By Rod Pedersen,
CFL.ca
The Canadian Football League Players Association’s annual meetings were held in fabulous Las Vegas recently and as always, there were a wide range of topics up for discussion.
Player reps from across the league tucked themselves away inside the Aladdin Hotel and Resort on the famous Vegas ‘Strip’, and kicked the various topics across the table over a period of three days. The teams were represented by; Dave Dickenson (B.C.), Jay McNeil and Brian Clark (Calgary), A.J. Gass (Edmonton), Jeremy O’Day (Saskatchewan), Doug Brown and Milt Stegall (Winnipeg), Rob Hitchcock (Hamilton), Mike O’Shea and Orlondo Steinhauer (Toronto), and Ben Cahoon and Scott Flory (Montreal).
“Because it’s not a collective bargaining agreement meeting, the meetings aren’t as widespread as when we’re discussing the CBA,” explained O’Day. “These meetings focused on anything new in the league like our new deal with Reebok, we talked with the Pro Players guy who’s in charge of marketing the players in the CFL, and probably the thing we spent the most time on was the new rule changes.”
Indeed, the handful of amendments to the rulebook for 2007 are garnering plenty of attention across the CFL but it’s the players themselves who have to carry them out on the gridiron.
“I’d say we gave them the thumbs-up,” reported O’Day, “They (CFL coaches and GMs) seem like they’re trying to improve the kicking game and encourage more returns. They’re also trying to protect the quarterbacks a little bit so I think they’re good rules. It seems like they add more and more new rules every year but there’s a purpose behind that and they’re well thought-out. I think more than anything they’re trying to make the game more exciting for the fans, and make sure everyone wants to come to our games across the country.”
Extra time and effort is being put into explaining the rule changes, and CFL director of officiating George Black and senior advisor Jim Daley have been racking up the Air Miles visiting various cities over the past few months explaining the new rules in a series of seminars. The participants are CFL coaches and media, and so far the info-sessions have been positive.
“Outstanding!” exclaimed Daley. “The club visits are part of a three-month process to narrow the gap in rule perception between coaches and officials that has developed over time. To that end I feel we have made significant progress. From all accounts these on-going discussions have been a great benefit towards clarifying rule-understanding from all sides.”
With the institution of video replay and the inevitable rule changes that come forth every year, the league found itself in some embarrassing instances last season where coaches and officials misinterpreted the rules and were seen having heated debates on-field in the middle of games. Those situations needed to be halted.
And with a league-low in kick return touchdowns last year with three and the Chicago Bears’ Devin Hester returning double that number himself in the NFL, something needed to be done to kick-start the Canadian return game.
“Rule changes are always good for the game,” reasoned Black. “They tweak areas that need re-examination and help to keep the game up to date. Last year the return game was not as good as it has been in previous seasons, for a lot of reasons. Changing a few rules and interpretations may help to return it to where it was, but there are no guarantees. We think as a league that the rule changes will help but it is a complex issue.”
Black is right, it is complex. And some fans may be left scratching their heads at the start of this season at some calls and non-calls. But with the players and coaches informed to the max, it’s now up to the media and fans to ingest the new guidelines as we get closer to training camps in less than two weeks.
“It is a priority to avoid confusion among coaches, officials, media and fans,” said Daley. “We need to avoid misunderstandings regarding rules due to the unnecessary controversy that can develop. It is urgent to keep all parties current in terms of rules.”
Kudos to the league for going the extra mile to make the game better, and also for making the added effort to make sure everyone’s on the same page regarding rules. The end result should be a CFL that’s more exciting than ever, and fans will be the winners.
“I think the fans like the fact that the CFL game is always evolving,” offered Black. “When it domes down to it, it’s still three downs with 12 men aside on a wide open field with spectacular plays. That is what the fans love and we should always be careful to remember that.”
A more exciting CFL! Can you handle that??
Rod Pedersen is the Voice of the Saskatchewaan Roughriders and Regina correspondent on The Score. Check out his daily blog at www.rodpedersen.com.
(The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily of the Canadian Football League)
