North American football was born in Canada in the 1860s. For decades, though,the growth of Canadian football was slow to change from its rugby traditions. In recent decades, it has been in the shadow of its largest competitor, the National Football League. Although hockey is held up as Canada's number one sport, the CFL has enjoyed as rich and storied a tradition in Canadian sports history. This book is not the usual general history detailing on-field accomplishments, Grey Cup winners etc. Instead, it combines an historical look through 2003 with discussion of continuous themes which have shaped the League. These include the role of the Canadian player, competition from other pro sports, the media's role in creating an image of the CFL, Canadians' attitudes towards pro sports, and how the CFL continually struggles to survive - often in spite of itself. Extremely well researched. Mr. O'Brien's book takes the passionate CFL fan to school for a fascinating history lesson. -- Dave Randorf, Host of TSN's Friday Night Football Great research, excellent insights, all captured by good writing make for a wonderful read about a national asset. -- Frank Cosentino, author of A PASSING GAME, ex-CFL quarterback If you love the CFL, you'll love Steve O'Brien's fashion to bring you closer to the game. -- Rick Moffat, Voice of the Montreal Alouettes, CJAD 800 Radio, Montreal Mr. O'Brien has hit the mark on what makes the CFL so special. ... A definite must for the CFL fan. -- Rod Pedersen, Voice of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, CKRM 620 Radio, Regina There have not been enough books published about the CFL - but this one is easily one of the best. -- John Valentine, Chair, Physical Education Department, Grant MacEwan College, Edmonton, AB This edition will be included in SEARCH INSIDE THE BOOK at a later date. That feature still exists with the old edition as long as it is still listed by Amazon. Steve O'Brien was born in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada). He holds an Honours BA in History/General Major in Classical Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Master's degree in History/Classics from the University of Alberta. CFL superstar quarterback Doug Flutie was at a loss to explain why Canadians cannot accept the CFL on its own terms instead of comparing it with or preferring the NFL. "They have to try to measure themselves against the U.S. all the time and it's their perception of what the U.S. does is always a little bigger, a little better and I mean you don't have to look any further." When asked why this was such a prevalent attitude among Canadians, Flutie shrugged. "It's their own little problem that they have to get over, psychologically or whatever it is." Oklahoma native and CFL head/assistant coach since the early 1970s, John Payne, was baffled that Canadians do not appreciate what is their own. "It's a shame it's that way because just because it's American, doesn't make it better. I think the Canadian Football League is the greatest football in the country, in the world. It appears to me that the Canadian fan would latch on to really, their only true national sport." Payne could not understand the penchant shown by so many in southern Ontario towards the NFL. "I don't know why the Canadian fans or public likes American football because it's not nearly as exciting." Today, the NFL is regarded as the ultimate sports league whose hype, glamour and glitz are peddled worldwide. That image was only created in the mid-1970s through television and heavy marketing. Modern football was not an American discovery. Americans can be given credit for the earlier standardization and the professionalization of football, but not its invention. The Super Bowl is also not about being "world" champions despite such banners at NFL stadiums and contrary to exclamations by Al Michaels or John Madden. The victors win the Vince Lombardi trophy and are champions of the National Football League --- nothing more. Then again, Americans ascribe the tag of "world" champions to whichever team wins the World Series unaware that it is so named because the baseball championship was originally sponsored by the New York World newspaper at the turn of the 20th century. Besides, "World" includes more than the continental United States. Still, it was curious to witness the American reaction to the Toronto Blue Jays becoming "world" champions two years in a row. Although the first Grey Cup was held in 1909, it took four decades before it became firmly imprinted in the Canadian consciousness. Since 1937, it has regularly pitted Canadian teams in an East-West format for Canadian football supremacy. The Grey Cup has provided more than ninety years of tradition, glory and a wealth of stories. For all that, no Canadian would suggest that whichever CFL team wins a coveted $48 trophy donated by a long-dead governor general were "world" champions of football. One can imagine the reaction if references were made to the 1936 Sarnia Imperials, the