Saskatchewan Roughriders at 10-8 cross over to play the 8-9-1 Grey Cup champion (LOL) Ottawa Redblacks in CFL playoffs this weekend.
But Saskatchewan, like 10-8 Edmonton last year, has to play on the road despite having a better record.
This is unfair nonsense. The crossover has been a good move, allowing better teams in the west (no east team has ever crossed over) to make the playoffs when they otherwise wouldn't.
But why in the name of all that is fair does the east team continually get home field advantage for these games?
It's ludicrous. The team with the best record should get the home game, period. Meaning, Saskatchewan should be hosting Ottawa, not visiting Ottawa. And Toronto, at 9-9 despite finishing, er, first in the east, should be going on the road against the superior west for its first playoff game.
I love the CFL but on this one I just lose it.
Long past time for the CFL to abandon the notion of divisions and go with a one-division setup, top 6 make the playoffs, top two teams get bye to second round, you have 3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5 in first round then re-rack for second round and two survivors meet in Grey Cup.
And spare me the 'Grey Cup unites the country in an east-west battle' BS. That's a long ago thing. For one thing, there have been several all-west Grey Cups (Winnipeg-Calgary, Winnipeg-Edmonton etc. when due to failing franchises Winnipeg was moved east) and hell, a Calgary-Winnipeg Cup played in Montreal did huge attendance business. For another, you want your best playing in the final, not some mediocre team like Ottawa last year that happened to catch fire for a few playoff games. As they might do again, alas.
Come on, CFL, do what's right. End the crossover and end the division setup and do it right.
Comments