Chris Berman gives Grey Cup 'Primetime' treatment

[Ron]

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl-must-see/video...atment~1004491

[PullTogether73]

Awesome coverage!

I just watched "Boomer's Final Drive" segment (highlights from notable NFL games on Sunday) at halftime of tonight's Packers/Eagles game. The final game reviewed was the Grey Cup.

Btw, Boomer does this every year. He is a fan of the CFL.
(I thanked him for being a CFL fan when I met him briefly in Boston several years ago.)

[Will]

I believe Chris Berman was at the first game at Tim Hortons Field.

Joe Theismann also praised the game on Twitter.

[1971GreyCup]

I believe Chris Berman was at the first game at Tim Hortons Field.

Joe Theismann also praised the game on Twitter.

Yes he was.

And Joe Theismann was at the first game at BMO Field.

[AngeloV]

And Joe Theismann was at the first game at BMO Field.

Only because Ricky Williams wasn't.

[argotom]

It sad how how the Americans continue to recognize our wonderful league over the kool aid drinking vast majority US wannabes here in the world class city.
On top of which the stupid people of Toronto yes I am generalizing still don't get it.
In fact, they don't deserve it.

[AngeloV]

On top of which the stupid people of Toronto yes I am generalizing still don't get it.
.

As someone that complains vehemently whenever I attack your opinions, often saying that I go too far when someone doesn't agree with my opinion, don't you think this statement is a little hypocritical?

[argotom]

As someone that complains vehemently whenever I attack your opinions, often saying that I go too far when someone doesn't agree with my opinion, don't you think this statement is a little hypocritical?

Not really, that's my experience!

[LLB997]

Ive been stopped on the streets by Americans saying they watch and love the CFL and they were blown away to see me repping the argo gear. Not surprised at all seeing positive US coverage. I always say that CFL diehards are very Americanlike with their unapologetic passion for the homegrown product. The anti CFL crowd who hate the league for no good reason at all are the Real Canadians just bathing in their inferiority complex.

[ArgoRavi]

Ive been stopped on the streets by Americans saying they watch and love the CFL and they were blown away to see me repping the argo gear. Not surprised at all seeing positive US coverage. I always say that CFL diehards are very Americanlike with their unapologetic passion for the homegrown product. The anti CFL crowd who hate the league for no good reason at all are the Real Canadians just bathing in their inferiority complex.

You have hit the nail on the head with this post IMO.

[Jayahre]

Ive been stopped on the streets by Americans saying they watch and love the CFL and they were blown away to see me repping the argo gear. Not surprised at all seeing positive US coverage. I always say that CFL diehards are very Americanlike with their unapologetic passion for the homegrown product. The anti CFL crowd who hate the league for no good reason at all are the Real Canadians just bathing in their inferiority complex.

Sometimes I wonder who has the real inferiority complex. Isn't it people like yourself that believe you need the praise and a pat on the back from Americans?
A US sports guy talks about the CFL and Canadians are really impressed. An article about the CFL appears in a US paper and Canadians get excited.
A couple of Americans stopped you in the street and said nice things about the CFL?
Inferiority complex?? wow

[LLB997]

Sometimes I wonder who has the real inferiority complex. Isn't it people like yourself that believe you need the praise and a pat on the back from Americans?
A US sports guy talks about the CFL and Canadians are really impressed. An article about the CFL appears in a US paper and Canadians get excited.
A couple of Americans stopped you in the street and said nice things about the CFL?
Inferiority complex?? wow

ok, now show me where i said i "believe i need praise and a pat on the back from Americans?"

People have commented about CFL to me, Stating a fact, not saying "i need" it.
sounds like the inferiority complex comment hit home, sorry bout that.

And i'll call you out on the fact that people here make a thing about Berman's Grey Cup musings. I'll say it has nothing to do with the fact he's American. WHat it does have to do with is the idea that he loves football, and discusses the game how it should be discussed. He points out the positive and discusses it from a football purist POV.

People are sick of the Anti CFL and even pro CFL spin on everything in CANADA. Always either cutting down or apologetic . its actually quite pathetic. We just witnessed argueablY the greatest GC in history and the CFL media is still harping on the fact that ticket sales were slow leading up to a sold out event. WHoo gives a s#it at this point. The game will sell out next year ahead of time because the game will be in a great sports market and they will barely mention it by comparison.

Hogan , Ferguson, these guys are all quilty of it. I heard Marshall interviewing Duthie the other day discussing the game and great atmosphere and they had to end it with the ticket sales issues. Shouldn't that be the first question? not the last?. These guys can't let the apologetic Canadianism go, and literally feel the need to leave it as the last thing the listener hears. Not an endearing quality of a nation imo.

I do not sense that quality from the vast number of poster here and it's quite refreshing.

[argos1873]

Sometimes I wonder who has the real inferiority complex. Isn't it people like yourself that believe you need the praise and a pat on the back from Americans?
A US sports guy talks about the CFL and Canadians are really impressed. An article about the CFL appears in a US paper and Canadians get excited.
A couple of Americans stopped you in the street and said nice things about the CFL?
Inferiority complex?? wow

People who are CFL fans just notice when hardened NFL types such as Chris Berman heep praises on the CFL, and yes we appreciate it, because daily here in Canada, we aresubjugated to a barrage of negative BS from Canadian media types, and just regular Canadians, mostly Torontonians, but not exclusively, about how the CFL is inferior and how itshould for some reason fold, as if it offends their senses that it even exists. Chris Berman has nothing to gain by showing his little Grey Cup clips. He justs knows exciting football when he sees it.

And for the life of me, I can never understand the hatred of the CFL that some Canadians have. I can understand if they prefer the NFL, you like what you like. But its like I said, they somehow find that the CFL offends their senses. How is that so? Are these same people aristocrats? Do they only shop at the finest stores? Do they only drive the finest cars, and drink the finest wines? Maybe the future of the CFL lies with hipsters. You know the type, I was watching it before it was cool. Oh god no.

PS. The spacebar on my laptop doesn't work, so I apologize for typos orgrammatical errors as this was hella hard to type.

[Ron]

Sometimes I wonder who has the real inferiority complex. Isn't it people like yourself that believe you need the praise and a pat on the back from Americans?
A US sports guy talks about the CFL and Canadians are really impressed. An article about the CFL appears in a US paper and Canadians get excited.
A couple of Americans stopped you in the street and said nice things about the CFL?
Inferiority complex?? wow

Chris Berman is a cool guy and he used his TV time to mention the Grey Cup. If anything you are exhibiting the inferiority complex by putting a Nationalistic slant on it. The fact he's American had zero to do with it and if I saw something from some other media source I'd have posted that.

If a Rogers station did the same thing I'd post about that too.

[OV Argo]

People who are CFL fans just notice when hardened NFL types such as Chris Berman heep praises on the CFL, and yes we appreciate it, because daily here in Canada, we aresubjugated to a barrage of negative BS from Canadian media types, and just regular Canadians, mostly Torontonians, but not exclusively, about how the CFL is inferior and how itshould for some reason fold, as if it offends their senses that it even exists. Chris Berman has nothing to gain by showing his little Grey Cup clips. He justs knows exciting football when he sees it.

And for the life of me, I can never understand the hatred of the CFL that some Canadians have. I can understand if they prefer the NFL, you like what you like. But its like I said, they somehow find that the CFL offends their senses. How is that so? Are these same people aristocrats? Do they only shop at the finest stores? Do they only drive the finest cars, and drink the finest wines? Maybe the future of the CFL lies with hipsters. You know the type, I was watching it before it was cool. Oh god no.

PS. The spacebar on my laptop doesn't work, so I apologize for typos orgrammatical errors as this was hella hard to type.

I still believe that the put-down , condescending or negative attitude towards the CFL that a lot of Canadians show is because they hardly ever get challenged on it - by meek, polite type Canadians. That and they have been encouraged for decades now by the same negative attitude towards the CFL coming from the classic little wannabe pukes in the media up here - do any of their peers up here ever challenge them or call them on it? Afraid to say anything ?

When they hear it - some CFL fans might reply with f***-off wannabe, shut your pompous pie-hole, or get lost @r$e-hole. That's just my way anyhow; a polite turning the other cheek, or not being bothered by it or caring at all is OK too. Standing up for and defending things you care about from ignorant or unwarranted attacks is more OK, IMO.

[Argoknot]

I still believe that the put-down , condescending or negative attitude towards the CFL that a lot of Canadians show is because they hardly ever get challenged on it - by meek, polite type Canadians. That and they have been encouraged for decades now by the same negative attitude towards the CFL coming from the classic little wannabe pukes in the media up here - do any of their peers up here ever challenge them or call them on it? Afraid to say anything ?

When they hear it - some CFL fans might reply with f***-off wannabe, shut your pompous pie-hole, or get lost @r$e-hole. That's just my way anyhow; a polite turning the other cheek, or not being bothered by it or caring at all is OK too. Standing up for and defending things you care about from ignorant or unwarranted attacks is more OK, IMO.

Are you channeling me? lol

Interesting PTS last Friday (start at 19:55). They basically said the CFL was a second rate league (compared to the NFL) Then they said MLS was even worse compared to the other big leagues (McCown called it unwatchable). So they are literally in the same boat so why is one treated worse than the other?

The difference is the NFL fan in Canada can get his fix by going to nearby Buffalo, Detroit, Seattle, while the soccer fan has no choice. MLS is all he's got, so he'll attend. I thought that was an interesting observation I hadn't heard before.

[Will]

Are you channeling me? lol

Interesting PTS last Friday (start at 19:55). They basically said the CFL was a second rate league (compared to the NFL) Then they said MLS was even worse compared to the other big leagues (McCown called it unwatchable). So they are literally in the same boat.

The difference is the NFL fan in Canada can get his fix by going to nearby Buffalo, Detroit, Seattle, while the soccer fan has no choice. MLS is all he's got, so he'll attend. I thought that was an interesting observation I hadn't heard before.

I'd ask another question: are CFL fans more likely to acknowledge or agree with what PTS said about it than MLS fans are to agree with what PTS said about it?

It would go with what you've been saying about CFL fans being less likely to stick up for the league compared to MLS fans.

[Argoknot]

Got my quote wrong, McCown called the quality of MLS laughable and horrid, Perkins called the NFL now unwatchable and prefers CFL. I do recommend people listening to the whole discussion, they talk about MLS after the commercial break.

I really didn't have a problem with what they said about the CFL. With me it is about agenda and intent, something that Cox is/was guilty of. Although in this discussion he laid out his usual CFL negative slant, I didn't really feel it was agenda based. I don't think the MLS fans would like what was said.

[OV Argo]

Got my quote wrong, McCown called the quality of MLS laughable and horrid, Perkins called the NFL now unwatchable and prefers CFL. I do recommend people listening to the whole discussion, they talk about MLS after the commercial break.

I really didn't have a problem with what they said about the CFL. With me it is about agenda and intent, something that Cox is/was guilty of. Although in this discussion he laid out his usual CFL negative slant, I didn't really feel it was agenda based. I don't think the MLS fans would like what was said.

A lot of current sports media commentators are wimpy little dweebs who never played a sport in their life, but - they think they can comment on pretty well all sports or leagues like they have some expertise there. I doubt McCown ever played soccer in his life, and I also doubt he has a long history of following or watching the premier/best soccer teams /leagues in the world = he wouldn't have a clue about calibre of players or nuances of the game, so he wouldn't be able to tell the difference between MLS and the best German or English Premiership teams. His opinion there is a joke from a loud-mouthed, ignorant clown who thinks he's important. The same could be said about a lot of these Canadian sports authorities who love to mock the CFL as inferior to the NFL - they never played football in their life, they have no clue about the finer points of the game, and they probably don't watch much football anyways other than the big play hi-lite packages on "Sports - centre" or whatever TV sports channels. They have no clue about the game but they get to run their yaps about all sports like they are experts. Joe average sports fan might watch one of these TV talking heads and think they are being informed, but real fans of a sport or league can see thru the laughable bull$hite and pay them no mind.

A real sports commentator with some credibility is IMO one who has either played a game or been watching a particular league/sport for a long, long time and who is also well spoken; without the fawning hero worship & hype-sucking. Very few of those types around - that I know of, for Canadian football commentators in the media now.

[Argoknot]

I do agree with you about the quality (or lack thereof) of media types today and that many of them are of the "shock jock" type where any reaction is fine as long is there is a reaction. And any semblance of journalistic integrity is few and far between especially when you have media conglomerates controlling sports franchises.

I also think that the PTS panels generally aren't that knowledgeable except maybe Friedman. Perhaps that is because they can no longer snow the public because they aren't the only purveyor of news. Social media allows the people directly involved to get their story out, quicker and possibly more reliably without filter.

As for McCown and soccer, he did, I believe, work for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the old NASL, so he does have a soccer background but that would get in the way of his schtick as a soccer hater and contrarian which he has publicly admitted (it's all schtick).

I did like that show though, although it was much of the same old stuff, it seemed better delivered, without the usual Rogers or CFL hate agenda. Just a discussion without finger pointing and blame or the usual approach.