Need help from our friends to the north:

Saw on SportsCenter about the B.C.-Sask. game that went to OT. I understand the whole concept of the single point on the kicks into the end zone, but what happened in that game just confounds me. The Roughriders missed a short field goal that would have won the game, but got a single and took a 25-24 lead in sudden-death OT. But apparently you can't win on a single. The Lions then went the length of the field and kicked a field goal to win 27-25.

How can you score a point and not win? If they had stopped B.C., would they have won then? Would another single win the game? Could a team miss three FGs, be up 3 points, have the other team make a kick to tie it and still lose?

(Note: I'm from Tennessee, and the extent of my Canadian football experience is one Memphis MadDogs game in 1995 when I was about 12 years old--the Liberty Bowl wasn't big enough for a full-size Canadian field, so they had end zones that were somewhat trapezoidal. Weird.)

I definetly don't know the rules up there but it seems logical that a single could not win the game. If it were allowed to be the winning points then there is no risk in kicking the field goal. If it goes in you win and if it misses you win.

Interesting question that I don't know the answer to -- but it was weird watching the end of the Bears-Titans game yesterday. As soon as that ball was fumbled in the endzone, I said, "game's over." I mean, it was either going to be a TD or a safety, and that was going to end it.

Wait, I looked up the CFL question -- their OT isn't sudden death -- each team gets a possession from the opponent's 35 yard line.

http://www.cfl.ca/CFLRulebook/rule_1.html

--Rich

Did not know that. Just wonder now if the single could have won the game if the other team didn't kick the FG. Or if you could win the game on a single in regulation.

And that Bears-Titans game made me sick at my stomach. Why are they even passing from that part of the field anyway? Just run it up the gut three plays, kick it out of there and hope the defense can make something happen. It's almost to the point where I'm thinking that 3-13 might be OK so the Titans could get a high draft pick. This season is in the tank.

The single can win the game in overtime or regulation.

Now the real stupid thing in CFL rules is the game can end in a tie. If after two overtime series are completed and the game is still tied, then the game ends in a tie with both teams recieving a point.

One more thing, both overtime series are attempted from the same end of the field, going in the same direction.

In the playoffs there must be a winner.

Speaking of singles, anyone watch that Yates Cup?? Anyone have any thoughts as to what happened with the single being awarded for an intercepted pass in the enzone and then being revoked at half??

Did anyone watch the Yates? I was there! On the sticks! 5 yards form the flag that caused the sitch you're talking about.

Do I know what happened? Yup.

Do I know what caused what happened? Yup.

Do I have an incredible amount of info on the play in question? Yup.

But I can't share, sorry, J.

As mentioned, there is no sudden death in Canadian football.

Sudden death in football is dumb, IYAM.

I /do/ like the idea of a tie game too. If two teams can't decide a winner after 90 minutes of playing football... give them a tie.

I guess that's gonna remain one of this years mysteries.

BTW, are you heading to the Vanier??

Of course. And the Grey Cup, too. Which, by the way is getting a face lift: to DOUBLE BLUE!!!!!!!!!

I assume by double blue, you mean that for these 2 games, your gonna be so cold your limbs turn blue, twice ;)

Have fun at the Grey Cup, I was thinking of heading up but didn't get around to it.

I'm still debating the Vanier though.

90 minutes? We're not talking soccer here, are we?

No... I'm talking about Canadian football. What else is there to talk about? :D

Oh, I'm sure I could think of something. So how does the timing work in Mapleball?

4 x 15 minutes. Timing rules change after the 3-minute warning in each half.

Before the 3MW, the clock stops after a play is dead when there's an injury, timeout, score, incomplete pass, flag thrown, and the ball was run OB. It starts on the ready, except for a TO or delay of game penalty, which are on the snap. After the 3MW, on the snap for CoP, score, incomplete pass, ball goes OB, and a penalty application.

So the 90 minutes is including OT?