CFL: Toronto-Montreal go kickball

[fyo]

Watch the video of the ending of the game:

http://deadspin.com/5679477/

Wtf? Apparently, I've never really seen a CFL game before... that's some crazy stuff right there... Interesting, to be sure, but really, really weird.

[Brian Fein]

In CFL, there's crazy ways you can get points by punting it out of the end zone....  Crazy shit

[Phishfan]

It isn't kickball. I don't know what I would call it. Very strange rules. I learned something new about Canadian football today.

[Philly Fin Fan]

What the hell was that? Even after listening to it, and reading the summary below the video, I'm still not sure what I just saw!

[Brian Fein]

The ball is live for both teams the entire time.

The end zone is SO long, that if the kicker misses the FG and kicks it out out the back of the end zone they get 1 point.  So he tries to kick it as far as he can, whether its accurate or not, to win the game.

However, the ball is live so the defenders catch the ball if it falls short.  If they then get tackled in the end zone, its one point for the kicking team.  So, he punts it to get the ball out of the end zone.

Then the kicker, in a weak attempt to get the ball back into the end zone, punts it back again, because he had no chance of running it in.  Once the other team touches it in the end zone, they wanna not get tackled (thus giving up a point) so they wanna get the ball out of the end zone as soon as possible.  Instead he they blocked the kick, kept it in, and the kicking team recovered for a TD.

[fyo]

I'm curious as to how that 5-yard rule works... How am I supposed to know if a teammate behind me is going to kick a ball, suddenly making it a penalty for me to be within 5 yards of the guy who receives the ball (only if he kicks it? from spot of first touching?).

[Brian Fein]

I don't think it applies to teammates, but only to the opposing team.  And its applied at the spot where the ball is first touched, not where it is kicked from. 

My question is why isn't the Canadian Football field measured in "metres"

[fyo]

I was referring to opponents. You don't have the same problem in "normal" football because only one kick is allowed on any given play. But if you look at the play at the end of the Toronto game, there's just no way those players could've known that the ball was going to be kicked back and forth. One second you're supposed to be blocking a guy, the next you're not allowed to be within 5 yards of him. Oh, you had your back turned? Tough luck, I guess...

It's hard to speculate... don't really know the rules or how they are applied... but certainly seems odd.

[fyo]

My question is why isn't the Canadian Football field measured in "metres"

Why would it be? Many "activities" use units of measurement different than normal for that area / country. It becomes a tradition. Football (American) played in Europe also uses yards and feet. There are national leagues in 24 European countries (according to the European Federation of American Football), all using yards.

[Landshark]

Canadian Football is a bit odd.  They have special rules like three downs instead of four, and the defense has to line up a yard off the ball, which gives the QB more time to throw. 

Also, running a missed PAT back is legal.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

Wow....very strange indeed. I thought I had watched a CFL game before but maybe I did not because I have never seen or heard anything like this.