Funny how the name CFL skill position guys are exCowboys

[peplaw06]

And to the poster that said most athletes don't get paid well, i'd agree that most general sports loving people don't get paid well, but athletes that are in sports for a living, can be paid pretty well in many sports outside of the big 4 in US. Hockey is huge in Nordic countries and Russia. Sumo and Baseball in Japan. Baseball in South America and Central America/Mexico. Rugby is massive in many parts of world, with really big leagues, multiple levels of divisions and 1000's of paid athletes. Golf is huge everywhere. Tennis is huge everywhere. Although Golf and Tennis rely on prize money for earnings, plus endorsements. Cricket and Field Hockey are big in many places. Soccer is mind boggling at many levels everywhere BUT US and Canada. Soccer is King of the world sports in terms of fan base and world wide employment.

It's more the amateur sports that don't get much pay recognition and the sports that aren't "popular" in their country. Never seen a flashy decathlete or gymnast, although I count those two athletes amongst the best in the world if I looked at it.

It's incredibly interesting to travel the world and see how passionate different countries are about their top 4 or 5 national sports and amazing how little if anything the average Canadian or US citizen knows about it (I'm including myself in that group). They have TV coverage on the level of what the NFL gets. They have reporter groups that make the Cowboys press corp look small. It's quite interesting!

I realize that there are rich golfers and tennis players (and other individual sport atheletes). My point is though that those are the anomaly. Take tennis as an example. If you're not in the Top 80-100 in the men's tour, you're struggling to make a living doing solely tennis. Women's tour is even worse, because the purses are smaller. If you take into account how many people play tennis worldwide and how many are trying to make it professionally, it is an unbelievably low precentage of tennis players who actually make a good living playing tennis. Same with golf. If you're not Tiger Woods (or some other recognizable name), you're not going to make a whole lot.

As for the rest of the leagues and sports you mentioned, those athletes don't make near the money you see with soccer or the big 4 sports in America. Baseball players in Central and South America make very little. Hell minor league baseball players in America make peanuts. Most of them have to work a part-time job on the side. Also the individual sports are always going to have a few anomalies who can make some good money, but the large percentage of them make little to nothing. The point is the rich athlete is the exception, not the rule. If you were to throw out the anomalies, it's not surprising at all to find teachers, firefighters, and the like making more money than a professional athlete.

And I don't know much about the journalisitic tendencies of foreign countries regarding their sports, but I highly doubt they get the coverage that the NFL gets. You do realize the NFL is broadcast worldwide, and the Super Bowl is broadcast in like 100 different languages right? And I'd be astounded if they had the man-power the media has in the United States when it comes to sports reporting. Here for example, each NFL team has it's own set of beat writers. The Cowboys probably have more then most, but I'd guess each of the 30 teams has at least 10-20 in their press corps.

 

[peplaw06]

I always wondered why Ricky Williams wasn't doing so well in the CFL.

What is so different about the game that makes it harder to rush?

Doesn't the CFL also have only three downs instead of four?? It's a passing league because of that. Running Backs are used more sparingly up there.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

just good enough to be a solid player in the CFL, but not good enough to make an NFL roster, really speaks to the level of CFL competition, and yet people like Ricky Ray get contracts and expectations placed on them...

In a general sense, I agree with your point, but a number from the NFL have come to the CFL and failed, like Vince Ferragamo, Terry Metcalf, Quincy Carter, Ricky Williams.

Probably the best NFL guys ever to play here were the Mullett and Moon. Moon succeeded in both (never should have had to come to the CFL) but the Mullett failed in the NFL yet was considered the best ever to play in Canada.

I always liked Copeland because despite his lack of foot speed, he made plays.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Doesn't the CFL also have only three downs instead of four?? It's a passing league because of that. Running Backs are used more sparingly up there.

Yeah there are three downs and a longer/wider field.

 

[mmohican29]

ahem. one thing you have to remember "aboot" the cfl is that there is also no drug testing policy to speak of. for athletes that counted on their talents to skate through school, smoke some weed, party with girls... this is the perfect temporary career until they hopefully get another shot at the NFL.

I know this because there was much to do about Ricky going to the CFL and what that might mean to his NFL return... whether it would be a good thing... he stays in shape... or a bad thing... he reverts to his prefferred reefer habits.

 

[cowboyed]

I have distant relatives in Ontario Canada and have traveled frequently in Ontario and Northwest Canada. Believe you me the cost of living is higher than in most places in our country. Football aside, Canadians in general get paid a little more.

 

[cowboyed]

Yaegermeister, here is some quick and dirty lazy research on Jason Tucker. I gleaned this information from Wikipedia.

Professional football
After pulling a hamstring in training camp with the Bengals, Tucker was released and found his way to the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe for the 1999 season. He was invited to training camp for the Dallas Cowboys and played the 1999 NFL season with Dallas, being named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December 1999.

Tucker was released by the Cowboys before the 2001 NFL season, and by 2002 he had made the roster of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos. In his first year as a Canadian Football League player, Tucker was the team's second-leading receiver with 51 catches for 911 yards. In 2003, Tucker was named the most valuable player of the 91st Grey Cup with a 132-yard performance in the championship game. In 2004, Tucker broke the 1,000 yards receiving mark for the first time, racking up 1,632 yards for the fourth-highest total in franchise history.

Tucker has won two Grey Cups, in 2003 and 2005, both with the Eskimos. He is a two-time CFL All-Star at wide receiver in 2004 and 2005.

I recall he was developing into a pretty good receiver and dangerous punt returner and then his foot problems caused him to have a subpar final season with the Cowboys. Please note you don't secure player of the month honors based on one outstanding play. And he has made his mark in the CFL. I think we cut him because we thought he would never overcome his toes problem.

 

[CanadaBoys]

I'm not much of a CFL fan... but one thing i have to admit is that it is actually HARDER to play DB in the CFL than the NFL.... there is more area to cover... more recievers.... and worst of all, in the CFL the recivers are allowed to get a running start towards the LOS..... lol

also there is no "fair catch" rule on punts...... OUCH

 

[Mash]

Im not a CFL fan......but up here I watch it to get my football fix.......There is so much open space there that its not surprising that they throw for so many yards.

One thing though.....its a tough league....they hit hard and most play for the passion of the game.....alot of ego's are in check there from what ive seen. Most dont get paid all that well.

I just have a hard time watching that game because some of the rules are really pathetic IMHO......I mean u get a point for missing a FG if the opponent doesnt run it out of the endzone.......what up with that?......there is a 5 yard cushion rule on punt returns......its seems like there is always a flag on them.

Wr's and backs have running starts on offence....it amazes me that rarely there is any offsides calls .....and the 3 down rule forces teams to pass most of the time. The defence is at a big disadvantage.....also....players like former cowboy Mobley is a LB slash DE in the CFL.....

But I do give the players credit...the league is run by a bunch of clowns but the players still play hard and it seems they really like the game.

Im still praying to see a NFL team here.....one day I hope Toronto gets one because I think they can easily support one.....but it might be the doom of the CFL if that happens.

Also....I wish the CFL would just get the best players in the world to play instead of having only a certain amount of import players that can play on a team.....nothing agaisnt Canadian players but American highschools can probally beat most of our university teams........JMHO

 

[dwmyers]

In a general sense, I agree with your point, but a number from the NFL have come to the CFL and failed, like Vince Ferragamo, Terry Metcalf, Quincy Carter, Ricky Williams.

Probably the best NFL guys ever to play here were the Mullett and Moon. Moon succeeded in both (never should have had to come to the CFL) but the Mullett failed in the NFL yet was considered the best ever to play in Canada.

I always liked Copeland because despite his lack of foot speed, he made plays.

With all due respect to Warren Moon and Joe Theisman, the best CFL guy to come down from the North may have been Bud Grant.

David.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I wish the CFL was still on ESPN. I liked it in back in the day. At least it was football.

 

[Waffle]

Now the Canadian you worked with, he could have lived in Whitehorse which is like Alaska, or he could live in Winnipeg. Places like that you can still get a 4000 square foot home for $100,000 maybe. Of course Whitehorse has 8 months of winter, and Winnipeg has mosquitos that could take down one of those A10 Warthog Tank buster planes you Yanks have. Pick your poison! We have beer everywhere though! And our nudy dancers are top notch if you go for that sort of thing!!

Larry

I traveled throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan for business back in 2001. We were mainly in Calgary and Edmonton with our Canadian business associates. There was no quiet night staying at the hotel with these guys around!! And I agree...the "peelers" were top notch!!

:busty:

 

[L-O-Jete]

I'm just saying it's not that crazy that there are some football players making less than teachers and firemen, or it shouldn't be, pro sports making money is getting ridiculous compared to the people who make real impacts on the world, sorry, a little ranting

I'm with you on that, but not only pro players, also actors doing millions and millions for entertaining for 2, 3 hours tops! While the guy who's prepairing your child for life won't see a tenth of that in his entire life... I think society needs to get their priorities in order... off the soapbox, but worth a Post #100 (and it only took me 2+years )

 

[thekavorka]

And I don't know much about the journalisitic tendencies of foreign countries regarding their sports, but I highly doubt they get the coverage that the NFL gets. You do realize the NFL is broadcast worldwide, and the Super Bowl is broadcast in like 100 different languages right? And I'd be astounded if they had the man-power the media has in the United States when it comes to sports reporting. Here for example, each NFL team has it's own set of beat writers. The Cowboys probably have more then most, but I'd guess each of the 30 teams has at least 10-20 in their press corps.

Do you really believe that people in most other countries care about the NFL or the Super Bowl? I'm not going to believe the propaganda the NFL spews out about the coverage of the Super Bowl. The NFL media over here is nothing compared to the Soccer media in Europe.

 

[peplaw06]

Do you really believe that people in most other countries care about the NFL or the Super Bowl? I'm not going to believe the propaganda the NFL spews out about the coverage of the Super Bowl. The NFL media over here is nothing compared to the Soccer media in Europe.

We weren't talking about soccer. I threw soccer in with the "Big 4." We are talking about lesser known sports like sumo wrestling, cricket, rugby, etc.

That said, I've heard and seen the play by play in other languages during the Super Bowl. They also do that in the NBA finals. It's not propoganda. They may not be listening, but do you really think that they would even bother broadcasting the Japanese baseball championship series over here in English??