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The most important takeaway from the four-week-aged CFL season may well be that it really is taking place at all. For a although, as the gamers and league worked by a new collective bargaining agreement — at one particular position, the sides even experienced a tentative deal that was never ratified — the 2022 marketing campaign appeared to be at danger.
However below we are, on keep track of for a comprehensive 18-video game year with the Grey Cup back again in its rightful November slot. For the most section, the emphasis is again on soccer.
Below are two storylines well worth adhering to:
The Canadian takeover is on us.
As component of labour negotiations, the CFL proposed eradicating the Canadian ratio, which historically expected seven starters on just about every crew to be citizens of the state, presumably in some form of try to improve the talent pool by incorporating People in america. The union, made of numerous Canadians (each and every 46-man roster will have to have at the very least 21 Canadians), was of course opposed — some would drop their positions fully, though the ‘C’ in CFL would effectively shed this means outside of the three-down rule. The players in the end gained out as the ratio was amplified to 8 starters, a single of whom can be a naturalized American with both five seasons in the league or a few with the similar group.
The one placement that historically lacked Canadian illustration is quarterback. In 2015, Brandon Bridge became the to start with Canadian QB to commence a activity in 19 a long time. Stampeders backup Andrew Buckley scored a dashing landing in the 2016 Grey Cup, becoming the initial Canadian pivot to locate the finish zone in the championship sport considering that Russ Jackson in 1969. Bridge and Buckley have both since retired just after generally non-impactful actively playing occupations — as has every other Canadian QB considering that Jackson won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s prime athlete in 1969 following his 2nd straight title and named it a job.
But in 2022, the Canadian QB is back en vogue with a pair emerging out west. It helps make sense — not only is the nation creating far more and a lot more NFL players, but athletes in just about every sport are beginning to make their mark internationally, from the men’s and women’s soccer teams to Andrew Wiggins in the NBA Finals.
Look at | Rourke leads undefeated Lions to latest victory:
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B.C. defeats Ottawa 34-31 to start their period with 3 straight victories, Victoria-born Nathan Rourke throws for 359 yards.
Back again in the CFL, Victoria’s Nathan Rourke is working laps all-around the industry now. His Lions individual a 3- history and league-top 137 details — 27 much more than the second-spot Roughriders, who have performed one particular extra activity. Rourke performed collegiately at Ohio University, winning top rated Canadian honours in 2017. In his rookie year very last calendar year, he begun just two video games, tossing a few TDs to 5 interceptions. But in a few begins this time, he’s thrown nine scores to just two picks, even though introducing 180 yards and three additional TDs on the ground. Rourke is also 2nd in the league in passing yards with 1,071, just 4 driving Tiger-Cats chief Dane Evans, who’s also played a single much more video game. Rourke joined Jackson in 7 days 1 as the only Canadian QBs to record 5 TDs in a sport, and he set the national one-sport passing yards report at 436 in Week 3. The 24-yr-aged will confront his major examination still on Saturday when the two-time defending champion Blue Bombers and their stingy defence visit B.C.
Tre Ford’s stats are not as eye-popping, but the Niagara Falls, Ont., indigenous is just getting started out right after getting above powering centre this 7 days and main the Edmonton Elks to their initially win of the time. In the 29-25 final decision above Hamilton, Ford tossed for 159 yards with one landing and a person interception although including 61 yards on just 6 carries. The former Waterloo Warrior wrapped his college vocation last season by getting the initial Black QB to acquire the Hec Crighton Award as U Sports’ most remarkable soccer player. Ford will aim to get a firm grasp on the starter’s occupation in opposition to rival Calgary on Thursday.
The West is the ideal.
On paper, the Bombers’ 23-22 earn more than the Argos previous night, in which Toronto’s kicker missed a game-tying change, was a basic amongst two division leaders. But pull back the curtain and you can see two franchises that might not even be in the exact hemisphere.
You will not be astonished to hear, then, that the West is 11-1 against the East in the early likely. The Bombers lead the division at 4-, adopted by the Lions and Stampeders at 3- and the Roughriders at 3-1. Even the 1-3 Elks have hope in the form of Ford, and all 3 of Edmonton’s losses have been in-division. The Lions have the most interesting participant in the league with Rourke, and the Bombers surface not to have skipped a move even after dropping celebrity working again Andrew Harris to Toronto in no cost company.
It is undoubtedly way too early to be talking about the playoffs, but we could be headed toward a divisional imbalance even the crossover procedure can not account for, where by the past-place West workforce might have a improved file than a person or equally of the prime-two groups in the East.
