Sports in Canadian culture - Page 351

Acajack · #**7001** Posted **May 31, 2019, 4:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by osmo

NBA Finals is the #2 most covered championship after the Super Bowl in North America and one could make the argument it is it in the top 5 globally as well after various Soccer championships.
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Judging from what I've seen overseas (travel, friends, media, etc.), the NBA is easily the most widely-followed U.S. pro sports league globally outside of the U.S. itself.

JHikka · #**7002** Posted **May 31, 2019, 6:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Judging from what I've seen overseas (travel, friends, media, etc.), the NBA is easily the most widely-followed U.S. pro sports league globally outside of the U.S. itself.

I'd agree with this.

MonctonRad · #**7003** Posted **May 31, 2019, 7:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHikka

The easy distinction would be that MLS & CFL aren't Big Four, which is what dominates most sports talk.

Granted, and that is a valid argument, but the NFL is not in Canada, and seems to have a gentleman's agreement not to infringe on CFL territory. In addition, if I am not mistaken, the NFL implicitly accepts the CFL as an equivalent league because CFL stats are incorporated into career totals for players who have played in both leagues.

If this is the case (and I believe it is), then the CFL is equivalent to a "big four" league, but based in Canada. It may not have the power and the panache of the NFL, but it is considered to be (at least nearly) on par with the NFL (at least de jure if not de facto).

JHikka · #**7004** Posted **May 31, 2019, 7:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Granted, and that is a valid argument, but the NFL is not in Canada, and seems to have a gentleman's agreement not to infringe on CFL territory.

There's an NFL preseason game happening in Winnipeg in August.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

In addition, if I am not mistaken, the NFL implicitly accepts the CFL as an equivalent league because CFL stats are incorporated into career totals for players who have played in both leagues.

The NFL's view of the CFL does not implicitly equate to the Canadian public's view of the CFL, for better or worse. This conversation is revolving around what normal, everyday people think of sports leagues; not the de jure/de facto standing of said sports leagues as they relate to other leagues.

esquire · #**7005** Posted **May 31, 2019, 7:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHikka

There's an NFL preseason game happening in Winnipeg in August.

The Raiders aren't moving here... it's one preseason game.

JHikka · #**7006** Posted **May 31, 2019, 7:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

The Raiders aren't moving here... it's one preseason game.

Which is still the NFL operating in Canada, even if only for a week. It disputes MR's assertion that the NFL doesn't tread into CFL territory as if there's some sort of wink-wink, nod-nod agreement between the two.

Acajack · #**7007** Posted **May 31, 2019, 7:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Granted, and that is a valid argument, but the NFL is not in Canada, and seems to have a gentleman's agreement not to infringe on CFL territory. In addition, if I am not mistaken, the NFL implicitly accepts the CFL as an equivalent league because CFL stats are incorporated into career totals for players who have played in both leagues.

If this is the case (and I believe it is), then the CFL is equivalent to a "big four" league, but based in Canada. It may not have the power and the panache of the NFL, but it is considered to be (at least nearly) on par with the NFL (at least de jure if not de facto).

All I will say on this is that the CFL seems to get more respect from the NFL (and also from many American football fans) than it does from many so-called football fans here in Canada.

Often, well-intentioned, open-minded Americans are taken aback by the hostility that some Canadians display vis-à-vis the CFL.

I think I've mentioned before but I've both witnessed and heard of Canadians adamantly try and talk Americans/overseas people out of attending a CFL game, when these people were curious and really wanted to go.

In one case I am talking about pretty serious verbal arm-twisting in a tourist office, literally budding in to the conversation I (as an employee) was having with a tourist who had asked me for info on tickets and how to get to the stadium.

I mean... really?

esquire · #**7008** Posted **May 31, 2019, 7:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHikka

Which is still the NFL operating in Canada, even if only for a week. It disputes MR's assertion that the NFL doesn't tread into CFL territory as if there's some sort of wink-wink, nod-nod agreement between the two.

Nothing was disproven. A CFL team is putting the event on to make a profit with the cooperation of the NFL.

suburbanite · #**7009** Posted **May 31, 2019, 7:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

I respect your dedication to the narrative

I couldn't care less about the narrative on either side of the CFL debate, it affects my life in zero ways. Just as the Leafs Stanley Cup wins in the Original Six era are discounted (and rightfully so), a championship in a league with 8 different opponents is not as difficult, rare, or gratifying for me.

If you knocked the NBA down to 10 teams and consolidated the talent it would dilute the achievement as well, despite the fact it's still the talent, salaries, and everything else.

Also why a Champions League win from an underdog team is the most impressive achievement in sports in my opinion.

JHikka · #**7010** Posted **May 31, 2019, 7:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Nothing was disproven. A CFL team is putting the event on to make a profit with the cooperation of the NFL.

I beg to differ. Even if the game is in cooperation with the CFL/Blue Bombers it's still the NFL entering CFL territory to put on an NFL event. I took issue with this phrasing:

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

and seems to have a gentleman's agreement not to infringe on CFL territory.

...which I don't believe to be the case whatsoever.

esquire · #**7011** Posted **May 31, 2019, 7:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHikka

I beg to differ. Even if the game is in cooperation with the CFL/Blue Bombers it's still the NFL entering CFL territory to put on an NFL event. I took issue with this phrasing:

...which I don't believe to be the case whatsoever.

When the CFL team is the event promoter, hosting a one-time event in a stadium that it controls, primarily for its own benefit, then how on earth do you reach the conclusion that this so-called gentlemen's agreement (assuming that such a thing exists, although the NFL has clearly been helpful to the CFL over the years) has been set aside?

EpicPonyTime · #**7012** Posted **May 31, 2019, 7:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by suburbanite

Just as the Leafs Stanley Cup wins in the Original Six era are discounted (and rightfully so), a championship in a league with 8 different opponents is not as difficult, rare, or gratifying for me.

Don't tell Leafs fans that they are discounted, they still have the banners up at the ACC.

esquire · #**7013** Posted **May 31, 2019, 8:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

Don't tell Leafs fans that they are discounted, they still have the banners up at the ACC.

He is so all-in on the Toronto-as-a-sports-loser narrative that he refuses to recognize the legitimacy of those banners. They might as well be Toronto Marlies divisional title banners for all they matter to him...

Look at this bunch of incompetent small timers... someone should have told them they were wasting their time!

suburbanite · #**7014** Posted **May 31, 2019, 8:05 PM**

Why would they take the banners down? They're part of the history, but that doesn't mean I consider them to carry the same weight as a Cup today would.

It's also people outside of Toronto most often bringing up the whole O6 when discussing the Leafs 13 cups. When Leafs fans want to use a 6 team league as part of their championship history they are ridiculed. When they discount the importance of a championship in a 9 team league they are imposing a false narrative of failure upon themselves. Fucking hilarious. We now know the cutoff is somewhere in the 7-8 team range I guess.

suburbanite · #**7015** Posted **May 31, 2019, 8:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

He is so all-in on the Toronto-as-a-sports-loser narrative that he refuses to recognize the legitimacy of those banners. They might as well be Toronto Marlies divisional title banners for all they matter to him...
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Lol you invented the narrative and are now trying to place me in it? I mentioned Toronto's sports woes a whopping zero times. I was all-in on Toronto FC's run two years ago and paid probably $500 CAD for two different games during the playoffs. I consider it the biggest sporting achievement in the city during my lifetime as I born hours after Joe Carter's walk-off. Guess what? I would still consider an NHL, MLB, or NBA title a bigger deal than that.

Could use some work on reading comprehension too if you can't tell the difference between discounting and ignoring.

JHikka · #**7016** Posted **May 31, 2019, 8:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

Don't tell Leafs fans that they are discounted, they still have the banners up at the ACC.

Still not as bad as the Sens hanging banners from a hundred years ago tied to a different team.

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

When the CFL team is the event promoter, hosting a one-time event in a stadium that it controls, primarily for its own benefit, then how on earth do you reach the conclusion that this so-called gentlemen's agreement (assuming that such a thing exists, although the NFL has clearly been helpful to the CFL over the years) has been set aside?

I don't really think the agreement exists in the first place. If anything, the NFL's international strategy has increased in the past few years.

It's an interesting situation for the CFL. The NFL is becoming increasingly popular in Canada with increasing viewership and market share and all that, and yet it's in some interest to the CFL to help out what should be viewed partially as a competitor because they need the revenue from the games. Ensuring direct revenue from an NFL game is probably easier than hoping the revenue isn't split from people's entertainment budgets otherwise.

Acajack · #**7017** Posted **May 31, 2019, 8:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by suburbanite

I couldn't care less about the narrative on either side of the CFL debate, it affects my life in zero ways. Just as the Leafs Stanley Cup wins in the Original Six era are discounted (and rightfully so), a championship in a league with 8 different opponents is not as difficult, rare, or gratifying for me.

If you knocked the NBA down to 10 teams and consolidated the talent it would dilute the achievement as well, despite the fact it's still the talent, salaries, and everything else.

Also why a Champions League win from an underdog team is the most impressive achievement in sports in my opinion.

If that's the case then you should love the CHL. The Memorial Cup is one of the toughest trophies to win in sports. 60 teams start out in the hunt for it, play a full regular season (70 games or so), then multiple playoff rounds where series can run to 7 games, then they play an all-or-nothing tournament against teams they've never even seen before. All of this played by young men just below pro level who are working their butts off to make it to the big leage, in a calibre of play that's comparable to that of many pro hockey leagues.

Sold yet?

suburbanite · #**7018** Posted **May 31, 2019, 8:34 PM**

My dad and I split season tickets to Owen Sound Attack which is 25 minutes from the cottage. This is the first year we didn't go but I'd wager I've watched more live CHL hockey than 95% of the population.

I have some gripes with the playoff structure but I do think it is one of the best competitions in the country.

Acajack · #**7019** Posted **May 31, 2019, 8:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by suburbanite

My dad and I split season tickets to Owen Sound Attack which is 25 minutes from the cottage. This is the first year we didn't go but I'd wager I've watched more live CHL hockey than 95% of the population.

I have some gripes with the playoff structure but I do think it is one of the best competitions in the country.

That's cool. I don't think I've ever seen you talk junior hockey on here. Not that there is much talk of it on here to begin with. Only the Atlantic section seems to have people chatting about it regularly, and there it's mostly about the Maritime teams in the Quebec league.

JHikka · #**7020** Posted **May 31, 2019, 8:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

That's cool. I don't think I've ever seen you talk junior hockey on here. Not that there is much talk of it on here to begin with. Only the Atlantic section seems to have people chatting about it regularly, and there it's mostly about the Maritime teams in the Quebec league.

There are better places to talk about sports than a skyscraper forum that was outdated ten years ago.

The irony isn't lost on me, though.