a potential pass interference foul in the final three minutes will result in the loss of a timeout. An unsuccessful challenge of an actual pass interference call in the final minutes will not result in the loss of a timeout.
The CFL is the first football league to subject pass interference to video review.
The role of the Command Centre has also been expanded to automatically review specific turnovers of fumbles lost and interceptions, and can now detect illegal participation fouls during a play (when a player returns to the field after voluntarily leaving it).
Approved rule changes to further protect the health and safety of CFL players:
• Eliminating low blocks below the waist, other than those delivered to the front plane of a player, in all areas of the field except in the area between the tackles and two yards on either side of the line of scrimmage.
• Outlawing peel back blocks, which occur when a play changes direction in the backfield, forcing the defender to modify his pursuit, making him susceptible to blind low blocks executed by an offensive player moving toward his own end zone.
• Clarifying the rules that make it illegal to "deliver a blow" to an opponent's neck or head, and when it is illegal for a player to use their helmet to hit an opponent, standards already followed by officials but not yet codified in the rule book.
• Requiring an injured player to leave the field for three plays regardless of whether a penalty was called on the action leading to the injury (players currently have the option to stay in the game if a penalty was called on the play.)
Other approved changes to promote scoring and improve the flow of the game:
• Allowing quarterbacks for each team to use their own team supplied Wilson footballs, provided they have met the "new ball" quality standard established by the league.
• Allowing centres to bob their heads multiple times in an effort to signal timing of the snap of the ball (to be used by visiting teams coping with noise in stadium).
• Allowing offences to further dictate the pace of play by no longer requiring the Head Referee to hold the 20 second clock for the defence to substitute.