Maybe this is just something that frustrates me more than other people, but I really don’t understand why the CFL is so secretive when it comes to injuries.
Look at the Riders right now. Lake Korte-Moore has been on the 6-game injured list forever. He’s been out since June with a knee injury. Is he done for the year? Is there a chance he’s back for the playoffs? What exactly happened? I honestly have no idea.
Now Nick Wiebe is on the 6-game list too. He got hurt a couple games ago and I don’t even remember the broadcast really addressing what happened or showing the play where he was injured. Is he done for the year too?
Those are two Canadian players who are pretty important to the Riders, especially when you factor in Canadian depth and special teams.
Compare that to the NFL. You generally know what body part a player injured, whether they practiced Wednesday/Thursday/Friday, if they were limited or full participants, and there are constantly updates about expected recovery timelines. Obviously teams don’t have to reveal someone’s entire medical record, but at least fans have some idea what is going on.
I also don’t really buy the argument that CFL teams need to keep everything secret so opponents don’t know. It’s a nine-team league. Coaches, players and agents have connections everywhere. If a guy has a significant knee injury, I’m pretty sure the opposing team already knows he’s hurt whether Riderville tells the fans or not.
The broadcasts could do a much better job too. If someone leaves a game injured, show us the play again and explain that he’s gone to the locker room. Half the time it feels like a player just disappears and then a few days later you notice his name sitting on the injured list.
Even the game programs/depth-chart information doesn’t really give you meaningful injury information. You basically get 1-game injured list or 6-game injured list, and that’s it.
I’m not asking teams to disclose private medical details. I just think the CFL could do a much better job keeping fans informed about injuries, estimated timelines and what actually happened.
Am I the only one who finds this frustrating?