What is up with the Canadian Football League?
Seriously. I’m not kidding. Something isn’t quite right.
But I love it.
Usually by the time we get to the Labour Day weekend it’s become quite obvious as to who is a contender and who is a pretender. We’ve all seen it…the strong teams start to flex their muscles, while the usual suspects begin to cower in the corner. It’s the annual rite of late summer in the CFL.
Well, we’re now a week and a half away and I can’t remember the last time the waters were so murky. Nobody seems quite ready to run away with things and somewhere quietly in the league offices they must be loving every last minute of it.
For example, look at the B.C. Lions last week. They looked quite ordinary in the first half of their game with the Riders and could have been ‘had’ provided Saskatchewan’s offense showed up. They didn’t and the Lions roared back in explosive fashion in the second half. Game over. But to me, the Lions showed they could be vulnerable and may be ripe for the picking at some point. Just not yet. But there’s a chance!
Many have been writing off the Alouettes and Anthony Calvillo as being past their best before date. But they waltzed in and shocked a solid Eskimos defense right in their own backyard at Commonwealth Stadium. Edmonton never saw it coming.
Even though the Toronto Argos have had the Stampeders number of late, many still would have plunked down a few bucks on the home team in Calgary. Once again, a surprise was delivered by Ricky Ray and the Boatmen en route to their big Western win. Another raised eyebrow?
The wolves were starting to come out in Winnipeg, with talk of a possible coaching change hanging heavily in the air if the Big Blue failed to find a win over Henry Burris and his improved Ticats. It was another close game until Hamilton self destructed in the fourth quarter and the Bombers prevailed. Another surprise!
Every week seems to provide more than one or two shockers and it’s getting tougher to figure out which team will show up and which team won’t on any given weekend. But let me make myself clear- I’m not complaining. I actually think it is great, it’s entertaining and I love the unpredictability. That’s what the CFL is all about!
I just keep wondering if this isn’t a sign that there’s actual parity in the league or if this suggests that the quality of the football teams has dropped off over the past few seasons? Maybe it’s a bit of both? I do know one thing; you simply can’t count on any team from one weekend to the next.
Something’s just not right and it’s almost Labour Day!