Quick links
Canadian Football League
DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)
Spelling variants:CFL
n. — Sports, Canadian Football
a professional sports league at the highest level of Canadian football.
Type: 1. Origin — While the game of football has been played in Canada since the 1860's (see also Canadian football), the Canadian Football League league was formed much later, in 1958. Earlier attempts at a formal league were initiated by the Canadian Football Council (CFC) of 1956 under the Canadian Rugby Union (CRU) (see Football Canada reference). Due to American football's growing influence on Canadian football regulations, the CFC withdrew from the CRU and the CFL emerged as an independent league (see Canadian Encyclopedia reference). The league is comprised of a West and an East Division (see Image 1). Currently (2014), the eastern division is made up of the Ottawa RedBlacks (former Ottawa Renegades), Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions make up the western division. Each team is allowed a maximum of 42 players and a minimum of 41 players, of whom 20 must be Canadian and up to 19 may be imports, and a 4-player reserve roster comprised of Canadian or import players (see CFL reference). The 9 teams compete playing 18 regular season games each, during 20 consecutive weeks (usually from late June to early November). The regular season games determine the top six teams in the league (ranked by highest number of games won) who then compete in the 3-week divisional playoffs that sum up with the divisional champions facing off in the Grey Cup (see also Grey Cup).
Quotations
1958
All affairs pertaining to pro football will be brought under the jurisdiction of the CFL and a national committee will be appointed "to administrate any matters than can be handled by the CFL at this time".
1963
It was agreed by Halter and the CFL that Cloutier would continue to be classified as a non-import but he was to be placed on waivers by the Montreal team.
1973
Reed hopes that CFL teams will restore the Canadian, or non-import, player to their lineups that was dropped last year in favor of another import.
1977
Then running back Anthony Davis, formerly with Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, fumbled inside the five.
1982
And now, the Canadian Football League is stepping on the bandwagon with one recent report stating that 50 per cent of the players in the CFL take some sort of drug.
1992
So, while the curiosity factor might allow a CFL with three downs and drop-kicks (in the rules!) and rouges (in the rules!) to get through one or two seasons, the trappings of the American game will have to be adopted because, sooner or later, the fans are going to say: "It might be interesting, but it just ain't football."
1998
The Canadian Football League is more than just football. It is rich
in Canadian history. It has its heroes and its rivalries that make people
proud to call a team their own.
2006
But that's not the way it is here.
There are many things that make the Canadian Football League unique: Three downs, the big field, the frequent ritual hiring and purging of commissioners. The latter has become as much a part of the game as the rouge.
Even taking Keith Davey's short six months on the job in 1966-67 out of the mix, it's quite a remarkable list when you look it.
2008
University of Saskatchewan safety Dylan Barker, a Moose Jaw native, was the first pick in this year's Canadian Football League draft.
References
- Football Canada • "Canadian Football Timelines (1860-2005)"
- CFL • "The Game"
- Canadian Encyclopedia • "Canadian Football League (CFL)"
Images
