Johnny Manziel's road to CFL stardom won't be easy

The wider field won't impede Johnny Manziel in the Canadian Football League. Neither will the 20-second play clock, the 12-man defensive looks, the punts on third down nor the pre-snap motion. It's all of it, all at once, all while Manziel is in a hurry to master this league so he can move on to the next.

Most American quarterbacks need a year or more to adjust and thrive in the CFL. But if Manziel is to return to the NFL when his two-year contract expires, he must speed up the traditional timetable and put extended periods of high-end play on tape right away. He can start measuring his progress Friday night when he debuts in the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' preseason opener, scheduled to kick off…