Guest Jeffery S. Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 CMISL gives me the creeps. I have tried to show some interest, to dig up a bit of sympathy for this sport somewhere down in the recesses of my heart. To try to rationalize it, or give it the benefit of the doubt. But I can't. It's like when you see those Mormons on the street, you cross the road to the other sidewalk. They make you nervous and edgy, and you don't even want to think about them. So CMISL makes me a bit queasy, like when you have a stomach flu coming in and have a company lunch in an hour. You just want to crawl away somewhere and hide, but you can't. I am sorry to those who are all hyped and all. I wish these threads did not even exist on this board. They really bug me. Does anyone else feel this way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoyleG Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Just spit it out already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin McMillan Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Mormons aren't so bad... invite them in, offer them a drink, maybe a pull on a joint and they usually find their own way out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootmaster_44 Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Nope I don't feel that way at all. I enjoyed the games tonight and hope that this isn't a one shot thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Sounds like it might be fun to play...and there's no doubt that some families most be able to afford and enjoy a night out at these games. I also suppose most of the players involved don't have many other options in terms of regular playing time under regular soccer rules and conditions. However, why don't don't we move towards a full futsal league instead of these odd rules and times that move the world's game closer to something resembling a circus sideshow. Compared with indoor soccer, futsal is getting more and more international attention, with standardized rules and tiered leagues showing up all over the world. The champion of a new semi-national wide futsal league could be Canada's representative at international tournaments and could form the backbone for any national squads. I admire the stated intentions of CMISL as posted on their website, but in all honesty wonder how playing forty minute games cut up into quarters with shootouts and all the rest is moving central Canadian soccer supporters and players any closer to playing in a nationally respected league playing "proper" outdoor soccer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 seriously...why not make a prairie division of this league and move towards something a little more established and respected?? divisons in BC, Quebec, and the maritimes could follow...and then these players would be be playing towards something...all the while have the potential of a little more recognition and maybe even international matchplay at the end of it all? http://www.cpflfutsal.ca/ “The CPFL in a very short time span, has in our opinion developed the best futsal league in Canada. It is a shame that Canada did not send a Canadian futsal team to FIFA’s Futsal CONCACAF Futsal championships – some of these players would have made Canada proud.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeffery S. Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Kevin McMillan Mormons aren't so bad... invite them in, offer them a drink, maybe a pull on a joint and they usually find their own way out One of the most beautiful women I ever met was a young lady from Cordoba, working guys like me as I sat in a park waiting for my train. I would have become Mormon just for her, was almost 20 years ago and I remember her clearly: a typical Cordobese girl, with soft white skin, jet black hair, proud breasts, wearing an impeccable white shirt, as all ladies from Cordoba do on weekends. She was like the women David sang about in the Psalms: teeth white like a herd of young lambs on a hillside. If CMISL was to soccer as the Mormons were to her (or something like that), I would never have started this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Start with two questions. 1st. What was the local time back there in Spain when you started this topic? And 2nd. Exactly how many bottles of wine proceeded the topic? My interest is purely scientific. I'm not here to pass judgement. Back on topic. It is a weird game. Creepy I'm not so sure about. But for a game that's been around the sporting world's edges now for 30 years it still comes off as a bit weird. But as has been mentioned, all the best players are playing some sort of indoor game during the winter out of necessity. Futsal or indoor. Some both, but everybody has a preference. (I'd rather play, and watch, indoor just because the of the higher pace and usualy less stopages). And the CMISL has already done something we haven't seen. It's gotten football folks out here on the flatlands doing something to improve their collective lot. I think everyone will be disappointed if this experiment doesn't evolve into an outdoor flatlander league. But that's another project with a whole different set of logistical problems. But again, yeah. The sport is a bit of an abortion. Still not sure about creepy though. Maybe embarissingly uncomfortable. Like when you're taking to some guy with a lazy eye and you're not entirely sure which one to look at. Or dealing with a customer who, bless her heart, is showing some Canada Grade A cleavage and no matter how hard you try you can't help but get a good look in. That sort of think. A manageable discomfort if need be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S. CMISL gives me the creeps. I have tried to show some interest, to dig up a bit of sympathy for this sport somewhere down in the recesses of my heart. To try to rationalize it, or give it the benefit of the doubt. But I can't. It's like when you see those Mormons on the street, you cross the road to the other sidewalk. They make you nervous and edgy, and you don't even want to think about them. So CMISL makes me a bit queasy, like when you have a stomach flu coming in and have a company lunch in an hour. You just want to crawl away somewhere and hide, but you can't. I am sorry to those who are all hyped and all. I wish these threads did not even exist on this board. They really bug me. Does anyone else feel this way? I went to the Calgary game, and I'm convinced I'll never fully accept the indoor game. However, anything that gets some game cheques to some of the prairie kids has got to be worth something. Sure it's modest, but it's the best attempt we've seen in a while. One point in its favour: the CMISL is doing a better job the Edmonton Aviators ever did. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpgscrfan Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 It's too bad there are so many people who always have to look for the negatives rather than the positives. Sure we would all love to see pro outdoor soccer over indoor, or maybe you prefer futsal over the 'Canadian' indoor format - but beggars can't be choosers. And to drive that point home, I guarantee that if you ask any of the 80 players who play for any of the teams in CMISL they'll tell you how happy and proud they are to be a part of this. They are being treated like professionals, and they get to compete with and against good players. Would they prefer if it were outdoors? Probably - but again, these players are all happy to just have a chance to play in a professional environment. To sum it up - I play for the Winnipeg franchise and I can tell you first hand that every player in that dressing room is elated that little old Winnipeg just might get the chance to have a franchise. I know most of the players on the Calgary team and I'm sure they would tell you same thing. Kevin Holness (the SK coach) is thrilled to be a part of this. None of the players, coaches, management are complaining that we would rather be outside. It's a start. It's something to build on. Criticize it all you want but I guarantee that any player coming through the youth systems, or any competitive senior soccer player across the prairies right now is thrilled that there might be an opportunity for them to play in this league. We have no other options - and if this is all we get - then we'll gladly take it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrpopulistfutebol Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 My thoughts are on the CMISL as follows: While I agree with people that Indoor soccer is not the purist form of soccer and that I wish the Winnipeg had a USL Division 1 team, the fact of the matter is, the CMISL is some sort of professional soccer and it is better then nothing right now. The fact that it has been almost 14-15 years that Winnipeg has gone without some sort of professional soccer is nuts. I too be honest was not a big soccer fan when the Winnipeg Fury where originally here in Winnipeg (1987-1992) when I was a little kid, but since when the Winnipeg Jets left in 1996 and when the World Cup of soccer of 1998 came, I have become a fan of the "beautiful game" since. Ever since then I have been waiting for anxious breath for some form of professional soccer to come back to the 'Peg. Well here it is. I am looking forward to the game at the MTS Centre, next Sunday afternoon. I got my ticket for the game about a month ago and look forward to seeing some good quality indoor soccer. I look forward to the likes of a Wolde Harris to grace the phone booth and score goals in front of a local audience. While I do have some beefs about the CMISL (i.e, the turf and funny looking goal posts) the fact of the matter is, give it time. It is like any other sports league or sports team that gets off the ground. If this was 5-6 years into the CMISL, the I would be critical, but give it time. Remember, Rome was not built over night, and it takes time to build something from the ground up. If I like the product next week, and the owners do decide to go to a 12 game season starting in November of 2007, I would be definately considering buying season tickets. Here is hoping their will be a good crowd at the MTS Centre next weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpgscrfan Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 FYI - ticket sales were over 3,200 as of last Friday. Apparently there is a big adv. blitz coming this week. They are expecting a crowd of 5,000 - 6,000. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 wpgscrfan and mrpopulistfutebol...my own comments were not meant to be critical of the fans or the players, who surely must be playing thir hearts out...my own point is that, in a convenient reponse to the "beggars can't be choosers" reference, the organizers are in effect acting like beggars by implementing such an unorthodox form of soccer in cities that are crying out for an orthodox version of soccer...they could have quite easily had a bit more vision and seen that the rest of the world is playing futsal, and that Canada doesn't even send a team to the major futsal tournaments, and that there are other thriving regional futsal league with whom to link up with, and that futsal seems to develop a lot of the on-the-ball talents that are so sorely lacking in most Canadian-bred footballers...from where I am sitting (and admittedly it is a good distance from the rest of you) the organizers could have easily been "choosers" but instead decided to set-up such a mickey-mouse system of soccer. That's not disparaging the players or the fans - I'm sure they would love to play in and see a more mainstream (primarily full-field outdoor) form of soccer - so it's not their fault. And as for the attendances, you could pack 10,000 people into the games, and it wouldn't make this form of soccer any more credible. It reminds me so much of this obscure and convoluted form of tennis called soft tennis that is played here in Japan. The ball is very soft and doesn't move very quickly and it allows more rally time, and so is played by young women and kids who find the game easier to manage. There's only one thing - they are among only a couple countries playing this weird sport, the technique involved is so altered that it doesn't help your "regular" tennis game, and anybody who plays proper tennis has a good laugh whenever they see it. Now, if it's just for recreation and fun, like most of the kids playing soft tennis, then go for it - that's what sports were made for. But if you're trying to develop and give playing time to future professional athletes, then I can't help but wonder why not make a simple shift to a mainstream game and start the linking of leagues across the country. I think the reason why this development reasonates so strongly with people like Jeffrey and I is that (and perhaps this is the benefit of distance or of a direct comparison with another country for a reference point) it seems so clear that if we don't have the best younger players in our medium-sized cities playing proper football, or at least the international version of the indoor sport (we still need a winter option if if we do get a national league going), then our national programs really are doomed to be sending our boys to other cities and other countries until the end of time to give them any hope of being a professional. Some are no doubt asking why we are getting so worked up about a little regional project, but I truly believe that this kind of project has the potential to affect the development of soccer in Canada more so than even TFC or whether Vancouver or Montreal get proper stadiums. We must sort out soccer in our medium-sized cities, and sort it out in the most professional and well-reasoned manner possible. It's in Canada's interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrpopulistfutebol Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Nolando, good points you made. It is very intersting that futsal (the international indoor version of soccer played on a basketball sized court) is widely popular in Latin America as well as Spain and Portugal. It is just here in North America, it is not widely as recognized unfortunately, due to indoor soccer (the indoor version of soccer played in a carpet in a hockey rink) is considered by the North American audience to be main stream. I have seen futsal on occasion on television. It is not bad. the problem is, though is their the will right now for a professional futsal league? If their was owners and people in Canada that like you and Jeffrey have for futsal, then maybe it could happen. But I dont see or hear enough about futsal in Canada for it to have a professional league yet, unless people come out with the vision for it. I would support that as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Good points, too, mrpopulist.. For the record, there is (at least) one strong futsal league already in place in Canada. This is the league that i made reference to earlier in this thread: http://www.cpflfutsal.ca/ ...there is some reference to crowds over 1,000, they have what looks like 12 teams in the top men's group...they have youth and women's divisions...they have CSL counterpart clubs like the Serbian White Eagles and Italia Shooters...they are in their second year of operation... i see no reason why the same couldn't happen in other regions of Canada...the winners of each region could play-off against each other and then take-it from there...including full FIFA sanctioned events This is just one idea...I don't know anything about that particular league and don't mean to sound like I am promoting it (nor was Jeffrey promoting that or any futsal for that matter)...I just am in favor of some simple unification of regional leagues and standardization of the basic rules of the game. If this gets done at the indoor level, then the same blueprint might have some hope for a full outdoor league down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoyleG Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Indoor soccer is an ambomination much in the same was as Rugby 7's, Twenty20 Cricket, Indoor Lacrosse, Arena Football, yadda, yadda, and yadda. Some people should learn that consuming too much of the local alcohol when typing isn't a good thing. We've seen planned leagues collapse time and time again because people in middle of the country don't give a damn about anyone else but themselves. Seems an obession with MLS is far more important than to developing a professional league. Only the latter can ensure to long-term prosperity of soccer in Canada. That can only continue on when the big three treat the rest of Canada as equals, not as nobodies that need to be lectured constantly. Seems more that people are embarassed by the fact that an indoor league could end up being national and so they should be. When you don't push the outdoor owners to better Canadian soccer, people will step in to offer an alternative. That is the case here. Indoor soccer is far more in line with the real game than what futsal is. No one is going to watch a game where no tackling is involved and you can play the ball with your head. Too bad the complaints come from a bunch of people who never watch indoor soccer before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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