ficials call loses its edge while the play is reviewed.

I miss football. It has been eleven years, eight months, and 261 days since I played my last CFL game. Never once in that time have I regretted my decision to retire, nor have I ever wished that I could make a comeback. I dont miss playing football. Three weeks into the 2014 CFL season, I miss the existence of football...or at least the version of the game that Ive spent virtually my entire life watching, playing, and loving. Absent is the fast pace of the game created by the 20-second play clock. In its place are plodding affairs that often exceed three hours in length and are punctuated by penalty flags and instant replay reviews. The superstar players who had drawn me to the sport growing up have been reduced to sharing the spotlight with the men in striped shirts. The captivating chess match between coaches, which used to be about Xs and Os, has instead become about which general is able parlay his complement of replay challenges into the biggest payoff. Perhaps most disturbing to me is the apparent desire to transform football from a "collision sport" into a "contact sport." Im not going to lie, nor am I going to apologize. I crave a certain amount of "controlled violence." I enjoy mixed martial arts, dont mind fighting in hockey, and to be blunt, absolutely love big hits on the gridiron. Those hits, and the inherent physical risk associated with them, are part of football...but, in Week 3, the CFL edged perilously close to dressing quarterbacks in red "non-contact" jerseys like the ones they wear in practice. I appreciate that the relatively new concept of player safety is being taken seriously, however, the fine line between "player safety in football" and "rugby played in helmets and shoulder pads" has become a little too blurry for my liking. My complaint isnt with the leagues officials. My beef is with the rules theyre being asked to enforce, the standards to which theyre being asked to enforce them, and a review system that effectively castrates them in terms of exercising judgment. Where the officials used to be asked to enforce the rules, they have now become slaves to those regulations. For me, football has always been about the human element – played by humans, coached by humans, officiated by humans, with opportunities for human excellence and human error creating an awesome 60-minute emotional journey. Rules have always been a necessary part of the game but now they too often overshadow the game. Every physical interaction between players is at risk of being deemed "too physical". The cerebral duel between coaches that takes place over 200 painstakingly conceived plays is becoming irrelevant next to the question of "Should he throw his challenge flag?" Every raw emotional reaction to an officials call loses its edge while the play is reviewed. Its just not the same. Dont get me wrong. The games in Week 3 of the CFL schedule still possessed many of the elements of Canadian football that Ive always enjoyed. Thanks to the drama of Julian Feoli-Gudinos game-winning catch, Adarius Bowmans one-handed touchdown grab, Jock Sanders 121-yard missed field goal return, and Andrew Harris run for the ages, the game being governed by current CFL rules still offers incredibly entertaining moments...but, man, I sure miss football. Joe Thomas Jersey . LOUIS -- The St. Greedy Williams Jersey . This weeks topics include his take on the Kevin Pillar incident, All-Star snubs, the firing of Padres general manager Josh Byrnes and more. http://www.cheapbrownsjerseysauthentic.com/.Y. - Peyton Manning made his fifth MVP award a family affair. Austin Seibert Jersey . THE MICHAEL JORDAN FLU GAME First this famous basketball moment. The story goes like this. “Game 5, known as "The Flu Game", was one of Michael Jordans most memorable. Sione Takitaki Jersey . Manager Alex Ferguson says the injury was sustained while the player tried to hit a volley toward the end of training on Tuesday.PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- David Price didnt think he would be in Port Charlotte this spring. For much of the off-season, the Tampa Bay Rays ace expected to be traded. Instead, the 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner signed a one-year contract to remain with the only team hes ever played for, a huge deal for the small-market club. "It feels great. Everybody knows how much I love this organization and how much they love me. The way the cities of St. Petersburg and Tampa have treated me over the course of six or seven years has been nothing short of incredible," Price said Saturday. "I love it here. Im very comfortable. This is home for me." Theres still a chance that Price could get traded before the end of the season, but he thinks each day in Port Charlotte makes it less likely. "Right now, I dont think theres a very good chance of being traded because Im here in spring training," he said. "I felt like if I could make it to spring training, that would solidify my place on this team." Price isnt the only member of the Rays happy to see him return. His teammates say his contributions to the warm clubhouse atmosphere are as important as the pitches he throws.dddddddddddd "David has a great arm," new Rays catcher Ryan Hanigan said. "Ive watched him pitch a lot. His performances speak for themselves. Hes a great clubhouse guy, too. I got a text from him when I signed just saying, Ill have (the pitchers) ready for you. Thats awesome. Hes a leader." Manager Joe Maddon suggested the uncertainty of where the looming off-season would take him weighed heavily on Price last season. He went 10-8 with a 3.33 ERA. Maddon expects Price will enjoy this season much more and could return to his form from 2012, when he went 20-5 with a 2.56 ERA. "I can definitely see him not as edgy," Maddon said. "Hes more comfortable here. He believes hes going to be here. Last year was a difficult year, coming off all the awards and coming back with all the uncertainty." If Price does return to that 2012 form, it could lead to something very big for the Rays. "We have a very solid team right now from our outfield to our infield, which is always packed with Gold Gloves," Price said. "I feel like we have a very competitive team right now. Everybody in here has very high hopes for us." 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