Is the CFL Screwing Canadian QBs?

[OV Argo]

I support OV Argos creation of Senior/semi-pro, Canadian only league:-)

I wish I was super millionaire so I could fund that league.

You could win the Loto Max $ 50 mil prize - and donate 10 mil of start-up cash: one mil to each team in the 6 team league, and 4 mil general league fund.

And still have 40 Mil left over. ;o)

[j-ski]

you could win the loto max $ 50 mil prize - and donate 10 mil of start-up cash: One mil to each team in the 6 team league, and 4 mil general league fund.

And still have 40 mil left over. ;o)

lol

[jerrym]

Today the Las Rozas Black Demons defeated Osos Rivas 48-36, the only team to challenge them previously in a 35-28 win for the Black Demons, in the final game of the regular season to go 7-0, led by Chris Merchant. Down 22-7 in the second quarter and 36-28 in the fourth quarter, Merchant led the Demons back to victory, throwing four TD passes, and a couple of two pointers, running for a 15 yard TD and setting up another by breaking two tackles on a ten yard run that took the ball to the two yard line. The game can be watched at https://fefa.afi.tv/watch/686-fefa

[jerrym]

I posted this under the new European League of Football, which starts in June as the first fully professional league in Europe since NFL Europe, but I think it warrants consideration here as well.

Adam Rita, the coach and GM of the Barcelona Dragons, has hired Joe Paopao as QB coach. In addition to his CFL experience as coach and QB, Paopao also coached for the University of Waterloo Warriors from 2007 to 2013 and at SFU from 2015 to 2018 as OC. Would Rita and Paopao be willing to give a Canadian QB, like Merchant who has gone 7-0 and is already playing in Spain, a chance to play in the new professional league?

A Long Beach State product, Paopao first came to Canada in 1978 and spent six years in B.C., three with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and one with the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1987 before retiring. He came out of retirement for one final season with the Lions in 1990, starting ahead of legendary CFL quarterback Doug Flutie who he would coach to a CFL MOP season in 1991. Paopao finished his 11-year CFL career with 22,474 passing yards, 117 touchdowns and 157 interceptions. He was added to the B.C. Lions Wall of Fame in 2007.

Paopao began his coaching career with the Lions in 1989 as an offensive backs coach, rising to the role of offensive coordinator by 1992, a position he also held with the Edmonton Football Team, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He served as head coach of the Lions in 1996 and was the inaugural head coach of the expansion Ottawa Renegades from 2002 to 2005, posting a 28-62 career win-loss record.

Outside the CFL, Paopao was offensive coordinator for the XFL’s San Francisco Demons in 2001. He also served as play-caller for the University of Waterloo Warriors from 2007 to 2013 before becoming head coach for his last two seasons, as well as offensive coordinator for Simon Fraser University from 2015 to 2018.

https://3downnation.com/2021/03/28/f...elona-dragons/

[doubleblue]

Good for Adam and Joe. I hear Barcelona is a great place to live. Merchant has been lighting it up over there, but do we know the calibre of the league he's playing in?

[OV Argo]

Good for Adam and Joe. I hear Barcelona is a great place to live. Merchant has been lighting it up over there, but do we know the calibre of the league he's playing in?

Doubt the Spanish league is considered high calibre by many; the German league seems to be considered the big kahuna of American football over there; be interesting to see if Merchant's team could advance to the Euro play-offs or Championship over there.

That AFI website that jerry has provided links to seems next to useless for good info - stats or game recaps; but reports seem to show Merchant throwing for TDs galore plus running for yardage/TDs in leading his team to an un-defeated season. Good for him - still getting to play the game he loves and getting to travel (Senioritas & Sangria ;o))

Maybe he would come home to play in a new top level Canadian football league if the CFL sells-out Canadian rules and Canadian players ?

[j-ski]

If the CFL/XFL does merge, and gets rid of the Canadian rules and ratio, I wonder where the Canadians will go.

A handful will play in the NFL, and probably a similar number will play in the new CFL/XFL.

Probably some may try Europe, but my guess is that the restarting NFL European Football League will use mostly American players with some developmental European players like it did before.

I hope they do start some kind of senior Canadian Football League. I would be great to follow some U Sport players for a few more years.

[OV Argo]

Agreed, big-time.

6 team summer league with a 12 game sched. ? (June to Aug. with play-offs early Sept.) = little to no over-lap with NFL, NCAA or U Sports football (so not heavy competition for football fans).

Start with an Ontario - Quebec loop (maybe Moncton too) - places with stadiums that hold 7K or much more. See how it goes - maybe out West they would start their own division based on the model if it was successful ?

Hopefully could be U Sport & Junior ball all-star calibre players filling out the rosters. Players get paid something decent ($2000 per game ?) And if the XCFL means Canadian players getting way less chance to play than they even get now - might be lots of talent who might give it a try (ex-CFLers: lots of Canadian talent gets cut every CFL TC; lots of top notch Canadian players don't get CFL drafted or try-outs) Gladly watch that level of football - might get to see QBs like Merchant play in a high level of real Canadian football in their own country.

[Mocha]

Agreed, big-time.

6 team summer league with a 12 game sched. ? (June to Aug. with play-offs early Sept.) = little to no over-lap with NFL, NCAA or U Sports football (so not heavy competition for football fans).

Start with an Ontario - Quebec loop (maybe Moncton too) - places with stadiums that hold 7K or much more. See how it goes - maybe out West they would start their own division based on the model if it was successful ?

Hopefully could be U Sport & Junior ball all-star calibre players filling out the rosters. Players get paid something decent ($2000 per game ?) And if the XCFL means Canadian players getting way less chance to play than they even get now - might be lots of talent who might give it a try (ex-CFLers: lots of Canadian talent gets cut every CFL TC; lots of top notch Canadian players don't get CFL drafted or try-outs) Gladly watch that level of football - might get to see QBs like Merchant play in a high level of real Canadian football in their own country.

I think there are some great possibilities there. But why start with just Ontario and Quebec? I think it'd be natural to have western based teams given the strong grassroots support for Canadian football out there.

A Canadian league with all Canadian players would make a Canadian draft a much bigger deal than it currently is for the CFL.

[OV Argo]

I think there are some great possibilities there. But why start with just Ontario and Quebec? I think it'd be natural to have western based teams given the strong grassroots support for Canadian football out there.

A Canadian league with all Canadian players would make a Canadian draft a much bigger deal than it currently is for the CFL.

Travel costs would be a big impediment to start with a cross-country league.

There are at least 7 cities in the (VIA rail) corridor area that I mentioned that have stadiums that could host 7 K plus attendance (and have had such crowds for events like Ruby Canada vs. the US, and international soccer matches; football is much more popular in Canada (sorry soccer snobs) ).

Start with one division (i believe the possibility for some initial success is with the Moncton thru Quebec into Ontario areas with bigger populations to draw from than outside of a few cities out West) ; and then if there is some success, go for a West Division, and have the 2 meet in a National Title game. Similar to Junior ball - which has existed in Canada for decades, but with next to no marketing, hype or media coverage behind it.

Things like a draft or star players getting bigger salaries would be way down the road / no concern at first. Each team could concentrate on some ex U-Sport or Junior ball all-stars from their areas, but not limited to just that; but some good local content might help.

And out West might have had stronger CFL support for some time; but not so much for their U Sports teams - sometimes putrid out there for some reason ? (compared to what Laval vs. the Carabins can draw in Quebec or GGs vs. Ravens can draw at Lansdowne - both games have drawn 20K range or more - in the fall, during CFL, NFL and NCAA ball seasons.

[Mocha]

The travel costs makes some sense, though I think a western circuit could overcome the costs, given CJFL and USports teams do it.

I think teams could be put in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg at least. Not sure about BC though.

It is a bit of an oddity about USports attendance out west. Regina-Saskatchewan games sometimes draw quite well, but other times not so much. It's a shame that Simon Fraser plays in the NCAA, as the Shrum Bowl between them and UBC used to be a big event. It would be great if someday Mount Royal University in Calgary and MacEwan in Edmonton could field teams to create some cross-town rivalry bowls there. Straying off topic here, but I wish BC had at least one more USports football program.

[OV Argo]

Yeah, but - do those cities out West have stadiums with 7K plus capacity if the CFL teams/stadiums would block them from hosting?

IF there was no such issue then by all means try.

Moncton, Quebec City, Montreal (if Saputo would allow them?), Toronto (Lamport); Kingston (Richardson); London (TD) = all have such stadiums; and I doubt Ottawa/Lansdowne would block them from hosting even if the RedBlacks were to play in the sell-out XCFL; doubt they would be prohibited in Montreal from using McGill either (?)

[OV Argo]

The travel costs makes some sense, though I think a western circuit could overcome the costs, given CJFL and USports teams do it.

I think teams could be put in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg at least. Not sure about BC though.

It is a bit of an oddity about USports attendance out west. Regina-Saskatchewan games sometimes draw quite well, but other times not so much. It's a shame that Simon Fraser plays in the NCAA, as the Shrum Bowl between them and UBC used to be a big event. It would be great if someday Mount Royal University in Calgary and MacEwan in Edmonton could field teams to create some cross-town rivalry bowls there. Straying off topic here, but I wish BC had at least one more USports football program.

Quebec has added U Sport teams in Laval, Montreal (both powerhouse Vanier winning teams) , Sherbrooke since older days; Junior League there too; a Q team has competed for the Vanier (National Championship) the past 10 straight years and has won 6 of them !!!; plus lots of CEGEP (post HS teams) ball = Quebec is the real hot-spot in Canada for Canadian football IMO - blows away out West.

[jerrym]

I posted this under the new European League of Football, which starts in June as the first fully professional league in Europe since NFL Europe, but I think it warrants consideration here as well.

Adam Rita, the coach and GM of the Barcelona Dragons, has hired Joe Paopao as QB coach. In addition to his CFL experience as coach and QB, Paopao also coached for the University of Waterloo Warriors from 2007 to 2013 and at SFU from 2015 to 2018 as OC. Would Rita and Paopao be willing to give a Canadian QB, like Merchant who has gone 7-0 and is already playing in Spain, a chance to play in the new professional league?

Good for Adam and Joe. I hear Barcelona is a great place to live. Merchant has been lighting it up over there, but do we know the calibre of the league he's playing in?

One reason Merchant might be signed is that he is known and done extremely well in Spain, making it make sense to sign him and bring to TC to spark fan interest. If he makes the team, he gives them another QB, even as a backup. If he doesn't he perks some interest in the local market and some media attention because he's already played there, at little cost to the team. It wouldn't be the first time a team in a higher league team has signed a guy who played locally to spark interest, especially when they are starting up. That's partly why the Las Vegas Possee signed Anthony Calvillo who had played in neighbouring Utah State and won the Las Vegas Bowl and the game's MVP award in his senior year, although no other teams in the CFL or NFL showed interest in him. I think he didn't perform too badly in the CFL.

In addition, with Rita and Paopao we have guys who are familiar with the CFL and Canadian college football. There is also the question though, if Merchant were invited to play in the European League of Football, would he be given a real shot of making the team or not, a la the CFL and Canadian QBs?

[OV Argo]

One reason Merchant might be signed is that he is known and done extremely well in Spain, making it make sense to sign him and bring to TC to spark fan interest. If he makes the team, he gives them another QB, even as a backup. If he doesn't he perks some interest in the local market and some media attention because he's already played there, at little cost to the team. It wouldn't be the first time a team in a higher league team has signed a guy who played locally to spark interest, especially when they are starting up. That's partly why the Las Vegas Possee signed Anthony Calvillo who had played in neighbouring Utah State and won the Las Vegas Bowl and the game's MVP award in his senior year, although no other teams in the CFL or NFL showed interest in him. I think he didn't perform too badly in the CFL.

In addition, with Rita and Paopao we have guys who are familiar with the CFL and Canadian college football. There is also the question though, if Merchant were invited to play in the European League of Football, would he given a real shot of making the team or not, a la the CFL and Canadian QBs?

Who knows, but interestin' Jerry.

I'd guess that the new European League would be lucky to get many QBs near Merchant's calibre.

[Mocha]

Calgary has McMahon stadium, which I think is controlled by the U of C, not the Stamps. Anyways, I don't see any teams there blocking an upstart Canadian league from using their stadiums. I think they'd rather encourage it, like they do for university and junior ball now.

[Mocha]

I think both areas have much to crow about.

The west has five CFL teams; Quebec has one. Canada West has six USports teams; RSEQ has five (but Laval has clearly proven to be the #1 football school for about two decades now). Quebec has CEGEP football (something I wish colleges around the country would try to emulate). The West has 12 CJFL teams, with Saskatoon being as dominant a program as Laval. I wish Quebec would add teams to the CJFL ranks too.

I'm excited to see what Jim Mullin and Football Canada can come up with to integrate the different regions and leagues and hopefully grow the game even more.

[carlos]

Don't want to start a separate thread but would like to mention Chris Jones being hired as a high school coach in the Pittsburgh area is one example of the big advantages for US trained players. NCAA teams must love players coming from elite high school programs already well trained in the basics. I can see Jones doing a good job.

Seems rare to hear about ex CFL players coaching at lower levels in Canada and might be one way to encourage kids to enter the sport at earlier ages.

[Mocha]

I think some ex players do end up coaching in high schools, but you just don't hear a lot about it. IIRC, some HS programs in BC had to shut down because they didn't have qualified coaches. Maybe the league and PA should work together with Football Canada to help address this. Would provide some post-career employment opportunities.

[OV Argo]

Don't want to start a separate thread but would like to mention Chris Jones being hired as a high school coach in the Pittsburgh area is one example of the big advantages for US trained players. NCAA teams must love players coming from elite high school programs already well trained in the basics. I can see Jones doing a good job.

Seems rare to hear about ex CFL players coaching at lower levels in Canada and might be one way to encourage kids to enter the sport at earlier ages.

You might not hear about them because the interest level in the media up here on lower levels of Canadian football is pathetic.

Plenty of ex-CFL players coach in Canada; and there are tons of veteran Canadian football coaches who are not from the CFL but are very well versed in and super experienced in Canadian football; way more so than ego-Jones - he can stay down in the States please