Is the CFL the Most Competitive League in Sports?

[ryanMcEZ]

I wrote this last night and figured we could have a educated conversation about what the most competitive league is. Click on the link below to read my blog. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

http://eatemraw.blogspot.com/

[Bellsprout]

Wouldn't know. Don't watch it, don't intend to watch it.

God Bless America.

[ryanMcEZ]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dayman

Wouldn't know. Don't watch it, don't intend to watch it. God Bless America.

This has nothing to do with if the CFL is better than the NFL I hope you realize. Its just a simple comparison of other leagues and the CFL and how the playoffs work and the competitiveness of ALL the teams in a league.

But to each their own

[Hooe]

I'm pretty sure that by your argument, we could also classify the Eastern conference of the NBA as "highly competitive", given that teams with losing records routinely make the playoffs in that conference, the eight-seed having fought off other also-rans for (essentially) the right to lose to the one-seed.

I don't want to dismiss the CFL as not competitive, as I think football over the course of a season in any league (and speaking in broad generalities) has a more in-grained competitive culture than other sports, but I do think your argument is a bit flawed.

[untrugby]

its the NFL and its not even close. Every year recently there have been 5 teams in the playoffs that didnt make it the year before and often SB teams fail to make the playoffs the next year. Having more playoff teams does not make a league more competitive. Sure a 1-6 team might still be in the playoff hunt but a 6-1 team is almost assured a playoff spot and has to play 11 meaningless games.

[ryanMcEZ]

Quote: Originally Posted by untrugby

its the NFL and its not even close. Every year recently there have been 5 teams in the playoffs that didnt make it the year before and often SB teams fail to make the playoffs the next year. Having more playoff teams does not make a league more competitive. Sure a 1-6 team might still be in the playoff hunt but a 6-1 team is almost assured a playoff spot and has to play 11 meaningless games.

Not completly true, if you look at the standings in the CFL as we speak right now, it looks like
Eastern
Winnipeg 6-1
Montreal 5-2
Hamilton 4-3
Toronto 1-6

Western
Edmonton 5-2
Calgary 5-2
B.C 1-6
Sask 1-6

Now in the CFL top 3 teams in each division make the playoffs. First place gets a bye in the first week of the playoffs, second place gets to host the third place team in a playoff game. There is also the cross over rule that if the fourth place team in one division has a better record than the third place team in the other division, that team gets to play as the third place team in the opposite division. So looking at the standing as of right now, sure Calgary and Edmonton are almost guaranteed and playoff spot, but they still have to battle it out to see who gets that first week playoff bye. Same can be said for the eastern division teams.

Like i said to each their own, I knew most would disagree and that doesn't hurt me. I just wanted to have a good thread about it.

[SPTO]

Quote: Originally Posted by untrugby

its the NFL and its not even close. Every year recently there have been 5 teams in the playoffs that didnt make it the year before and often SB teams fail to make the playoffs the next year. Having more playoff teams does not make a league more competitive. Sure a 1-6 team might still be in the playoff hunt but a 6-1 team is almost assured a playoff spot and has to play 11 meaningless games.

Your description of the NFL is closer to parity rather than competitiveness. It's a fine line though I also fall on your side of the argument. I'm just pointing that out.

While I don't think the CFL is the most competitive league in sports I will say that the difference between a top flight team and a bottom feeder is razor thin. I think in that regard you could say the CFL is ultra competitive. Let's take the Argos and the Rough Riders who are the worst teams in the league statistically right now. For the most part both teams have been very competitive in their games. In fact, only ONE game has the Argos looked like a truly awful team and that was against the Als who are a cut above every other organization in the CFL. The Argos actually hung with them for 3 quarters until the 4th when attrition finally caught up to the defense.

I'm not as familiar with Saskatchewan's situation but it's puzzling (not really they're missing Andy Fantuz and Robbie Baggs) that the Grey Cup runner up last year is looking so bad. They've been in most of their games though they've had to scramble just to make it look competitive a few times.

The rest of the league is jumbled up with teams that are more or less on an even par with each other for the most part. BC might be the only team that's truly out of it from a players perspective as they just haven't been able to do very much but again and this is one of the peculiarities of the CFL. Nothing matters until after Labour Day. A team can look like utter crap out there but once Labour Day rolls around they can turn it around and be in a fight for a playoff spot.

Generally I think the CFL is a pretty good league relatively speaking.

[Chrisksaint]

Idk i think right now with how many new teams are in the NFL playoffs this year and the wealth of talent/contenders it'd be hard to be more competitive then that