Currently, we are in the worst part of the sports calendar. We have baseball season, and while I do love baseball, there isn’t anything else going on. People are just bored, clamoring for football to finally return. The Hall of Fame game was last night, but nobody really wants to watch their 3rd stringer play a meaningless game. People want games that count.

To put into perspective on how bad we crave new, entertaining, and interesting things to watch, on this very week two years ago, SportsCenter went live to WNBA star, Brittney Griner, trying to dunk a basketball. She missed twice and then they stopped.

This is what it has come down to for sports fans during this time of the year…

But it doesn’t have to be like this! The football that you so crave can be found just north of the border in the Canadian Football League! A league full of excitement and passion that deserves way more attention from its southern neighbors. So with that said, here are my five reasons why you should be watching the CFL this summer.

1. The Players Are Playing For The Love Of The Game

Watching a CFL game is like watching a Group of 5 college football game; there is a lot of talent on the field, but you know people aren’t in it for the money. These athletes in the CFL are full of passion.

Sometimes there are guys that are playing in the NFL for the purpose of money and nothing else; these players are playing because they love football and they wouldn’t know what to do without it. Just watch a game and see how hard they play. The looks on their faces while they play is amazing and it’s refreshing to watch. This type of football takes me back to the days of when we played in my backyard, where everything was simpler.

2. The Fun Rule Changes

While the CFL is very similar to the American rules of football, there are some nuances in the rules that differ the league from everyone else.

These rule changes are fun and add some extra intrigue. For example, a team can be awarded a single point if the ball is kicked into the endzone via kickoff, field goal, or punt, and the opposing team does not return it out of the endzone.

A CFL field is also much longer (110 yards) and wider (65 yards). The endzones are also 20 yards deeper as opposed to 10 and the goal posts sit at the front of the endzone. These rules also allow for 12 men to play at once instead of 11, something I’m sure Derek Dooley would be a fan of. Players in the backfield are allowed to move around in the backfield before a ball is snapped, allowing for receivers to get a running start. However, teams are only afforded three downs to move the chains instead of four. If a ball is fumbled out of bounds, the last team to touch it is awarded possession.

All of these rules and more make the CFL exciting to watch. Just try not to snicker the first time you hear the three minute warning.

3. The Fans

Football is an incredible sport to watch, and the fans in Canada share the same passion for the game that we do here in America. Sure, teams may not be selling out 102,000 seat stadiums, but I guarantee there are more fans at Saskatchewan’s New Mosaic Stadium than there are at a Jacksonville Jaguars game.

The truth is, Canadian fans don’t get nearly the respect they deserve. There are some great traditions in the CFL, and the fans get rowdy. Plus, beer is a whole lot cheaper at a game in Canada, so the fans have a little extra juice flowing. Every team also has a cool fight song, and they all are really catchy.

4. The Season Length

It is a tough task to find a flaw with the NFL or college football. I guess there are some moral issues associated with both, but the real problem is that when the season ends, we still crave more.

It would put player safety at risk to extend the season any longer, but selfishly, I would like for the season to last longer, and in the Canadian Football League, a fan gets more than their fair share of games as each team plays 18 regular season games, and a lucky few will play several more in the playoffs.

5. Catch Up On Some Of Your Favorite College Players

I’m sure we can all remember sitting there, watching a college football game and thinking to ourselves, “Wow, he is a great college football player.” They might not make it to the NFL, but they sure as hell were exciting to watch on Saturdays. The CFL is full of exciting playmakers whose game, unfortunately, didn't translate to the NFL.

While those guys may not be playing on Sundays, a lot of them ended up playing the game we love just north of the border, and some are still just as exciting as you remember. Names like Oregon’s Vernon Adams, Central Michigan’s Dan LeFevour, Notre Dame’s Everett Golson, and many more have all sought refuge in the Canadian Football League. I’m sure everyone remembers Dorian Durant’s historic career at UNC — well, now he has become one of the best quarterbacks in CFL history.