Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ucla-cs.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!houxm!hogpc!houti!ariel!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!sdcrdcf!trwrb!cepu!ucla-cs!wales From: wales@ucla-cs.UUCP Newsgroups: net.sport.football Subject: Re: Canadian "single" in U.S. football? Message-ID: <1250@ucla-cs.ARPA> Date: Tue, 18-Sep-84 22:43:35 EDT Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.1250 Posted: Tue Sep 18 22:43:35 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 07:21:37 EDT References: <13000005@uiucdcs.UUCP> Organization: UCLA CS Dept. Lines: 35 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!wales