Is America Ready for the CFL ... Again?

Between 1993 and 1995, the Canadian Football League came up with the brilliant idea, led by commissioner Larry Smith -- the United States, presumably bored with the NFL, was ready for 12-on-12, 110-yard action. The result? Eight teams from Memphis to Sacramento, including the only non-Canadian team to hoist the Grey Cup, the 1994 Baltimore Stallions. I wonder if they had a parade?

Why is this all relevant? Because former NFL wide receiver Oronde Gadsden is trying to bring the CFL back to America, due in part to the unstable future of the Arena Football League.

The Stallions and San Antonio Texans were the final American teams in the CFL. The Stallions moved to Montreal following the 1995 season, and the Texans folded because they didn't want to be the only American team in the league.

According to RotoExperts.com (via PFT), Gadsden is pushing for the league to expand to either Rochester, New York, or -- get ready for this -- Detroit.

Yes. That Detroit. The Detroit that already has a professional football team known as the Lions. At this point, you can insert your own "at least Detroit would have competitive football" joke.

Here's what Gadsden had to say on the subject:

"Those are two great cities that would support the game and would really fill a niche if we can get agreements from the league, then one of the cities," Gadsden said. "With the AFL not active, there are some great players who deserve to be seen, and the time is right for CFL expansion back into the U.S. The league is more stable than ever."

I'm in favor of this under one condition: the new team, wherever it is located, is named the Rough Riders. Because, quite frankly, it's been far too long since the CFL contained two teams named the Rough Riders.

Aside from having a larger field and more players per side, the CFL also only gives teams three downs to move the chains and has no fair catch rule (it has a five-yard halo rule instead). There's also the rouge:

Awarded when the ball is kicked into the end zone by any legal means, other than a successful field goal, and the receiving team does not return, or kick, the ball out of its end zone. It is also a single if the kick travels through the end zone or goes out of bounds in the end zone without being touched, except on a kickoff.

It's as Canadian as the 55-yard line.

According to Gadsden, the CFL would "appeal to the football purist, but families also," as a family of four would be able to attend a game for $100. Actually, that's not bad.

Having said that, I can't see this being a successful move for the CFL, nor can I see it happening at all.

However, if it were to happen, it's never too early to start the discussion of who would win: the 2008 Detroit Lions or the 2009 Detroit Rough Riders?