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| Calgary eventually won a close game - 20 to 16 - over Hamilton |
This really is about poker, online poker to be exact, but
first, let me tell you how much I like Canada.
A lot. I was born in Michigan,
near Detroit, the one place in the US where if you went directly SOUTH, you’d
run into Canada. I almost moved there
years ago – the year was 1970, and if you wonder why I considered becoming a Canadian,
here are some other numbers - 18 (as in years) and 6 (as in draft number). I remained in the USA because of another
number (4F). But that’s another story.
I like Canada because it’s very similar to the US, but it’s
different, and in many ways better. They
are more polite, and in many ways more practical than we Americans are. They went metric. Better access to health care. Prettier money plus they had the good sense
to get rid of paper ones and twos and the penny. And Tim Horton’s.
I’ve visited several Canadian cities - Toronto, Ottawa,
Montreal, Hamilton, and Vancouver, BC (please note that as a citizen of Oregon
we ALWAYS say “Vancouver, BC” to distinguish it from Vancouver the city of
162,000 in Washington just across the Columbia River from Portland - it’s much the
same as East Coasters discussing Seattle in Washington, the State). Every one of them has a football team. As in the CFL - Canadian Football League. And, like so many other things about Canada,
it’s somewhat different than the American version - and in my opinion, better.
There are many features unique to Canadian football, but
here are the biggies: The field is longer, and wider. There are twelve players on a side and you
only get three downs to make 10 yards, not four. They have no “fair catch” rule. We only allow one player in the backfield to
be in motion - sideways - before the snap.
In the CFL, ALL backfield players can be in motion - IN ANY DIRECTION -
before the snap. And then there’s the scoring of “the rouge” - one point -
which can best be explained here and seen in its
crazy glory here.
And there’s advertising on the field. I mean, right on the damn field, not just the
sidelines. And, like our soccer teams and
WSOP Final Table, advertising patches on the players. Which gets us to online poker…almost.
I learned about the on-field ads while watching Sunday’s Grey Cup game, which is the
CFL’s version of the Super Bowl, except that it’s been going on longer (102
years). Like Lord Stanley, Earl Grey was
intent on giving a trophy to the victors…of the Canadian Senior Hockey
League! Well, that’s what he intended,
but since they already had the Allan Cup, it was awarded to the amateur rugby
champions of Canada. The football pros
eventually got it in the Thirties. See,
the Canadians even recycle better than we do!
One other thing about the CFL which might make them seem
more American - while they eventually saw the wisdom of changing a team’s
nickname because it duplicated another teams nickname (the Ottawa Rough Riders
became the Redblacks so as to not be
confused with the Saskatchewan Roughriders) – they still have the
Edmonton Eskimos, the CFL’s answer to the Washington (not the state) R***kins.
Back to the Grey Cup, which was being held in Vancouver,
BC. As you can see from the photo above,
there were lots of ads on the field…including one for Bodog (sports - poker -
casino). In doing research for this post,
I learned that they are the official
“free-to-play sports gaming and poker partner.” They may be official, but not exclusive,
as Bet365.com has also done some promo work with the Toronto Argonauts of the
CFL.
Why does Canada have a much-more relaxed attitude about
online gambling than we do here in the states?
Because they have a much-more relaxed attitude about ALL gambling than
we do here in the states. You can gamble
in all ten provinces and three territories, and they even have a NATIONAL
lotto. Rules for casinos vary by
location, and their First Nations also conduct various gambling venues, too.
As long as it’s sanctioned by the province, it’s OK – and
three provincial lotteries – British Columbia,
Quebec , and soon Ontario – have or will have their own online gambling sites. Many more Canadians still play poker at the off-shore
sites, and as of yet, there have been no repercussions and no prosecutions to
the players. In fact, some of those “offshore”
sites are technically not in Canada, but just outside of Montreal, on the Kahnawake native reserve.
The rules for online gambling are kinda “in flux” as there
are some in Canada not happy with the tight relationship Bodog and others have
regarding advertising since, technically, Bodog is not a “legal” site
sanctioned by any province. Most of this
unhappiness comes from the competition (the Provincial Lotteries). Sound familiar?
At least they don’t have the 10th richest asshole
trying to muscle into their country and setting up shop, and then buying off
politicians trying to pass laws. Oh, wait…
Of course, all Bodog is providing to Canadians are “free to
play” games. So did PokerStars, here in
the states, too. Just sayin’. And speaking of which…Bodog’s agreement
with the CFL was for three years, meaning it’s in its last year. Perhaps another gambling entity, one
headquartered in, say, Montreal, will step up.
I’m looking at you, Amaya.
In short, Canadians
have the best of it – Loonies and Two-nies and online gaming, and Tim Horton donuts. Pretty good, eh?
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