2010 CFL season

The 2010 CFL season is the 57th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it is the 53rd season of the league. Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton hosted the 98th Grey Cup on November 28 when the Montreal Alouettes became the first team to repeat as Grey Cup Champions in 13 years, defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders, 21–18. The league announced on its Twitter page on January 29, 2010 that the season would start on July 1, 2010.

CFL news in 2010

CFL retro

West Division Retro Jerseys

East Division Retro Jerseys

As the league approaches the 100th Grey Cup, the CFL will celebrate the 1970s with all eight teams wearing retro-themed uniforms from that era during Weeks 6 and 7.^[1] Since Saskatchewan's alternate jersey is a version of the 1970s home jersey, they were the only team to wear both home and away retro jerseys during these games.

Additionally, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the players donned red and black centennial jerseys that the team wore from 1912 to 1947 on July 17 when they played Edmonton at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field in Regina.

Debut of the Moncton Series

The CFL will begin a series of annual games in Moncton, New Brunswick during the 2010 season. The first game, marketed under the "Touchdown Atlantic" banner took place on September 26, as the Edmonton Eskimos defeated the Toronto Argonauts, 24–6, in front of a sold out crowd of 20,725 at the new Moncton Stadium. Tickets for the game sold out within 32 hours of going on sale.^[2][3] The success of Touchdown Atlantic 2010 has moved Moncton towards a position of candidate for CFL expansion.^[4][5]

Labour agreement

The collective bargaining agreement between the CFL and the CFL Players' Association expires on June 5, 2010. Negotiations between the two parties have been stalled since October 2009; a meeting is scheduled on April 26, 2010 in Toronto. Stu Laird, president of the CFLPA, has sent e-mails to all players. According to Canwest News Service, the e-mails advise the players to remain unified and "It continues to be the opinion of the executive committee that a CFL management lockout of the players is a very real possibility."^[6]

On June 29, 2010, two days before the start of the regular season, it was announced that the CFL and CFLPA had agreed to a new 4-year CBA, set to expire before the 2014 CFL season.^[7] While many changes were made, the most prominent were those made to the salaries and the introduction of a drug policy. The 2010 team salary cap is set at $4,250,000 with a team salary floor of $3,900,000 and a minimum player salary of $42,000.^[8] The salary cap is set to increase $50,000 per season, reaching $4,400,000 by 2013, with the floor being $4,000,000 by that time. The minimum player salary is set to increase by $1000 per season until 2013 where it would be $45,000.

Rule changes

Like in the 2009 CFL season, another fan contest on what rule changes the fans wanted to see was done, this time the fans were asked by Commissioner Mark Cohon to focus on what changes could be made to the overtime format to improve it. While a complete overhaul of the format such as going to a "mini game" of playing two 5 minute no quarter halves or eliminating over time in the regular season, fans endorsed the current overtime format with one significant change. The four rules changes for the season approved by the rules committee, including a change to overtime the fans call on in the contest, are as follows:

Changes to overtime

• Teams that score a touchdown in overtime must go for a two-point convert by running or passing the ball into the end zone instead of kicking for a single point. A similar rule is used in United States intercollegiate football, where a similar overtime is used, starting with the third overtime session (overtime sessions are unlimited). This rule has been experimented in other football leagues like the World Football League and the XFL.

Changes in regulation

• Will allow a team that gives up a field goal the option of scrimmaging from its 35-yard line instead of receiving a kick-off. In 2009, this option was eliminated, but has been overturned as it failed to make any significant difference in entertainment value as it was intended, and was unpopular with the coaches.

• Will ensure there is no penalty for pass interference applied if a forward pass is deemed uncatchable.

• Fixing the no yards or halo rule that will result in a penalty of five instead of fifteen yards when a ball is punted, hits the ground and hits a player from the covering team.^[9]

Broadcasting

TSN remains the exclusive broadcaster for all CFL games in Canada. In the United States, the CFL ended its longstanding agreement with America One and signed a more limited deal with NFL Network, which will air 14 games for the season (as opposed to the roughly 70 games per year carried by America One). As with America One, NFL Network will simulcast the TSN broadcast. RDS remains the exclusive French broadcaster of the CFL showing all 18 Montreal Alouettes regular season games and all of the CFL Playoffs.

Records and milestones

• On October 11, 2010, Ben Cahoon became the CFL's all-time reception leader, catching his 1,007th career pass from Anthony Calvillo in a home game against the Calgary Stampeders.
• November 7, 2010 saw the first time that a regular season Buffalo Bills home game at Rogers Centre in Toronto had been played during the regular CFL season; the Bills against the Chicago Bears kicked off at 1.00pm, while the Toronto Argonauts kicked off their final regular season game at the Montreal Alouettes at 4.00pm.

Regular season

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points

Teams in bold are currently in playoff positions.
X – clinched playoff berth
Y – clinched first place

Award winners

CFL Player of the Week

Andy Fantuz of the Saskatchewan Roughriders was named the CFL's Outstanding Canadian for the months of July and September after picking up the league's weekly honour four times.

Source^[10]

CFL Player of the Month

Source^[11]

CFL playoffs

The Montreal Alouettes became the first team to repeat as Grey Cup Champions in 13 years, defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders, 21–18 at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium. Alouettes' wide receiver Jamel Richardson was named the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player, and Roughriders' defensive tackle, Keith Shologan was named the Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian.

Playoff bracket

*-Team won in Double Overtime.

CFL Leaders

• CFL Passing Leaders

• CFL Rushing Leaders

• CFL Receiving Leaders ^[12]

2010 CFL All-Stars

2010 CFL Western All-Stars

2010 CFL Eastern All-Stars

2010 CFLPA Pro Player All-Stars

Source^[13]

2010 Gibson's Finest CFL Awards

• CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Henry Burris (QB), Calgary Stampeders
• CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Andy Fantuz (SB), Saskatchewan Roughriders
• CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Markeith Knowlton (DB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award – Ben Archibald (OT), Calgary Stampeders
• CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award – Solomon Elimimian (LB), BC Lions
• John Agro Special Teams Award – Chad Owens (WR), Toronto Argonauts
• Tom Pate Memorial Award – Wes Lysack (DB), Calgary Stampeders
• Jake Gaudaur Veterans' Trophy – Mike McCullough (LB), Saskatchewan Roughriders
• Annis Stukus Trophy – Jim Barker, Toronto Argonauts
• Commissioner's Award – Rider Nation (The award was given to the entire Rider fan base; it is usually only given to an individual).
• Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award - Tony Proudfoot, Montreal Alouettes

References