wales@ucla-cs.UUCP (09/19/84)
It needs to be kept in mind that end zones in the CFL are 25 yards deep,
and that the goal posts are even with the goal lines. Hence, a failed
field goal attempt in Canadian football is less likely to go all the way
through the end zone, and the receiving team has more of a chance to get
the ball and try to run it out.
Of course, it is also true that a player catching or picking up the ball
deep in the end zone has quite a long distance to run out -- especially
if lots of opposing players are going after him. Unless the extra point
for the other side would be crucial, the ball carrier will often decide
to go down on one knee in the end zone and give up a point in return for
reasonably good field position on the 35-yard line (but remember that
this is the 35-yard line on a 110-yard-long field).
(In case anyone reading this has no idea what is being talked about,
there is a rule in Canadian football that awards one point to the kick-
ing team if the ball goes out of the end zone, or goes into the end zone
and is not brought out by the other team. In effect, there is no such
thing as a "touchback" in the Great White North. This rule does not
apply on a successful field goal -- i.e., a field goal that also goes
out of the end zone still scores only three points -- and it doesn't
apply on a PAT either -- whether successful or not.
One consequence of this rule is that the defending team needs to have
someone in the end zone on a field goal attempt, in case the ball misses
the uprights but still lands in the end zone. It may also explain why
kickers in the CFL seem to routinely kick so much farther than their
American counterparts -- even if you miss the field goal, you still have
a chance to score a point if the other team can't return your kick.)
--
Rich Wales
UCLA Computer Science Department
3531 Boelter Hall // Los Angeles, CA 90024 // (213) 825-5683
ARPA: wales@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA
UUCP: ...!{cepu,ihnp4,trwspp,ucbvax}!ucla-cs!walesgreg@sdcsvax.UUCP (Greg Noel) (09/21/84)
In article <1250@ucla-cs.ARPA> wales@ucla-cs.UUCP (Rich Wales) writes: >It needs to be kept in mind that end zones in the CFL are 25 yards deep, >and that the goal posts are even with the goal lines. Hence, a failed >field goal attempt in Canadian football is less likely to go all the way >through the end zone, and the receiving team has more of a chance to get >the ball and try to run it out. True. I would modify the Canadian rule so that a ball that goes out the back of the end zone without being touched (by either team) would be a touchback as it is now. This wouldn't change the field-goal kicking game very much, but just think what it would do to the punting game..... The tactics would change a lot. Instead of kicking for the coffin corner or trying to make a punt die without crossing the goal line, the punter would try to make the punt die in the end zone for a point. This would be an added bonus to a team for having good field position, even if they can't score a touchdown or a field goal. I think it would add a lot of interest to a football game -- it's enough so that, if two teams are otherwise equal, the one that plays the better positional game would have a narrow advantage. I remember watching one game (this was many years ago) where after three quarters, there had been one field goal and five singles, and the score was 4-4. I had to leave at that point and I never did find out how the game turned out. Does anybody else remember that game? I think one of the teams was the Lions, but I'm not even sure of that. -- -- Greg Noel, NCR Torrey Pines Greg@sdcsvax.UUCP or Greg@nosc.ARPA
lab@qubix.UUCP (Q-Bick) (10/02/84)
I can see one result on the rouge in the NFL - Ray Guy would win every
game for the Raiders!
--
The Ice Floe of Larry Bickford
{amd,decwrl,sun,idi,ittvax}!qubix!lab
You can't settle the issue until you've settled how to settle the issue.