Two of My Favorite Enthusiasms

...are combined in one press release!

HBO Notices Curling

In my mail:


REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL

TAKES AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE SPORT OF CURLING

WHEN THE EMMY®-WINNING SHOW RETURNS FEB. 9, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO®



With the Winter Games in Vancouver just days away, REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents an Olympic-themed program when its 155th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, FEB. 9 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), an hour earlier than usual, exclusively on HBO.

Segments include:



*Sweep This! If you’ve ever watched the Winter Olympics on TV and wondered how a bunch of people sliding rocks across the ice and sweeping with brooms became a sport, let alone an Olympic sport, you’re not alone. While curling hasn’t exactly gone mainstream here in the United States, it’s a national obsession north of the border. REAL SPORTS correspondent Bernard Goldberg travels to Canada to see what all the excitement’s about and visits Duluth, Minn., to take an inside look at the sport with a bartender, substitute teacher, construction worker and parole officer, aka the U.S. Olympic Curling team. Interviews include: U.S. Curling team members – John Benton, Phil Drobnick (coach), Jeff Isaacson, Chris Plys, John Shuster and Jason Smith; Toronto Globe columnist Bob Weeks; Canadian curler Glenn Howard; Ice maker Mark Shurek; amateur curler Eleanor McKitrick.

Producer: Tim Walker.



REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 12 of the last 14 years, in addition to being the first sports program honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism.

The executive producers of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.

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Sunday February 7 in Canadian Curling

The Scotties: I got home during the ninth end of the Team Canada-PEI match, and while I had my heart out to the underdog PEI, I found myself full of respect for Jennifer Jones' team's unwillingness to quit, and to fight back with a series of steals, as well as a very nice shot in an extra end to represent Canada again at the Worlds. It was very nice to see the PEI response - high-fiving, and to hear Kathy O'Rourke say that she was proud her team had done all they could.
I was very impressed with their very impressive call on the last rock in the tenth. It was gutsy, and only a fool would say it cost them the championship; they must have known an extra end with Jones having the hammer was not a great prospect.

The Ontario Tankard: One thing I failed to mention. Howard did not lose a single match. Of course Ontario is not Alberta, but still .....

2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts - Extra EndTeam Canada Wins!

Carmody really pushed the hammer out on her last shot of the 10th end. PEI was shot, so that rock scored. Now CAN has the hammer and better-than-even odds to repeat as champs. Let's see how they play it.

Through ten ends, Jones out-curled Carmody, but overall PEI out-curled CAN by 5 percentage points.

• centre guard by PEI's Affleck
  
• draw around it to top full 8 by CAN's Askin
• draw around to back full 8 by Affleck
  
• tap CAN rock to top 4, leave CAN shooter in 8

Nuts. lost some of what I'd written.

Guards are gone with the second's stones. Ramsay puts up a sentre guard. CathyO peels it. Another guard from Ramsay. CathyO peels it. Carmody guards with her first stone (a slight tap might have caused problems for CAN). CAN takes a time out. Jones wants to draw to the edge of the top 4 and convinces the rest of the team of the efficaciousness of the strategy.

The Jones draw is about 3" too deep, setting up a possible draw/freeze for Carmody, which would likely lead to a steal and a win for PEI. She didn't freeze it (a tad heavy), though, leaving a similar tap for Jones to win. Jones picks it and wins.

Team Canada three-peats in a very impressive come-back!

Ontario Tankard

Won by Glenn Howard 5-3; there were no deuces. Too bad I could not watch it/

2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts - Conclusion

PEI leads 6-4 with the hammer going into the last three ends, and they are out-curling CAN 83% to 72%. The really big difference (in contrast to the Page 1-2 playoff) is that Carmody is out-curling Jones 89% to 71%.

End #8: CAN has two centre guards, one really long. PEI has two in the top of the rings. CAN nudges a PEI rock next to the other and rolls to the edge of the house. PEI removes the long guard. Nice tap-back by Jill Officer, who has struggled with draw weight today. PEI removes the tight guard, so we're left only with rocks in the rings. CathyO puts up a centre guard, which is peeled by PEI. CAthyO draws to the back 4 and is shot. Ramsay tries a double, but gets only one CAN rock, opening up the rings a bit, though. So Jones puts up a guard. Carmody tried to tap back the CAN shot rock, but just moved it over behind cover a bit more. Jones makes a beauty draw around the guards to sit just past the t-line biting the button, sitting 2. The pressure is on Carmody to make a really good tap, but it went too far. Steal of one for CAN.
PEI 6, CAN 5 and PEI still has the hammer.

End #9: Well I really didn't expect CAN to bounce back at all, and now they're almost back in it. If they can force PEI to take one this end, they'll be down two with the hammer coming home.

After the standard opening, Officer wrecks on a guard and drifts to the back 12'. PEI peels the long guard. Officer crashed again, setting up two corner guards. PEI hits and sticks on the CAN guard at the back of the house. CathyO doubles off the two PEI stones at the top of the house. Ramsay pushes the CAN rock back, where it jams at the back of the house. Now CAN can try to force PEI to take one. CathyO draws to the right side of the rings. Ramsay doesn't get as much roll as she wanted after her hit but lies one. Near nose hit by Jones to stick as shot. Carmody looked a little shaky in the hack, hits and is wide open. Jones has a hit and roll to make PEI draw for one. Let's see if that's what happens. Nose hit. Now PEI can't nose hit and score, so PEI must draw, but she's way light and give up a steal of two! What a switcheroo!
CAN 7, PEI 6

Last End??? Who'd a thunk CAN would be ahead going into the 10th end? I know they have great skills, but PEI seemed to be rolling. Now PEI has the hammer and must score 2 to win.

CAN puts a rock in the rings and a tight guard. PEI has a long corner guard. Then Affleck taps the CAN rock back and sits on the button. Officer hits and rolls, just a bit shy of being behind cover. O'Rourke ticked the shot rock rather than move it. Another guard by CAN. Run-back by PEI essentially removes a CAN guard. CathyO puts up another guard, leaving a small port for Ramsay to try to fit through to remove CAN shot rock. She did it and rolled a couple of inches. CathyO will try to follow her down, does, but the shooter rolls to the side 12. Ramsay draws to the button. What a time for Ramsay to pull through with two really good shots!!

PEI has shot rock on the button behind a long-ish CAN guard. Jones tries to follow Ramsay down but is just a tad light. So PEI takes a time out with a rock on the button; CAN has rocks biting the top 4, full side 8, and full side 12. Even if PEI is forced to take one this end, the advantage swings to CAN, who would have the hammer in an extra end.

I'm not sure I agree with the PEI choice to draw to the edge of the four, but if they make this shot, they'll be sitting two. They hit the red in the 8, but don't get a roll, so they're sitting 1-3. Now CAN calls time out and is discussing a possible double or hit and tap. huh? Their rock, which is 2nd shot, is fully buried, so a tap will be really tough. Meanwhile a draw through the port would be tough, too. After another time-out, they decide on the tap, hoping it will maybe become shot or at worst block the paths to the button for PEI.

Meanwhile, Carmody admits to being pretty nervous.

Well the tap didn't get the rock to shot, but it'll make it VERY hard for PEI to get two. Whoa, are they talking about trying a double to win? It's a risky shot, but it probably beats taking one this end and trying to steal in an extra end. I'm not sure it's there, and they risk moving their own shot rock. Probably worth the chance at this stage.

What a miss by Carmody! A complete flash, giving PEI one, so we'll have an extra end.
CAN 7, PEI 7

2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts - Final, Part II

PEI is out-curling CAN 78% to 76% (not a big difference). The lowest percentage so far is Cathy OC at 59% (some of which is due to a pick in the first end). The skips are both curling at 84%.

End #5: CAN opens having Askin (CAN lead) put one on the top 8. Affleck (lead, PEI) answers with a corner guard that drifts very tight to the rings. Askin puts her 2nd rock top 12. Affleck tried a double, removed one, and drifted toward the corner guard. Officer over-curled and nudged the pei rock behind cover. PEI splits the rings in the back 8. Officer tries an impossible double and rolls to the button. Nose hit on that stone by O'Rourke. It strikes me that a nose hit is almost never good except for the hammer. Cathy OC returns the favour with a nose hit. Ramsay hits and rolls away from the other PEI rock in the rings. Nose hit by Cathy OC. Hit and roll even farther away by Ramsay. Jones hits and rolls a foot, wide open. Nose hit by Carmody to lie two. Jones would like a hit and long roll to corner freeze on the other PEI rock. About an eighth of an inch thick and rolled past the PEI rock. Linda says Jones and CathyO were calling different shots, one a freeze and one a double. Carmody draws for 2.
PEI 4, CAN 3. and at this stage do you think either of these teams can win gold at the Worlds?

Note to CCA and CurlCast: it is REALLY, REALLY annoying to have a bunch of crowd noise coming through my speakers when all I'm trying to do is look at curling percentages!

End #6: Speaking of curling percentages, PEI is out-curling CAN at every position through the first half of the game. Overall 81% - 75%. That's odd: TSN says the curling percentages are 80% - 76%.
PEI puts two in the rings, CAN a corner guard. But then Jones asks Askin to double off the PEI rocks, but she gets only one. Miss by Officer, leaves PEI well set, but O'Rourke is light. Officer doubles the guards. Centre guard by Ramsay, protecting the PEI rock that's biting the button. CathyO is thin, loses her shooter but doesn't quite remove the PEI stone. Ramsay draws too deep, leaving PEI with two in the back 12. Cathy O draws to the back 8 (too deep). Beautiful draw/freeze by Carmody bumped a bit but completely buried. Jones is wide with her freeze attempt and PEI is still shot. Another beauty draw by Carmody to bite the button, just clearing the guard. Jones has to draw to the button with some backing to salvage one, but despite the backing, she is light, giving up a steal of two.
PEI 6, CAN 3

End #7 The PEI rink has made me eat my words before, and it looks as if they might again. If they were to curl this well (especially Carmody) in the worlds, they'd have a good chance of medaling. But they still have to win this one to get to the worlds. So far, Jones seems perplexed. So does CathyO.

Once again a tonne of PEI rocks in the rings and failure by CAN even to establish guards.

... a tonne of personal stuff interrupted. But it sure looks as if PEI is dominating this end. Jones overcurls slightly and over-rolls with her first shot, leaving PEI sitting 2. Carmody's draw to the top 8 is a bit light, but PEI is still sitting 3. Jones has the hammer but must settle for a draw for one.
PEI 6, CAN 4

2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts - Final, Part I

End #1: PEI has a bunch of guards as the skips ready to throw their rocks. Carmody (skip for PEI) tries for a double but removes only one. Jones (skip for Team Canada) hits and sticks when she wanted to roll behind a guard. Carmody gets the double on the second try. Team Canada has a draw to touch the 8' for one or a double attempt for a blank. Oops. She hit shot rock, but may not be shot herself. Had to measure twice, and Team Canada got one. Perhaps from now on, the umpires could be asked to keep their heads out of the camera line?
CAN 1, PEI 0

End #2: omg, the vices curled 38% and 13% in the first end! Nice freeze by O'Rourke (2nd, PEI) to a CAN stone at the back of the house. Exchanged hits on rock at top 8'. Cathy Overton-Clapham [henceforth OC] smashes out a couple, followed by Ramsay clearing all but one from the rings. Exchange hits on rock at top 12'. Hit and roll by Jones. The end is set up for a blank by PEI. Hit and roll by Carmody. Hit and stick by CAN. Hit and roll out by Carmody to get the blank.
CAN 1, PEI 0

End #3: PEI has a corner guard, CAN has a centre guard and a stone in the top 8', uncovered. O'Rourke hits and rolls beyond the corner guard in the side of the 12'. Officer (CAN 2nd) hit it, but rolled out. O'Rourke tries to draw around the corner guard but is partly open. Cathy OC wrecks on the guard, drifting to the other side. Ramsay tries to draw behind a guard but is wide open. Cathy OC tried to hit-and-roll, but is also wide open. Ramsay also hits and sticks. So Jones tries a hit and roll on the other PEI rock (which is shot rock), but rolls too far to be open and sits second shot. Carmody draws to the back 8'. At best a difficult double for CAN, so they opt to try a hit and roll (and not the freeze!). But Jones hit and rolled out, leaving a draw for 2 for PEI. Clearly Carmody has found her draw weight on this ice!
PEI 2, CAN 1

End #4: The curling percentages are pretty even for the two teams, and the thirds are both up over 50% now 8-)

Does it seem to you that the PEI rink is big favourites of the TSN crew? Or maybe they're just enamoured of the new bunch.

Two corner guards by CAN, a PEI rock in the top 8, and centre guard by PEI. Nice draw around a guard by O'Rourke, Officer runs a guard back to remove one of the PEI stones in the house. O'Rourke misses a run-back but removes the guard. Perfect opportunity for CAN to hit and roll behind a couple of corners, but Officer (CAN 2nd) flopped a bit the wrong way, leaving a thin double for Ramsay. She's wide, gets one, and is open for Cathy OC to try the hit and roll, but she rolled out. Ray and Linda think the line call is bad on many of these missed shots.

Nose hit by Ramsay on the remaining CAN rock in the rings, for PEI to lie one. Nose hit on that rock by Cathy OC, still open. Nose hit by Carmody leaves a biter. Beauty hit and roll by Jones behind the two guards. Carmody's draw is a bit deep and open, but it is lying shot, so Jones must tap it back to score two.
CAN 3, PEI 2

2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts - Final

From what we've seen, it certainly looks as if these are the two teams that belong in finals. PEI has looked very good (aside from a couple of early stumbles that misled me), and Team Canada has had only one really bad day, being solid otherwise.

Their earlier meeting was close. Carmody, the skip for PEI barely missed a number of shots.... shots that she seemed to make much more readily in the semi-final against Ontario. Today's final could be a challenge for both teams.

Ontario Tankard Update

Bryan Cochrane, who had lost in the 1-2 Page playoff against Glenn Howard, will be playing Howard again in the 2pm final having handily won the semi-final just this morning.
Unfortunately (in one way) I'll see neither that match nor the Scotties final, preferring to go hear some music.

The 2010 Scott Semi-Finals: PEI vs. Ontario, Conclusion

My guess is that ON needs to score more than one in the 8th end (while they have the hammer) if they want to have even a ghost of a chance against PEI.

End #8: Again, PEI starts with rocks in the rings and ON tries for corner guards. And again O'Rourke nose hits a guard, giving ON a chance to do more in the rings. 2nd time, she peels the guard. guard-peel, etc., again. Ramsay ticks on a corner guard, loses her shooter, and removes a PEI rock from the rings. Oops... the front end of ON called a George rock to be back 4', but it was top 4'. Set up a double for Carmody. Hit and roll attempt by McCarville, but the shooter either went too far or not far enough, sitting wide open and pickable. Beauty double by McCarville to score 2 and keep ON in the game.
PEI 8, ON 6

End #9: Two rocks in the rings for PEI (one too deep) and two centre guards for ON. Freeze by ON to the PEI rock on the side of the 4'. PEI peels the guard. Miharija's draw attempt ticks on the guard, rolls over to the side 12'. PEI peels the guard. George puts up a guard, and PEI removes a rock from the rings. PEI lies 1, George draws around the guard to be shot rock. PEI removes the guard. McCarville puts up a near-centre guard, but PEI thinks they can knock out a couple of ON rocks. A knock-out and a top leave PEI sitting two. ON's play is a draw around the near-centre guard. 4' heavy and sweepers could have held up on it. That leaves Carmody a draw to the full 8' for one, or if she's bold, a slight tap-back for three. They settle for one.
PEI 9, ON 6

End #10: ON has the hammer and must score three to tie and force an extra end. It's doable, but unlikely. The curling percentages have gotten closer (as reflected in the tighter score), and Carmody is curling over 90%, twenty percentage points more than McCarville!

Two guards by ON, two in the rings by PEI (which really bothers both Ray and Linda [colour commentators]). Both of them would prefer that PEI keep the rings clean. I have to agree. And once again O'Rourke, who has the lowest curling percentage on the ice for this game, noses the guard. So, to quote Doyle, "the game is afoot."

Hit and flop by George, but not quite far enough. Ramsay was wide with a pick, but got a very lucky double, making life pretty difficult for ON. George's draw ticks a guard and is wide open. Carmody hits and rolls out. Time out PEI.

As it is, PEI has shot in the top 8, ON has a rock in the top 12. ON needs to get rid of the PEI rock and score three. It'll take a miracle for them to pull this off. They freeze to their own, which is a pretty good strategy. If Carmody completely misses now, then ON can nose it and score 3. PEI decides to guard against this possibility, which will make life very miserable for ON. The guard is pretty tight. The only shot left for McCarville is to play a hard split so that her shooter barely slides in and the guard hits and rolls out and the momentum is high enough to move the two reds onto the yellow and drive it out. I don't know that I've seen her throw this much weight, but it sure is exciting to contemplate.

Nope. PEI steals one.

Final Score: PEI 10, ON 6

Digression: what a great day for sports couch potatoes tomorrow! Soccer in the morning at 11am, Scotties final at 2:30pm, and the SuperBowl at 6:30.

The 2010 Scott Semi-Finals: PEI vs. Ontario, Part II

Holy Crow! the bottom 3 for ON are all curling under 70%!! No wonder they're trailing. Also, they look emotionally beaten. I doubt if they can come back -- it would really be something if they do.

End #6:Corner guard by ON; two in the rings by PEI. Tap back by Maclean (ON lead) was a bit off but okay. PEI removes the ON rock in the rings. Draw by Miharija a bit heavy, lies between two PEI rocks in the 4' and is neatly picked out by O'Rourke. Miharija's second draw attempt is way light and leaves two guards for ON. PEI peels the centre guard, but why? leaving it would have made life hard for ON.

George freezes to a PEI rock but is only 3rd shot. But Ramsay flashes, sailing through a very narrow port. George tries to freeze to the other PEI rock on the button, but comes up waaayyy short, leaving a tight centre guard. And as PEI calls time-out, I'm going to replenish my scotch.

PEI decides to remove the only ON rock in the rings. Didn't remove it, but moved it over so that PEI lies 3. I heard part of the ON discussion, and I think they misread the angles a bit. They got a double but lost the run-back rock. Carmody draws to lie 2. At this stage, McCarville has to try to double for two to get back into the game. It's not a dead-sure double, though, but she makes it.
PEI 7, ON 4

End #6: It's sad: they just showed the local sponsors for all the teams. They all had 4 sponsors listed except the Territories, who have only one local sponsor --- KFC Yellowknife.

Well, after that nice double by McCarville, is there a chance her confidence will return and ON can get back into the game?

ON tries to set up guards, but not successfully. guard-peel, etc. Horrible miss by O'Rourke: nose hit on the guard leaves her shooter as a guard, peels her own from the rings, and taps the ON rock over behind the guard.

George tries to draw behind the guard but is narrow and heavy, leaving a hit and flop for McCarville [I just reread this; I think I combined/confused the effects of 2 or 3 shots; sorry]. She opts to tap instead. Carmody taps the ON rock over, lies 2, but leaves a possible double or freeze by ON. ON chooses to freeze and does so beautifully, lying shot, forcing a draw for 1 by Carmody.
PEI 8, ON 4

The 2010 Scott Semi-Finals: PEI vs. Ontario, Part I

Ontario soundly defeated BC this afternoon by a score of only 6-4, but the back end of ON was noticeably better than that of BC for the 3-4 page play-off.

So now Ontario has a rematch with PEI in the semi-final. It will be VERY interesting to see which teams show up, since both of them have had games when they were really good and other games when they were worse than mediocre.

End #1: Maybe I'll get some of my carping out of the way now. I wonder what the day jobs are for the programmers for Curlcast. Surely full-time programmers wouldn't have created such a user unfriendly site (unless they were told to do so).

Hit and over-roll by ON, followed by an over-shot draw by PEI. Not an auspicious beginning. Two more draws that are a bit too deep. Double and roll by George (ON vice), but shot rock is wide open for a hit-and-roll, which was missed big time by Ramsay (PEI Vice). McCarville (Skip ON) under-curls with her guard attempt. Tap back by Ramsay leaves PEI shot, with a bunch of ON rocks at the back of the house. Nice tap by McCarville leaves ON sitting 2 or 3, forcing Carmody (skip, PEI) to draw to sit shot. The PEI team held their breaths, but the draw was good to the back of the button. McCarville tries to freeze but comes up a foot short. PEI is shot with a draw to the button for 2. Carmody has draw weight (finally?)
PEI 2, ON 0

End #2: Oops. Work matters arose, requiring my attention. As I look at this end, they have just finished throwing vice stones, with one from ON in the top 12, exposed, and two other rocks over on the side in front of the house. Carmody hits and rolls away from the guards, leaving a biter on the edge of the 12'. McCarville hits and rolls over, but not quite behind the guards. Hit and flop by Carmody puts PEI partially behind a guard, forcing McCarville to draw for one.
PEI 2, ON 1

End #3: I`m almost embarrassed to admit it, but I love the Capital One ad that combines all the holidays.

Nuts. More work to do. I`ll see how much I can get done. Nice tap by Carmody with her first rock, but it leaves a pocket for McCarville to freeze to. But McCarville is outside a bit and a bit light, leaving a hit for 4. But she missed slightly and scored ònly`three.
PEI 5, ON1

End #4: As I am finally able to join the end in progress, they're on 2nd rocks. There are two corner guards, and two rocks in the rings. Miharija (ON 2nd) draws, but is wide open. Ramsay (PEI vice) hits it on the nose and sticks. George (ON vice) hits and slides slightly toward the centre. Another nose-hit-and-stick by Ramsay.

George wrecks on a guard, trying to draw. Carmody sort of buggers a shot, knocking one of the PEI rocks back and not removing the ON rock. McCarville has a very difficult tap back to lie 3. Too light: didn't get behind the guard with the shooter and didn't remove the PEI rock (still shot). Carmody tries to draw to split the rings, but drifts back too far, leaving a possible double for 3 for McCarville. A shade narrow and scored only one.
PEI 5, ON 2

End #5: Two centre guards for ON, two in the house for PEI. Miharija's draw is a bit short, ending top 12. O'Rourke removes it and rolls to corner 12'. Miharija draws to the back 4 from the other side. O'Rourke peels the short guard. George puts up a tighter guard.

Small attendance again, compared with the crowds when this was held in London, ON.

Ramsay peels the long guard. George draws around the tight guard, and ON lies 2 for now. I can't figure out what Ramsay was trying to do as she shook up her own rocks in the house. Maybe trying to open the path to the button? Nevertheless, McCarville seems non-plussed. McCarville tries to draw around a PEI stone in the house, but again is a tad light and open. But PEI eschews the hit, opting for a Carmody tap back of their own instead. McCarville again was outside the broom (or else the broom was set out too far) and flashed on a classic angle raise. But Carmody made a perfect angle raise to score two.
PEI 7, ON 2

Break Time!

Team Canada Wins the Page 1-2 Playoff

I got home in time to watch the last few ends as Jennifer Jones and the Team Canada rink defeated the PEI rink and Kathy O'Rourke. What I saw was a shaky Carmody throwing the skips stones for PEI, and I gather from both the commentary and the published stats that she barely missed a few shots, and that made the difference.

Tomorrow at 1pm EST, Kelly Scott and the BC rink will face Krista McCarville and the Ontario rink. The winner of that game will face PEI in the semi-final at 7pm, and the winner of the semi-final meets Team Canada Sunday afternoon (BEFORE the SuperBowl) for the championship and the right to represent Canada at the World Championships.

Tie-Breaker, Second Half

6th End: Pretty decent curling so far, but I would be VERY surprised if either of these teams could medal at the worlds. Meanwhile, being unaccustomed to bach-ing it (Ms. Eclectic is visiting relatives) I'm not messing with crock pots or what have you as might my co-blogger. Tonight it'll be 22 veggie eggrolls from a club pack.

Our cat seems to really enjoy watching curling, and likes it up close to the screen, making it difficult for me to see what's going on. Sorry.

MAN has shot rock and two guards; Miharija (2nd for ON) peels both guards and loses the shooter, too. ON has managed to clear things out pretty well after a messy beginning.

Coming in to this game, Phillips (MAN vice) had a substantially higher curling percentage than George (ON vice), but so far in this game, George is out-curling Phillips by 30 percentage points! Phillips wiffs, leaving ON sitting 2, then Thurston misses a double attempt, also leaving ON sitting 2. ON puts one on the t-line. Thurston needs a double or else ON will have a draw for three. She got one. McCarville has a hit for three.
ON 8, Man 3

7th End: Ray and Linda are perplexed that ON hasn't thrown their rocks through the rings; instead ON begins with two in the 4' and the MAN front end of Westcott and Wilson puts up some guards, while Miharija tries to remove them. Oops, left her shooter as a guard on her 2nd shot.

I don't understand it (and neither do Ray and Linda) but ON had two touching the button behind a guard, and chose to peel the guard. I guess they just wanted to try to empty the house, but they certainly opened things up for MAN. But then after MAN taps 'em back a bit, ON puts up a guard... go figure. Maybe someone can offer an explanation in the comments?

Thurston tries triple whammy type run back but removes only one ON rock. ON guards such that Thurston will have a difficult time getting a second point. Thurston tries and angle tapback but whiffs on the target rock and removes her shot rock, giving ON a surprising steal of 2.
ON 10, MAN 3

End #8: I guess if it weren't a tie-breaker for the play-offs, I'd have said it's over. And so we go back after a commercial and see that MAN agreed with me that they were not likely to come back.

Ontario wins, 10-3.

Alan is on tonight, covering Team Canada vs. PEI. Should be very good!

Interlude

No, I'm not goofing off at home, watching the Scott Tournament of Hearts. I'm doing serious research for the course I teach on the Economics of Sports.

Tie-Breaker, First Half

End #1: The teams played it cautiously, both seeming to get a feel for the ice. The one thing of note was that McCarville's first hit on a lone Manitoba stone in the rings rolled out, when she probably wanted to stick around; and then her second hit barely rolled out to give her the blank.
ON 0, Man 0.

End #2: As the second end unfolds, Manitoba has two in the house, splitting the rings, with one partially behind a guard. If these keeps up, it's to Man's advantage because either they will steal one or ON will be forced to take one. But of course it doesn't keep up. ON tries to freeze to the shot rock, but bounces a bit. In turn Man also tries to freeze but also bounces.

Nice hit-and-roll by Tara George (ON Vice) to take out one Man stone and roll over behind the guard. Kristen Phillips (MAN Vice) jiggled the rocks around, but then George did another nice hit and roll the other way, to leave ON lying 3. Thurston pulls off a great double, leaving her shooter behind the guard and Man lies 1.

McCarville tries to freeze to the shot rock, but comes up about 4' short. Thurston puts up a pretty daunting guard. ON can draw for one, likely but opts to try a long run-back to score two or maybe even three. What an amazing shot! I was prepared to rag on her for taking such a big chance, but she made it!
ON 3, MAN 0

End #3: MAN has a corner guard, ON two in the rings near the t-line; MAN's lead (Westcott) tries a tap back, but it doesn't really work. Hit and roll by ON, lying three. Hit and roll by Man. Hit and roll out by ON. So Man tries another tap back, this time with Wilson (Man 2nd) but it was a hit and stick instead. etc. etc.

George hits and rolls too far, setting up a draw behind the guard by Phillips. But it drifted back too far, allowing McCarville on her first shot to try to split the rings, but she came up about 6" short. Meanwhile Ray is just a tad condescending in his praise. I can just see him figuratively patting them on their heads.

Thurston has a great opportunity, but hits and rolls out too far to be 2nd shot, but the pressure is still on McCarville to make a good shot or else MAN will score 2. She tries to tap back her previous shot, but is on the centre-line side and rolls open. Hit and stick for two for MAN.
ON 3, MAN 2

End #4: Even with only one game on the ice, and no highlights from other games to show, TSN still manages to miss the opening shots. MAN starts with a centre guard, ON loses a couple and then ticks on the guard, so MAN has one in the top 8 plus a guard that they draw around but way too deep (back 12). Miharija hits and sticks; Phillips hits and rolls to the other side of the guard, which she missed by between 1/4 and 1/8 of an inch!

Hit and stick by Phillips that also removed the MAN rock at the back of the house. Hit and roll by George rolls about 80% buried behind the MAN guard. Run-back attempt by Thurston just misses. The contrast in appearance between Phillips and Thurston when they stand next to each other is quite striking, eh?

McCarville purposely puts her first shot in back corner 8', leaving a strategic hit-and-roll for Thurston, but she's wide of the broom, giving McCarville an open draw for two. Wow! Why wasn't MAN sweeping that one?? It was pretty darned deep! As Linda points out at the beginning of the 5th end. Ray says they couldn't have swept it out, but I'm not so sure.... it was really drifting.
ON 5, MAN 2

End #5: Same as before: two in the house by ON, long corner guard by MAN, this time a successful tap-back by Westcott. ON removes the guard. Another tap-back by MAN, a bit firm. Miharija removes an ON and a MAN rock, along with her shooter, leaving two ON and one MAN in the house. MAN tries to draw up to one ON rock, but is about two feet short. ON neatly picks out a MAN rock. So MAN does another tap-back attempt, but ended up with a corner freeze to sit shot touching the button. George removes them both, leaving her shooter as shot. But MAN has 2nd shot and is in good shape to get a deuce. Except Phillips just ticks on her second shot, leaving ON sitting first and second shot.

Gotta love hearing the discussions of strategy! ON peels the back MAN stone. Thurston hits and taps to lie 1-2, leaving McCarville with a dicey double, but she missed the back stone, and so Thurston has a draw to the 8' for two, but she was light and scored only one.
ON 5, MAN 3

Break Time!

Tie-Breaker, Preview

This afternoon, the Scott Tournament of Hearts will feature a tie-breaker between Ontario (skipped by Krista McCarville) and Manitoba (skipped by Jill Thurston). At one point during the round robin, Ontario had the number one position, but slipped during the last few rounds.

By the end of the round robin, the two teams were tied with both an equal number of wins and losses, but identical cumulative curling percentages. It could be a close and exciting game.

At the same time, players on both teams have had good days and bad days. Although the teams have equal records, their performances have been highly variable.

Sure as shootin', some mediot will talk about the need for consistency from them. But of course what they really mean is better play, or consistently good play, not just consistency.

The Dangers of Generalizing from Small Samples

Okay, okay. I was REALLY wrong this year. I saw a few draws early in the 2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts in which both PEI and Manitoba did not look all that good. I generalized from what I saw, and that led me to think these teams aren't very good.

Well those teams did pretty well. PEI ranked number 1 after the round robin, and Manitoba made it into a tie-breaker in the playoffs.

The thing I did get right, though yesterday I'd have thought even this was wrong, was the statement that Team Canada and the BC rink were both strong contenders.

Judging from their records mid-tournament, who'd have thought BC would place third and avoid a tie-breaker? Who'd have thought Team Canada would place 2nd and make the 1-2 page playoff? Probably lots of you readers. I was pretty skeptical, though.

Anyway, it will be fun. Unfortunately I'll have to miss a bunch of the draws: curling myself this evening and doing some acting for a film tomorrow afternoon. But I'll be checking scores as often as possible!

Draw 16 - Woo-Hoo PEI Again - This Time Against Kelly Scott

It's the vets against the babies. PEI features two 21-year-old players in their first Scotties, Ramsay and Carmodon. Scott's team is one of Canada's greatest of the last several years. Who can ask for more - Scott must win to have a serious (any?) chance of making the playoffs. It is all too complicated for me.
They are now explaining things - 6-loss teams are out. But where the tiebreakers fit still seems confusing to me.

END #1 Fairly open. Carmody misses the open blank opportunity. 1-0 PEI and BC take the hammer.

There is much discussion of the scoring statistics. Russ Howard this morning had a profound ocmment on the limitations of these numbers. "If I make my first shot and miss my second, or if I miss my first shot and then make the second, it is the same 50% but the outcome is not the same."

END #2 O'Rourke asks Ramsay to come around rather than peel a guard, which she does. Schraeder taps it back to the back of the house, leaving the BC rock partly under cover. Ramsay clears it with a beauty but the house is full of rocks behind the T-line. Schraeder drops a perfect rock at teh edge of the four-foot, right behind a BC guard. Carmody is asked to do a tap-back, and fires a whiff! Scott had mentioned there is no finish in that area of the ice and she called it well. Scott freezes a beauty on top of Schraeder's rock. The guard in question on these rocks is one O'Rourke chose not to ask to have peeled a while ago. Carmody's draw misses and gives Scott a shot at three, but not easy. Perfect tapback - 3-1 Scott.

END #3 This is forming into an end you do not want as PEI. Scott is in complete command through second rocks, though Carter makes a bad mistake on setting up a guard (it is wayy too long). O'Rourke does a nice hit and roll behind cover. Schraeder wrecks on the front guard. Suddenly PEI has chances. Ramsay gets into the house but leaves the PEI rocks wide open. Schraeder hits one of them but does not hold the shooter. Ramsay comes up way short. Not a pretty end for either team. Scott misses the nose hit and losesthe shooter. Carmody is asked for a tap-back, analyzed by this crew as too complex, but it works out very well. Scott is way heavy, and Carmody can draw for two! She nails it. 3-3.

I may have to wander off for a bit. Will be back in later ends. It is a pain having a life!

I am back and it is end 5.

END #5 bc NOW UP 5-3. But theHouse as I return to action looks like a PEI house, exceptthat BC have shot rock in the back. Hmm no I think not - looks to me as of PEI has two shot rocks after a Ramsay throw. Scott hits and sticks, not the plan. Carmody makes the same mistake. Scott`s shot is great leaving PEI with a draw for one. Just dandy - BC lead 5-4.

END #7 BC now up 7-4. PEI take one. 7-5 BC

END #8 Scott takes another. I am now only provisionally watching.

END #9 BC steal 2. You always have to wonder how a team with nothing at stake in the match will play. In this case, not so great. BC has looked much better.

No handshake though there was discussion.

The Question of PEI

In blog posts and private communication, Doc has been questioning the quality of the PEI rink that will shortly be at the top of the leaderboard at the Scotties after the current draw.

Meanwhile, Russ Howard has been singing the praises of O'Rourke's game-calling and the shooting of both Carmody and Ramsay, though their numbers are decidedly not stupendous.

Now one of Doc's suggestions was that PEI was playing against below-average teams, in terms of ongoing records. So I wondered - is it possible for the first place winner to have defeated only average or below teams? In other words can we have the opposite of Lake Woebegon? And in fact it seems we can, if the winning team goes undefeated - then, everyone else can be below average. Well that won't happen, so if PEI ends up alone at the top of the leaderboard they will need to have beaten a team that will finish above the average score. And we know they already must have.

Draw 15 - PEI versus Newfoundland/Labrador

Well, we woke up this morning, after having the TSN broadcast cut off for hockey last night, to find that PEI had finished its match against Team Canada with back-to-back steals of 2 and stand atop the leaderboard with 2 matches to go.
TSN sensibly chooses their game against Newfoundland/Labrador, whose ambition for the day is likely just to spoil things for PEI and BC.

END #1 A bit of a choppy start for both teams; after the first third rock NL have a rock touchjing the back of the four-foot in the center, behind NL And PEI rocks at the top of the house. NL Guard cleared. NL put a rock in the front eight foot in the center. PEI hit that rock and stick but bump the rear one under cover and scoring at the moment. NL wreck on one of the front PEI rocks and roll out. Carmody, seeing about half the rock, hits and sticks and now PEI count three, one skip rock to go for each team. NL want to hit and roll behind cover. Instead they hit and roll slightly more open. Carmody has done this once now, and does it again and PEI are up 3-0.

END #2 It would sure be nice if CurlCast was coming through but it won't load here.O'Rourke and Rogers both make major mistakes, each going through the house. O'Rourke starts removing guards instead. The first PEI third rock does not curly quite enough, and NL could now hit and roll behind the front guards. Ledrew hits but does not roll, rather just sits. Ramsay removes that rock and splits the house. Ledrew comes up light and, heading for skip stones PEI has three in the house, with two NL rocks at the front of the house. Carmody punches one of the PEI rocks behind the two NL guards into the eight foot in front of the button. The NL guards are in difficult positions to raise. Nichols does a nice job getting a rock into the four-foot just behind the T-line. O'Rourke asks Carmody to freeze to it. She's heavy, but taps the NL rock back so the covered PEI rock is shot. Now Nichols is heavy and yields a steal of one. 4-0 PEI.

At this point I will go off to start filling my crock-pot with what should become a few evenings worth of suppers.

END #3 Piles of NL rocks when I return from the frypan. Russ Howard congratulates O'Rourke for an aggressive call and for her coolness, but Ramsay misss, though not badly, getting arock into the house. NL are not managing to draw into the house.

By the way, Ontario is up 2-1 over Nova Scotia after 3. Each team has fought just to score its 1 in each end.

PEI have a bunch of raisable rocks at the front of the house, and NL's onbe raise chance is guarded by their rocks. Carmody makes a big miss, going too long, and leaving Nichols a port into the house for her single. Beauty draw to the four foot.

END #4 This is shaping up a bit better for NL with two rocks in the front of the eight-foot, guarding a rock ofeach team in the four-foot. O'Rourke tries to clean up a bit and does - things now look nicer for her. I was going to try to describe the situation now but Ramsay just cleaned up the house, not full of well-place PEI rocks and a NL rock. Nichols has now decided she needs to blast some rocks out of the house, and Russ chuckles in agreement. Ledrew almost gets the triple with a rocket, but moves the remaining PEI rock to the back of the house. Ramsay hits and rolls to the button to sit three - no guards are left. Nichols fires her rocket but she thinks it picked and she removes only one PEI rock. Russ Howard thinks she was simply heavy. Carmody splits the house beautifully, leaving Nichols no triple of the three PEI rocks in the house. Nichols fires another rocket but barely misses the double, and PEI has an open draw for three. Carmody makes it.

TSN had the camera on Carmody's parents a few minutes ago, and Russ Howard was folksily humorous: "Typical parents, they're three up, and about to score three, and they look like somebody shot their dog." Apparently the parents came to the Scotties with return tickets for Saturday, but seem willing to pay the penalty for changing their flights if need be.

END #7 I've lost a little focus with thh score 7-1. Russ Howard points out something interesting - the first PEI rock was called to come into the front of the house but wound up as a guard. O'Rourke called the second rock to peel the first, something Howard points out is legal, though not everyone knows.

Ontariop-NS continues to be tight. Maybe they could switch to that soon.

Meanwhile, Nichols has a hit and stick for two on her last rock. Which she makes. 7-3 PEI.

Somehow I am not surprised that the NL team are so charming and full of good humor even in such dark hours. We hear the call 'A deuce!', likely from Nichols, as TSN cuts to its ads.

YIKES!! Ontario now lead Nova Scotia 6-1. While I am off cooking I just keep missing things.

END #6 NL steal 1. 7-4 PEI. My interest picks up a bit, especially as the food situation stabilizes.

END #7 Ramsay is heavy but the miss is not quite fatal as she removes NL's shot rock. Still, the look on her face is worthy of a thousand replays as she watches the shot on the arena screen. Nichols misses a draw badly. And then she finds the front of the four foot. PEI want to blank, so this will be a rocket, with about a third of the NL rock visible. Carmody is perfect.

END #8 Carmody is making great skip stone shots, but Ramsay, though I have described a couple of misses, is making some fabulous hits. Who are these masked men? I cannot bother with details at this point. Shelley Nichols, knowing she is down to desperate measures, tries a monster rocket raise double that just misses. Carmody plants a beauty on the button, scores 2 for PEI. 9-4 PEI no handshakes yet.

TSN has implicitly made the handshake, switching to the New Brunswick game. Russ Howard enjoys this one, as his daughter is clearly a curler in NewBrunswick and plays a lot against this New Brunswick team. I am however less motivated so will likely not be back until the next draw.

Ah, the Penny Drops

Now I see why the curling was pushed ahead an hour today.... to make room on TSN's schedule for an NHL game at 9:30 EST. I guess I understand it, but it's disappointing not to see the conclusion of the Canada-PEI game, nor the extra end between BC and NS.

Let me say now that both PEI and Manitoba have impressed me more than I expected. Carmody seems to be making many, many more of her shots for PEI, and the same goes for Thurston of Manitoba. Tomorrow will be fun!
(too bad I have to be in my office with no tv!)

Quite the Turn-around

So PEI defeated Quebec quite handily in the 13th Draw of the 2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts, stealing points in the seventh and eighth ends and curling a respectable 82% for the draw.

Meanwhile, Ontario, who had been leading the pack to start the day, dropped their second game of the day, with the vice and skip both curling only 63% in their game with the Territories. What a turn-around!

And PEI may make me eat my words!

Ontario Men's Playdown

The Ontario Tankard is at stake this week, sponsored, interestingly, by Kruger. Is that not the company who now own the 'Scott' brand, which is why the women's championships is now called the Scotties?
Rogers Cable is broadcasting it on their local cable channel, and it seems the younger Howard is a force yet again.
The problem is the broadcast runs directly opposite the Scotties, so I am paying less attention than I might like.
UPDATE: Oh No! Cochrane-Howard tonight! Talk about conflict. And no doubt there is a crime show I want to watch too!

Draw 13, Midway

Before this draw, and even in the early ends, The TSN announcers were all commenting on how many missed shots there have been this year at The Scott Tournament of Hearts. And, like me, they were particularly hard on PEI, pointing out that the PEI curling percentages were very low (though we are unable to know this because Curlcast and the CCA no longer make cumulative percentages available).

Well wouldn't you know it: over the first five ends, PEI curled 88% and led Quebec 3-2. Most impressive were the rebounds by O-Rourke (skip, throwing 2nd stones) curling at 93% and Carmody (throwing skip's stones) curling at 97%. These two had been the weaker members of the rink in earlier draws but have been very impressive so far.

Draw 12: Recap

Well, Ontario didn't look quite so bad during the second half of the 12th Draw against Manitoba, but Manitoba continue to curl very well. As a result of Ontario's loss and Canada's win, as Alan points out, Ontario and Canada are tied at the top of the table, with PEI right behind them. At the same time, the BC rink and Kelly Scott lost to Saskatchewan on a shot that should have been made in the tenth, dropping them back to a 4-4 record, tied with Saskatchewan and Quebec.

It will be interesting this afternoon to see how PEI does....

How Come We are Getting the Morning Draws on TSN?

Is this a result of the fact that CTV has the Olympic broadcasting rights, and TSN is part of that network? Does it serve as promotion for the Winter Olympics?
I'm not complaining but don't recall any public statement about this. I was simply very pleasantly surprised when I got home Sunday night from California.

More Reversion to the Mean!

Well, a mean!
Doc does not point this out, but the outlook now is that Team Canada will join Ontario at the top of the leaderboard at the end of this morning's draw.
As Russ Howard points out, Team Canada had a bad Monday, but otherwise has been perfect. As they seem to be this morning.
This is getting interesting.

Draw 12: Reversion to the Mean?

Interestingly, before the draw started, both Russ Howard and Brian Mudryck were saying things about Krista that were pretty similar to what I said in the previous posting. At the same time, what little I had seen of the Manitoba rink and Jill Thirston left me thinking that Ontario would dominate this morning's draw of the 2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts.

Ha.

At the 5th end break, Manitoba leads Ontario 7-2, stealing 6 points in a row, including a steal of three in the fifth end. Not only is Manitoba out-curling Ontario, but both Miharija (ON 2nd) and McCarville are curling down near 50% or so.

So the race tightens....

Draw 11: Brief Note

I arrived home last evening just in time to watch some of the game between PEI and Ontario. Without wanting to beat a dead horse too severely, let me just say that the PEI performance was consistent with everything I have written earlier about the rink.

At the same time, we have been increasingly impressed by McCarville and the Ontario rink. We certainly miss Lorraine Lang. But over the past four years, McCarville has gained considerable experience and confidence, which really has shown during the 2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts.

Here's something fun to try, suggested by Ms. Eclectic. Next time Ontario is being televised, look away from the tv set. Do you sometimes think you're listening to Jennifer Jones instead of Krista McCarville? Even if their voices don't sound exactly the same, there is a tone of being confident, knowledgeable, and in charge that comes through in the voices of both of them.

On the schedule this morning are four games, all of which I'd love to be able to watch. This is one good reason for attending these things in person --- you get to switch you attention from sheet to sheet as you wish. Can't wait for the Brier to be in London next year.

How Good Is PEI?

As Ms. Eclectic and I watched the curling match yesterday afternoon involving PEI, we wondered how on earth the team had a record of four wins and only one loss. And now that PEI has defeated winless NS, their record is 5-1. The team just didn't seem all that good to us, in what limited opportunity we have had to watch them.

This morning I wrote to co-blogger, Alan, that I predict PEI will not be curling in the 2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts on Sunday, and might not even be curling on Saturday, despite their being at the top of the round robin so far. I even speculated that their 5-1 record came from beating teams with bad records (to which PEI admittedly contributed).

Well here's their record, following this morning's draw:
They defeated Saskatchewan, who are 2-3
They defeated New Brunswick, who are 2-4
They lost (13-2) to Alberta, who are 3-3
They defeated the Territories, who are 2-4
They defeated Manitoba, who are 3-3
They defeated Nova Scotia, who are 0-6.

In other words, they haven't even faced any team with a winning record yet.

Maybe I'm being too harsh, but don't look for PEI to be at the top of the standings Thursday night.

Second Tuesday Draw at the Scotties

It`s a Jennifer Jones festival today! TSN are back to the main broadcasting team, so we lose Russ Howard. Oh well, I look forward to him tomorrow morning.

Jones`rink is playing Kelly Scott`s. Both teams are at 4-2. This feels like old times, compared to the matches involving the wonderful new teams at the tournament. (UPDATE: I'll leave the weird punctuation as an object lesson - somehow in Vista I inadvertently changed my keyboard to Canadian French.)

On a side note, Doc has already complained, rightly, about the useless change in format of the CurlCast page. I have an additional complaint beyond his key content-related one that he cannot now watch all the matches as they proceed. My content-related complaint is that I find the UStream feed a total annoyance as I cannot figure out how to turn off its totally unhelpful sound, which interferes with sound I may actually want simultaneously from some other window in Firefox. Who decides to include these bugs disguised as features? Do they ask anyone about them? There seems to be a theme these days about degradations in service masquerading as improvements. Bah - humbug. Shape up you idiots! Stop making things that worked well stop working.

END #1 Jones seems to be establishing a pattern of missing significantly on her final shots and gives BC a steal of one. I was not paying a lot of attention but was writing the rant above into the wrong blog.

END #2 Jones lies three with skip rocks left. Lots of confusion on both teams about weight. Scott makes her rock second shot somewhat behind cover. Jones comes into the four-foot to sit two. Scott has a very tricky shot. And wrecks on a guard, promoting a Jones rock in the process. Jones draws to the eight-foot for four. OK - may develop an attention gap again.

END #3 BC barely manage to score one but do.

END #5 Jones got two in the fourth and BC two in the fifth. (Sorry - I was off raving in my other blog.)

Linda Moore has me busting out in laughter - she said something that sounded like thinking ahead is hard for skips. Come on! Football has quarterbacks, though I grant few call their own plays. Tennis players have to sort this out. Why would it be hard for curlers?

END #6 Jones hates the boring life. She gives BC a steal of one, and just as I mock Linda Moore's comment, her comment makes its point. OK I'm not worthy Linda!

END #7 Jennifer Jones loves complication! Askin has put two rocks into interesting places in the house, and Kelly Scott seems to enjoy complication too. Officer adds to complication, depositing another rock in the house - the Jones rocks are piled up brilliantly. I think she is thinking a few shots ahead. Sasha Carter cleans things up a bit - hey, Kelly Scott thinks ahead too! OK I cannot describe this end - let me say Jones was utterly in charge, and the Scott team screwed up a shot and it worked out brilliantly for them. Most sports have these aleatory moments. Jones breaks up the centre well but Scott still has a good shot at causing trouble. Scott misses, and Jones can score two and pretty much put this away. Perfect! 8-5 Jones.

END #8 These skips are so much fun. They just like trouble! And we have it again. Nobody is firing perfectly but what I love about both these rinks is that they keep firing aggressively. Jones takes 1 - she leads 9-5 after 8. I suspect this is another foregone conclusion.

END #9 Sorry was over enjoying K'Naan (great Canadian but likely not a curler - maybe his kids will try). It's funny - Jones is uncharacteristically keeping the house clean. At her advanced (?!) age she is learning something! When you have a four-point lead why ask for trouble?! But Jones goofs up a bit, and gives Scott 2. Though taking the hammer into 10 with a two-point lead - my guess is she feels pretty good.

END #10 Jenniferf Jones hate simplicity and she'd be better off if she liked it. But her team is scoring wonderfully and unlikely to get in trouble. OK was away for a bit and BC has a threat. And Jones prevails.

Tuesday Morning Draw

I'm finally back on Canadian soil in spirit as well as body. This morning's draw features one of the teams new to me in this year's Scotties, the Valerie Sweeting rink from Alberta, who prevailed in the Alberta playdown in extra ends over the more familiar Kleibrink rink. Alberta is just so strong! This rink also features two left-handers, including the skip.
They're playing Jennifer Jones' Team Canada, and both teams are at 3-2, so this is a pretty important match.
Alberta took two in the first end, and then Team Canada did a hit and stick, calculating that their rock on the edge of the rings, which it was not. A steal of 2 by Canada in the third has Jones up 3-2.

End #4 The Alberta second's second shot is a come-around attempt that wrecks on a Canada guard and promotes it into the rings, and Canada lies three after the next shot. Alberta hit and stick to lie shot; Overton misses, Alberta hits and rolls out, still lying one, with a Canada rock on the edge of the rings out front. Then I got called away. Sweeting faces two Canada rocks for her final shot, is heavy, goes through the house, yielding another steal of two. I may decide to regard this as a foregone conclusion now.

Ooppsss! I let my attention wander for a couple of ends and what happens! Alberta score 1, and then steal 2 on a major final rock miss by Jones in the sixth end.

END #7 Well, as Russ Howard observes, this will not be a blanked end! There is a cluster of rocks in the front of the house. Nobody is achieving quite the cleanup both sides are trying. Sweeting makes an overthrow on her last rock, leaving Jones an angle raise, potentially for four. She scores three. This has been quite a roller coaster ride, but I am not expecting a comeback. On the other hand, I have recently been quite wrong on such issues.

Well, it is more exciting than I anticipated - Sweeting gets forced to one in eight and steals one in nine. Jones heads to ten one up with the hammer, but we`ve had some steals.

In the end Jones did win by scoring one in the tenth. Maybe more interesting, PEI came out of this draw atop the leaderboard at 5-1 (Ontario at 4-1 play this afternoon). This is again a rink I do not know, having assumed that Suzanne Gaudet would represent PEI Forever.

Soccer vs Curling

Sunderland-Stoke, 0-0:
At least in curling they changed the rules to get some scoring

After waiting all weekend to watch the Sunderland-Stoke football game, I was bored to tears by the lack of scoring. If I had been in the crowd, I might have booed, too. I saw some fine athleticism, as well as some shoddy play, but nil-nil scores are about as boring as pitching duels in baseball or defensive struggles in American football.

When the lack of scoring outraged fans of curling two decades ago, the authorities realized they had to do something to boost the interest in the sport (and the audiences on television), so they implemented the free-guard zone, an innovation of Russ Howard's rink in their practices. Now people rarely, if ever, shout "booorrrr-iiinnngggg" during curling matches. But if soccer/football is going to attract more fans and keep them, it too should do something to increase the scoring in their games.

HELP!! I'm trapped in my office!!

I have to work in my office today and am unable to watch the 2010 Scott tournament of Hearts on TSN at home. Is there ANY way I can watch it via the internet?? I can't find a link to live telecasts on TSN, and I have even explored myp2p.eu to see if there might be some "alternative" sources. I can't find any.

Any help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Reflections on the Morning Draw

I managed to watch much of the two games of the Monday morning draw of the 2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts. I really enjoyed the curling in the later ends between Ontario and Saskatchewan. Lots of rocks in play, interesting discussions (including the insightful commentary from Russ Howard), and some really fun, challenging shots. The strategies, knowledge, and skill required to curl at this level are what make watching curling so exciting.

At the same time, I'm still puzzled about why the curling percentages for so many of the players seem so low. Are the scorers being harder on the curlers this year? Or are the curlers just not quite so good? In defence of the second view, both Ms. Eclectic and I have wondered, based on what we have seen so far, which, if any, of these teams can win the world championship this year.

Some Reflections on Curling Percentages

Maybe it's just me, but...

• I really don't like the new(er) Curlcast format. I can't follow all four games at once, and I have no idea where or how to find cumulative statistics. It's prettier than the old one, but far less informative. I had hoped for changes, but certainly not these!
• It looks to me so far as if the curling percentages are down from previous seasons. Some commenters have suggested that the rocks are far from perfect. Others have noted that there have been some severe picks from debris on the ice. Still others are wondering if there's something funny in the Sault water, others have suggested (heaven forbid) that the curlers just haven't been curling as well ....

What's going on?

Sponge Towels

You know that ad for Scott's paper Sponge Towels.... the ad we're going to see at least 75 times for each draw the rest of the season?

I think it's pretty funny, actually, but I have one big gripe about it: those circles on the guy's costume are NOT concentric circles (maybe the fact that he says they are is supposed to be even funnier for us geometric geeks). The house on a curling sheet is concentric circles; a bunch of equal-sized adjacent circles is not concentric. Concentric means "having the same center".

Nova Scotia -- will there be a change in who throws skip's stones?

I hate to say this, and it could well be premature, but how long will it be before Nancy McConnery gives up throwing skip's stones for Nova Scotia. I've seen only a few ends involving the Nova Scotia rink, but they have given up a LOT of steals, and McConnery just seems a bit off right now.

Growth and Change at the Scott

I'm struck by the evolutionary process at 2010 Scott Tournament of Hearts. On the one hand, it is nice to see some of the familiar faces, including Team Canada (Jones, et al), and Kelly Scott's rink from BC. On the other hand it is great to see some new (or at least less familiar) competition from PEI, Alberta, and Quebec, in particular.

The TSN coverage on Saturday, showing the Thurston rink from the juniors, nearly 20 years ago, was eye-popping: Kelly Scott was the lead, Jennifer Jones was the vice, and Jill Thurston was the skip. What a team!

Unfortunately, Thurston missed a couple shots back then, as skip, and lost the world junior championships as a result. And again, yesterday, she came up light SO often, it was surprising. Finally, she announced, "I'm not throwing those rocks again!", which was a point the TSN announcers had made, too. It will be interesting to see if she can bounce back as the tournament progresses.

It also was nice to see the interview in the stands with Lorraine Lang, formerly with the Ontario rink. It was a nice sense of tradition and continuity.

The Scott Tournament of Hearts Is Coming:Visits to this blog soar as net surfers search for nude photos

The Scott Tournament of Hearts, Canada's curling championship for women will soon take place. It will be earlier than usual this year, presumably to avoid conflicting with the 2010 Winter Olympics.

We were reminded that it is coming soon because visits to this blog have sky-rocketed recently. It appears that suddenly someone somewhere has written yet another article about the Nude Women of Curling Calendar, and hundreds of people are visiting this posting on EclectEcon and this posting here at Curling, to look for the soft-core porn of curling. I'll grant that the few photos I have seen from the past calendars are superb art, but it never ceases to amaze (and disappoint) me that people are more interested in nudity than they are in our writings on other subjects.

BraveRocks? Brave Lochs? Curling and Congestion in Scotland

Last week it looked as if the Royal Caledonia Curling Club (RCCC) would be able to host a Grand Match of curling on Lake of Monteith near Aberfoyle, Scotland. The Grand Match is a gigantic curling competition in which as many as 2000 curlers compete, and the weather has co-operated so little that it has been held only 38 times since 1837; it was last held in 1979.

This year the temperatures had been below freezing for several weeks leading up to the planned event and the ice was forming nicely on Lake of Monteith, which has nice ice for curling when the weather conditions hold up. The last time the Grand Match was held, there were over 6000 people attending, and it was anticipated there would be as many as 10,000 in attendance this time.

And that caused a problem.

A week before the planned event, the RCCC called it off, citing safety issues. The safety concerns were not due to ice conditions. Rather, the RCCC was concerned about access and congestion. From The New Scotsman [h/t Brian Ferguson]:

Colin Grahamslaw, chief executive of the national governing body, defended the decision of the Grand Match Committee.

He said: "Since Monday, we have been working with the police and the emergency services and the local authorities to try and achieve this and make it work, but, in the timescale, it has just not proved possible.

"You are talking about trying to move 2,000 curlers and an unknown number of spectators on and off the site safely. There is only one road in and one road out, and the police and emergency services were really concerned that you could get one snarl-up and there would be gridlock."

Mr Grahamslaw stressed: "We weren't worried by the ice, because the ice would have been thick enough by next week, if it isn't thick enough already."

Mr Grahamslaw said it would have been "irresponsible" to ignore the advice of the emergency services and that the decision to call off the match was deeply disappointing.

I'm not persuaded by these arguments. When I look at the map, I see access from several different directions. I'll admit that access to the site is likely limited, but probably no more so than for other large events in rural areas.

But more importantly, this would have been a perfect time to institute temporary congestion charges. If the RCCC doesn't have the authority to charge for the use of the roads, then it could charge high admission fees for contestants and spectators.

But if it is too costly to monitor and exclude people from the event itself, then with some planning and co-operation, temporary congestion fees could easily be implemented by the local authorities, possibly in the form of temporary toll charges for non-residents. After all, according them, "There is only one road in and one road out..."

What I am saying is that fears of congestion are not necessarily a good reason for having called off the event. Good old Pigouvian taxes could easily have been implemented to reduce congestion. And with the examples of the congestion charges in the city of London, people would likely have a reasonable understanding of why and how they work.

Even though the RCCC declined to sanction the event, and against the advice of local authorities, many curlers still planned to show up for an unofficial version of the Grand Match:

Some told The Scotsman that many enthusiasts were already making plans to stage an unofficial match on the Lake of Menteith within the next few days in protest.

One Glasgow-based curler said: "There are an awful lot of angry curlers who want that match to go ahead with or without the RCCC. I am certain that some sort of Grand Match will go ahead.

But in the end, temperatures rose, the ice had lots of water on it, and very few people showed up.

Ian Fleming, owner of the Lake of Menteith Hotel, said he has been monitoring the situation over the last 24 hours.

"The ice is solid enough just now but the water on it just makes it treacherous to walk on. It's the first time I've ever seen a curling stone causing bow waves.

"There are a number of hardcore curlers out there now, around 28 to 32 players but it's hard to see the rinks under all the water.

Cross-posted at EclectEcon and at The Sports Economist

Our Olympic Qualifiers

Martin went to the Olympics and did not win gold. And this was at a time when we had a small right to assume Canadians would.
His reaction - build a new team that could win! And he disassembled his old team, with all the pain that entails, and assembled a new one, with similar pain.
I am a fan of Howard (Ontarian) but Martin is so great!

Roar of the Rings: Wrap-up

I don't know if everyone else saw things this way, but Martin was very impressive today. He will certainly go to the Olympics as the odds-on favourite. I often wonder about the dynamics on the team, but Martin seems to have things well under control. His own shot-making was superb throughout most of the Roar of the Rings, and his tactics/strategy were excellent. I would expect that teams from the other countries would have had scouts there, watching and charting Martin and his team. I would love to see their analyses.

On the women's side, Bernard's rink certainly deserved to win. They curled well throughout the Roar, and they dominated. Here's hoping they can continue to win in Vancouvre.

An aside: Rexall Place (formerly known as Northland Colleseum) suck big time as a venue. The seats are narrower than those on the cheapest, sleasiest airline imaginable, and the legroom is even worse. It was quite uncomfortable just being there. I'm glad I went, but given the option in the future, I would stay in a hotel and watch the curling on television.

End #8

Something happened during the sweeping of Kennedy's rock: Martin looked a bit peeved with Morris. Then on his first rock Morris ticked on the front guard.... no real damage, though. I had thought the dynamics between Martin and Morris had established Martin as the alpha male. I wonder what's going on or if maybe I'm just reading something that isn't there. Morris's second shot doubles off two Howard stones.

Battery down below 7% as Howard takes a time out. Gotta quit.

End #7

The Ride of the Valkyries again as Boston Pizza coupons come sailing down. Howard lies two, Martin nicely picks one but leaves a draw for two. Martin 5, Howard 3.

End #6

Standard opening ends with two Martin rocks in the rings, one Howard rock in the 12', and all the guards finally peeled as we go to vice rocks. Nice shot by Hart doubles off the Martin rocks and leaves the rocks at nearly equal heights. Martin removes one and is level with the Howard rock. Weak guard from Hart leaves Martin with a double attempt; makes it to lie one. Howard blanks to retain the hammer. Martin 5, Howard 1 after 6.

5th End Break

My overall reaction is that Martin is really on. His team is sharp both physically and strategically. And they are out playing Howard pretty substantially at this point. Indeed, the Martin rink is all curling in the 90s (aside from Morris at 88%, largely because of the flash in the 2nd end). But Hart is curling only 78% and Howard 70%. The Howard rink has definitely been out-curled so far.

End #5

Coming up to skip's stones, Martin has four in the rings; Howard has two long-ish guards. Howard triples off three and sits on the buttonhalf-covered behind a guard. He almost doubled but left one Martin rock barely biting the back 12. Draw for two. Martin 5, Howard 1.

End #4

A freezing game pursuing strategies which elude me. Good try by Howard at a run-back double, but he removed only one Martin rock and scored one. Martin 3, Howard 1.

End #3

Howard's team didn't really make any horrible shots; Martin's team made good shots and had the advantage until Hart doubled off two Martin rocks and rolled out his shooter. Beautiful hit and flop by Martin puts Howard in peril of yielding a steal of at least one. Howard's draw was just an inch wide of scoring. Martin 3, Howard 0.

Tim text to daughter: The score is 0-0
reply: are you watching soccer?
Tim text to daughter: Martin is ahead 2-0
reply: Steve Martin?

End #2

Morris flashed and set up Howard either to steal or force Martin to take one, but Howard's final shot missed the double-raise takeout. Martin draws for two.

End #1

Very tight quarters make blogging this very difficult. Both teams played the first end wide open. Martin made an interesting freeze to force the play, but Howard removed it; Martin threw his last rock through the rings to blank the end.

Men's Final: Martin vs. Howard

I have a less-than-desirable seat low to the ice near the home end. Not sure I'll be able to see or write much. Very crowded. No elbow room to write. Sitting next to Tim, whose son plays hockey with Martin's son. Who knows how much will get written.

Women's Finals! Roar of the Rings, Conclusion

Maybe if I write and post less, my batteries will last longer.
Anyway, as most of you know, Bernard won with a draw to 4' on her last shot. Kleibrink was forced to take one in the 9th end, tying the game but handing the hammer over to Bernard. Kleibrink drew behind a guard to bite the back 4' rings with her last shot. Bernard's final stone looked as if it might have been a tad heavy, but as it approached the rings, her sweepers started celebrating. Kleibrink swept it for all she was worth once it crossed the t-line, but it stopped about 6" from being too heavy.

Overall, there were some excellent shots, but there were also some pretty ugly shots. The curling percentages were lower than one might hope for Canada's representative to the Olympics, with both Bernard and O'Connor shooting in the 70s, and Kleibrink in the 60s.

I'll be cheering madly for Bernard at the Olympics, but I expect she and her team will need much more consistently good shooting to win gold.

Women's Finals! Roar of the Rings, End #8

The battery on the laptop is getting very low. This may have to be it. Bell into the top 12 for Kleibrink. Tight corner guard by Bartel for Bernard. Now a 2nd guard by Bartel in the top 12 for Kleibrink. Bartel hits and sticks on one. Hit and flop by Webster for Kleibrink. Set up a double for Darbyshire; nose hit and got only one. Hit and roll away by Webster. Hit and stick, exposed by Darbyshire. Hit and stick outside the rings by Nixon. The double is still there for O'Connor. She hit and stuck on the rock in the rings, but didn't roll behind the guard. Nixon made a beauty hit-and-roll behind the guard, but it leaves a short double for O'Connor. Instead, Bernard has her draw around the nearly forgotten corner guard. Nice shot.

Only 10% of the battery power left....

Nice draw through the hole by Kleibrink to tap the B rock away and sit in the 4'. It is exposed, though and the hole is not particularly small. Kleibrink's % has risen; O'connor's has slipped.

Bernard tries to hit and roll on the Kleibrink shot rock. Hits and rolls almost covered on the button. There's a thick double for Kleibrink, but if they keep discussing the shot, I won't be able to post about it.
....
7% of the power left....

Women's Finals! Roar of the Rings, End #7

Well, after having to correct my goof on the last end, I missed a couple of shots this end. Bernard put one in the top 4. K put up a corner guard. Centre guard from Bernard. Top 12 by K. Remove the corner guard by Bernard. Tap up by K, but Bernard controls the centre. Darbyshire removed the two centre guards (one of each) and rolled over as a corner guard. Webster removed B shot rock and rolled to side 12'.

I missed a couple more shots. K has one at the back 4, and B has a biter on the side 12. Nixon threw a light one, but the sweepers got it into the rings, top 12 and covered. Bernard has a shot at a run-back double, but it'd be a miracle shot. She got the front one at the 12. K freezes to her own to lie two. Bernard will have to make a good shot to keep K from scoring two or three. She tries a corner freeze, but is heavy and bounces to the button. K has a hit and stick for three. The game is afoot. Kleibrink 5, Bernard 4.

Women's Finals! Roar of the Rings, End #6

Oops. Lost the internet connection for a bit. After five ends, Kleibrink was curling only 53%, uncharacteristically low for her, and probably the major difference so far.

Lots of rocks lined up along the centre line, but the Bernard stone on the button is mostly exposed. As we move to skips stones, Kleibrink has a pretty open hit, and rolls over just a bit.
Bernard made a double run-back to remove shot rock but rolled over more than she wanted. With her last rock, Kleibrink does a hit and slight roll to lie three. The path to the button is not fully blocked, Bernard decides to try an in-off for her single. A risky choice and she missed, but managed to score one anyway. I goofed and thought she'd given up a steal. Bernard 4, Kleibrink 2.

Women's Finals! Roar of the Rings, End #5

What a sense of humour: Playing the Ride of the Valkyries as coupons for Boston Pizza are dropped to the crowd.

Top of the 12 by Bartel. Corner guard by Bell. Bartel taps hers up to the top 8', with the shooter staying as a centre guard. Tight, very tight draw by Bell barely avoiding the B rocks, but to the back 8. Another top 12 draw by Bernard's Darbyshire this time. Kleibrink asks Webster to remove a couple; she moves one and removes another, but rolls open. Hit and stick by Darbyshire. Webster's second shot is light, short of the rings on the centre line. O'Connor tried a raise takeout, but only removedher own rock. Nixon tried to draw around into the house, but wrecked in front.

A mess of wrecks in front. Amazing shot through a small port by O'Connor to remove the K rock and lie 3. Followed by Nixon and missed the guard by about an eighth of an inch. Bernard followed her but was even better, rolling behind the centre guards. Nice very soft draw by Kleibrink to tap the Bernard rock off the button and lie one. Some mighty fine shots here. With her last stone, Bernard tries to go through the same hole but wrecks on the guards. With the hammer, Kleibrink tries a tap-tap, hoping to move the Bernard rock back and score two. Way wide and scored only one. Bernard 3, Kleibrink 2 after 5.

Women's Finals! Roar of the Rings, End #4

Kleibrink has Bell put up a tight centre guard. Bernard draws around it to the button. Bell taps it back a bit, but it still bites the button. Bartel pushes the Bell rock to the back 12 with a superb shot!. Webster runs the guard back but just jostles the B rocks. Darbyshire draws to the t line, but sets up a double for Webster. She missed it, rolling over to the top 4, leaving the B rock on the button. Open and peeled by Darbyshire. Nixon doubles and there are just three K rocks left in play.
Hit and stick by O'Connor. Hit and roll a bit by Nixon. Hit and stick by O'Connor, just missing the double. Hit and stick by K, but the double is still there.Hit and flop by Bernard. Hit and stick by K, leaving a hit and stick for one by Bernard. Bernard 3, Kleibrink 1.

Women's Finals! Roar of the Rings, End #3

Top 12 by Bernard. Corner guard by Kleibrink. Second in the rings by B. Doubled out by K with a roll almost behind the guard, but not far enough. Peeled by Bernard and roll to the side opposite the guard. K ignores the B rock in the rings and has Webster draw around the guard beautifully. Darbyshire draws up a foot from the K rock in the rings. K hits and sticks and lies two. She's in good position to score two at this point.

Hit and stick exchange. Hit and roll over by O'connor and both K and B try to sweep it out; always amusing. Draw to the rings by Nixon. Hit and stick by Bernard. Hit by K but she rolled over to the edge of the 12' and is only 1st and 3rd shot. Barnard has a tough decision. Hit and stick and leaves an easy draw for two for Kleibrink. Odd decision by Bernard. I'd have frozen; others here in section 114 would have tried to roll over. No matter, K was heavy with the draw and scored only 1. Bernard 2, Kleibrink 1.

Women's Finals! Roar of the Rings, End #2

I think I'd rather watch slap-chop ads than listen to the nonsense that goes on between ends live.

Bernard goes into the rings. Peel by Kleibrink. Bartel to the button again, but this time Bell puts up a corner guard. Got some action now! Centre guard tight to the rings from Darbyshire (Bernard's 2nd). Webster tried to double off the B stones but got only the guard, leaving hers near the centre line. Advantage Bernard. Another, longer centre guard by Darbyshire). Through the port by Webster and a tap-back of the B stone.

O'Connor followed her down, removed the K stone and B lies two. Nixon (K;s vice) did the same thing and is shot. O'Connor's 2nd shot is through the hole, but light and on the centre line in the rings. Nixon's second shot came up very short, near the centre line. On to skip's rocks.

Bernard goes way to the left and draws beautifully around the Kliebrink shot rock right to the button. Wow! Kleibrink seemed pretty disgusted as she came down to the hack for her first shot. Her pick attempt we either a shade heavy or a shade wide: she just nudged the B stone further behind cover. B sets a guard on the left side, and K needs a magic shot to avoid giving up a steal. No magic with an intended double angle raise take out. Bernard 2, Kleibrink 0.

Women's Finals! Roar of the Rings: Intro

End #1. The temps outside are -27C. The putz who introduced the teams got all the names wrong for the Bernard rink and at least one position wrong for the Kleibrink team. First Kleibrink stone on the centre line biting the 12'. Peeled by Bernard. Odd, cautious beginning. Second rock top 8. Hit and stick by Bernard. and by Kleibrink.

Someone in the crowd already shouted "booorrrring".

After all the hitting, Nixon's rock is now a guard in front, but Bernard has O'Connor hit and roll into the rings. More hit and stick. I guess they're just trying get a feel for the ice and save time, too. Otherwise they'd have gone around the guard when it was available. In the end, Bernard didn't roll out after her hit. Bernard 1, Kleibrink 0. An odd end as it unfolded.

Women's Finals! Roar of the Rings

Well, I made it to Rexall Palace with my neice to watch the final between Kleibrink and Bernard. Both teams are good, as we saw through the week (and man did I ever call the Scott rink wrong this week!).

Anyway, I'm using my iPhone to tether from the laptop, and who knows how long the two batteries will last. Anyway, I'll try to post end-by-end for two reasons:

1. If a battery goes, I won't lose everything.
2. If anyone is following this on |RSS feed, they will get a new notice after each end.

To save the batteries, I'll probably try to post short summaries after each end.

Semi - Kleibrink - McCarville

Sorry - got caught up in Law and Order episodes.
Three ends in and Kleibrink is where form would say should be - 3-1 up after three ends.
END #4: Saskatchewan rules, it seems. George tosses up a good guard. Nixon peels the guard. Amy wants to peel, Shannon is less sure. Peeling happens. McCarville guards again and Kleibrink tucks in and freezes to a McCarville rock behind guards. Perfect freeze by McCarville! Kleibrink does not get on top of it - 3-2 Kleibrink now!
END #5: McCarville, delightfully crazy, comes into the house early. A truly brilliant shot clears the house. McCarville is back in, but Kleibrink clears. Now they are back - Amy makes a good throw but things remain a bit messy. Nixon does not clean up as hoped. Kleibrink makes a brilliant shot clearing out McCarville rocks. McCarville can still force a single from Kleibrink; that is what happens.
END #6: Lang starts off with a great guard and a great freeze to a Kleibrink rock in the house. A Kleibrink error leaves Lang's freeze untouched and MacLean comes and sits on top of it. A few rocks later Kleibrink has the shot rocks but it is all McCarville in front of her. George finally manages a hit and roll behind cover. Kleibrink knocks it out. McCarville tucks herself in behind a guard. Kleibrink follows her in with a gorgeous freeze. McCarville comes up short and Kleibrink takes one more.
END #7: Lang makes a perfect tap on a Kleibrink rock on the button. MacLean adds to crowding there, and in the end McCarville takes one,
Sorry - Had to go to bed at that point.
Not a surprise but Kleibrink won 10-5. She goes up against Berhard Saturday.

Roar of the Rings - Women's Semi - McCarville- Kleibrink

OK I have no dog in this game. Through the day I was certainly a McCarville fan. but now I am neutral. Ray and Linda are in place and this should be major fun!
I think the great battle is Nixon versus George and I sure hope George can play, as she really has not, to the high levels of such requirements.
END #1: Simple exchange of rocks in the house. Nobody trying for much.

My Own Deeply Belated Reflections

You could not ask for a greater contrast than between the women's draw and the men's. The men's draw is now down to the usual suspects - Howard, Martin, and Stoughton, and there was never a real threat that it would be otherwise (maybe Ferbey could have got through).
On the women's side, the usual suspects were cruelly and clearly eliminated as Jennifer Jones and Kelly Scott saw their rinks pretty much humiliated.
One could call Kleibrink, as the previous Olympic qualifier, a suspect, but that was really her unique great performance over the last few years. We are now down to Kleibrink and McCarville, and then Bernard. I would never have predicted this, and I doubt many others did.
The McCarville rink are actually my fondest memory of the Scott Tournament that Doc and I covered in London, and that likely shows through in my coverage. The effect should be smaller tonight, as I am also a great fan of the Kleibrink rink. The PI factor will be high again tonight, and, I am pretty sure, for the final.

Great Coverage Today by Alan

After having spent $4 on the iPhone application yesterday so I could follow today's action, I realized that mostly all the app does is send people to various websites that didn't provide any scoring updates for the tie-breakers today --- terribly disappointing.

However, following Alan's detailed descriptions on this blog was a treat, even on Safari on the iPhone. Who needs an app that provides no useful updates with a blog and a co-blogger like this?!!!

Roar of the Rings - Women's Tiebreaker 2 - McCarville-Holland

McCarville must be getting used to all these Saskatchewan teams. On the men's side it's Alberta. So nice to escape the stupidities of the Brier and Scotties in terms of provincial representation. They should have Olympic trials every year!
There is something wonderful about the names of the Holland team - it says a lot about our immigrant history. A Kalenchuk and two Schneiders, and a Holland!
END #1: This end seems a little more wide open than either team intends. Holland blanks.
END #2: Must have missed this. A blank.
END #3: McCarville wants action and Lang puts up a centre line guard. Kalenchuk's rock goes through the house. Lang puts her second rock in behind her first in the house. Kalenchuk sits on the corner of Lang's rock. MacLean joins her and all can be removed. Schneider chips out the front McCarville stone and barely hangs on. MacLean kills it, rolling off. Schneider and George clear the house up to a degree. Kim Schneider kills the George rock, but rolls out. One Holland rock in the house at 9 o'clock, twelve-foot. It is now gone, and George's rock is not too far away. Schneider (Kim) removes it and sits at around 5 o'clock. McCarville hits and sticks. Holland hits and sticks. McCarville would like to hit and roll behind the guard. But she hits and sticks. Holland blanks perfectly.
END #4: McCarville centre guard, Holland into the house, and then McCarville beside it (both well back of the T-line). Holland puts one into the front of the four-foot. McCarville has MacLean try to freeze but she comes up a little short. This is getting complicated. Tammy Schneider hangs out trying to freeze and ends up left of the McCarville rock (from the point of view of the back of the house). MacLean removes it and rolls into the line of rocks along the centre-line. Great shot. Schneider misses her hit, moves the MacLean rock over a little, and rolls out. George kills a Holland rock but loses the shooter. Kim Scheider misses her attack on the McCarville rock in the front of the four-foot - taps it back but loses the shooter and leaves the rock in an annoying spot. George sits nicely and nastily on the front of the button. Kim Schneider follows orders and peels the guard. We have two McCarville rocks in the front of the button. McCarville guards. Holland moves the McCarville rocks around, barely getting by the guard. McCarville kills the Holland rock and lies four as Holland draws. She uses some backing and scores 1.
END #5: Last two ads - Advil and TSN. Hmm - tricky boycott plan on the latter though Advil will easily be a miss in the future. Two rocks in play. Aarrgghh. Holland has two rocks in the house in front of the button behind two McCarville guards. MacLean cleans the front nicely. Kim Schneider wrecks slightly but keeps filling the house with Holland rocks. MacLean cleans up one and loses the shooter. Schneider puts another in the house, and George misses the double, also losing the shooter. Holland's rocks are being spread out in the process. Kim S puts another in the house (Holland lying three); George wrecks on a front rock and is open, having done nothing to Holland's rocks. Holland punches that rock out - now lie four. McCarville gets a brilliant double and rolls over in front of a Holland rock. Just a great piece of salvage work! Holland puts a scoring rock in the back of the house, but leaves no double. McCarville hits it and sticks. Holland hits and rolls out, and gets only one, where a few shots ago she seemed on line to four!
END #6: Sorry - damned life dragged me away from TSN for a few minutes. Holland has two front guards, with a Holland and McCarville rock cuddled up behind the guards behind the T-line. George puts a rock in the top edge of the four-foot - did not break as much as wanted. Tammy Schneider clears one of the front guards but hte angle is not as desired and misses taking out the George rock. After another couple of shots, Holland has shot in the four-foot, but is pretty open. George hits it but it jams and still is the shooter. A couple of rocks later George has cleaned up the house and McCarville can contemplate more than one. Holland comes up short, sitting now in the front og the four-foot. McCarville seemed to feather the front guard but clears the house of Holland rocks with a double. McCarville is shooting 93%! Holland plans to bury on the button behind the front guards. Shad better as McCarville lies three. She leaves a rock openish - McCarville has a hit for four - and she is perfect! My heavens, what a pair of matches these tiebreakers have been! 5-2 McCarville.
END #7: Two rocks in play but this was just because TSN decided to review previous ends. Annoying but no boycott candidates. McCarville has two rocks in front of the T-line, unguarded. Holland has a corner guard and now rock in the house too. George removes the rock in the house and rolls out. Holland replaces a McCarville rock in the house with one of her own. George wipes it out and rolls in front of their other rock. Kim S puts a rock in the front of the eight-foot. McCarville gets rid of it and rolls out. Holland makes a shot I just do not get - she is open. And is removed. She can draw for one. And does. 5-3 McCarville.
END #8: Hooray! SlapChop makes my boycott list! McCarville's two-month-old baby looks really cute. Holland, clearly plagued, faces a hog-line violation on her first rock. Still, Holland has a nice front guard and a rock in the house behind it. Time for the peeling! Front guard is gone. New guard, now gone. New guard, George wants to peel, and does. Another guard, another George peel. Holland decides to come in behind her rock in the front of the eight-foot. But she seems to leave a double. McCarville misses it, removing only one. Nice freeze by Holland on a McCarville rock at the back of the eight-foot. McCarville will now draw, surprising the commentators. It is perfect! Who is this unmasked woman? She is shooting 95% and she is getting some very tough shots to make.
END #9: More than two rocks in play as coverage resumes and I failed to note who was running the late ads! This is hard work. Peeling has started. MacLean completely whiffs on a peel, so let's see what Holland can do. George misses her peel but luckily removes a Holland rock in the house. Kim S buries a nice rock behind the remaining corner guard. Which corner guard is now gone. Holland punches a McCarville rock back and sits in the front of the eight-foot. That rock is gone. Holland puts a shot in the four-foot, leaving a possible double. McCarville kills one, leaving Holland a draw for two. She makes it. 6-5 McCarville going into the tenth with the hammer.
END #10: Again two rocks in play and I am really sloppy about watching the ads. So far we have Advil and SlapChop as guilty parties. McCarville weirdly is filling the house with early shots, and Lang goes deep with one of her shots. Tammy S puts a shot on the button. Peeling now starts - double peel requested, and one centre guard remains. Now there are double-able rocks up front. MacLean removes them! Guards installed and removed. Holland rock on the button will be in play later. McCarville calls a timeout and coach Rick Lang comes out and has barely arrived before he says 'Peel it'. Too entertaining. Everybody immediately agreed. They just wanted confirmation. Rock peeled. Holland can cause grief by sitting in a perfect place behind a McCarville rock and in front of hers on the button. And she makes it perfectly! Brilliant shot. McCarville's double attempt gets only one. Holland steals one! We go to 11! Fantastic match.
END #11: Nikon and Ford are the guilty parties this time. Easy boycott candidates for me. Lang pulls off a tick, with great discomfort but also success. Peeling may now begin. And so it goes. Skip stones now. Holland puts up another long guard. McCarville's team are having a great discussion. Lang (the coach) is down on the rink again; they want to come into the top eight-foot to shut Holland's approaches down. Lang does not mind. The commentariat wants a peel, but McCarville is going in, top eight, and open. The shot is too close to the centre-line and now the peel looks really good. Holland can draw now behind the McCarville rocks. Wow! This is too exciting! She is drawing to the open side, and it slides to the back of the eight-foot, and is not even shot. McCarville wins 7-6. Another Olympic dream dies and the McCarville rink continue their longest day ever, I imagine.

Roar of the Rings - Women's Tiebreaker 1 - McCarville-Lawton

Two young teams, Lawton having survived into the tiebreaker by delivering a first defeat to Bernard, and McCarville by beating Webster.
END #1: Pretty wide open exchange of hit and stick shots. Russ Howard points out that one advantage to this for both teams is that they save some time they may have to use later in more complicated situations. Lawton hits and sticks once more than intended, fails to blank and takes one.
END #2: With her first shot, McCarville removes a well-guarded Lawton rock from the house, and rolls into the open. Lawton hits but does not roll behind cover. McCarville does not get the roll out of the house, and takes an undesired single. 1-1.
END #3: McCarville puts a rock on the button behind a guard, after a hit but roll out by Lawton's team. Lawton makes a great run-back double, clearing the house and the guard. McCarville runs a rock through the house, not intentionally. Lawton goes through the house, intentionally. Still 1-1.
Apparently McCarville had noted during the week that she was 3-0 with straight hair, and not so potent with her hair curled. So the team is out this morning with straight hair. Russ Howard comments that he played much better when he had hair.
END #4: First complicated end. Hosse has more or less vertically aligned Lawton and McCarville rocks, in two pairs. There is a front guard partly covering the aligned rocks. Singler wobbles coming out of the hack, overrotates, and removes her own front rock, the shooter rolling out. Tara George puts up a guard, covering the rocks in the house. Kasner removes both front guards. Tara George makes a great pick shot, removing the Lawton rock from its position in front of the button; the rock is still just hgugging the rings at the back. Kasner removes the front McCarville rock. McCarville removes Kasner's rock but rolls towards her other rock, allowing a double. Lawton makes it perfectly, and now sits two. Howard says it is a shot he would not even have tried, as it had to be done so thin. McCarville now needs a long double, and gets it! Who are these unmasked women! Fantastic curling. Howard - the room for error on the last two shots was about the width of a penny. Lawton hits and inadvertently sticks again. 2-1 Lawton.
END #5: McCarville (George) goes behind two Lawton guards. Kasner taps it back, and Lawton also has a rock on the centre-line. George does not quite freeze to it, but close. Lawton intends to freeze to that rock, not necessarily getting shot rock. She taps it more than wanted (Howard calls it a half-inch miss.) McCarville taps Lawton's rock, barely missing her freeze. It is difficult to tell which rocks are counting. Lawton now plans to tap her centre-line rock into the button. She gets it there but it is not buried and McCarville may have a double for three, possibly four (I suspect there will be a measurement.) Howard has pointed out steadily through the end that McCarville has forced the hitting Lawton team to play touch shots. McCarville's shot is perfect! Looks like four to me. Man, that was an aggressive and exciting end. 5-2 McCarville. Seems time for McCarville to renounce the touch and start hitting.
There was a good discussion early in teh broadcast on a topic I have long wondered about, how the McCarville rink, stuck way up in Northern Ontario, get good tough practice sessions. It turns out they play regularly in a men's league, and, as Russ Howard pointed out, when you have Al Hackner on the opposing team, you learn quickly not to leave many good hitting opportunities on the ice.
END #6: McCarville puts the first couple of rocks in the house in front of the button, and then peels. Kasner tries a gentle tap back but it not gentle enough. McCarville clears that rock and rolls out. Lawton is thinking about the double to set up a blank, but it is now a long double. The deliberations are curious to watch as Lawton consults Lana Vey; Howard cannot figure out why. She misses the double and leaves a McCarville rock in the house. McCarville clears that rock; Howard says Lawton's double will not allow her to roll out, exactly as McCarville wants. Lawton decides to hit where Howard would draw, and makes her single. It says an awful lot about the quality of women's curling that Howard is constantly saying he would not try the shot being played right in front of him, usually successfully.
END #7: Lorraine Lang is curling 94%! We're back to peeling after her rocks. There is a Lawton rock in the eight-foot on the centre-line, and McCarville rocks behind it on the button and the back 12-foot. Lawton is throwing up guards, and George double the guard and the Lawton rock in the house away, but sits out front. Kasner rubs on that front guard and goes through the house. George puts another rock by the button. Lawton plans to freeze on shot rock - she won't be shot but she has one more rock. She leaves about a foot between her rock and McCarville's backing rocks. McCarville chips it out but leaves a spot to freeze into. And Lawton does, beautifully. McCarville is now designing another crazy shot - hitting one of her own rocks very thin to bounce into the house almost horizontally and clear the Lawton rock. She finally backs off and taps the Lawton rock back to take one. 6-3 McCarville.
END 8#: Usual protocol. Lang puts two rocks in the house, and then McCarville starts peeling guards. Singler wrecks on one of her own guards trying to come into the house and her rock becomes a centre guard. We have guards on both sides of the house as well. George removes the centre guard but we have corner guards on both sides, so Lawton gets another shot at it. Kasner is a bit heavy and her tap on the rocks in the house slides into the open. George, under clear instruction, makes a perfect shot, removing the Kasner rock, and one of her own, and slides up into the front in the eight-foot. Kasner whacks the McCarville rocks, lying open, and leaving two McCarville rocks in the house, but nowhere really to freeze. As Howard says, this end cannot now be blanked, and it is hard to see where two will come from. McCarville removes the Kasner rock and sticks. So there IS a freeze, a McCarville rock at 9 o'clock in the eight-foot. And thatr is Lawton's intention. Very nice - Lawton is shot rock and there is only about a six inch separation. McCarville does not get shot rock because of an overcurl. Draw for two for Lawton. Lawton is heavy. Measurement! Howard - "It's amazing how many times you don't think you're shot rock and you are." Lawton did go too far - 6-4 McCarville with the hammer into the ninth. This is BY NO MEANS over.
END #9: Amusing discussion from Howard about the forms for the Olympics. Apparently they are full of slots for the names of your parents, but not for the names of your children. Ageism! Anyway, back to the match. Lawton centre guard, Lawton rock in the house on the centre line eight foot, McCarville rock on the button. I missed what Kasner did, it must have been a goof-up, and George clears the centre guard. Kasner puts a rock up beside their other rock in the house. George misses the double, but the shooter stays in the house. Lawton now seems to be playing a guard, puzzling Russ Howard, as McCarville has a rock on the button, and would surely be happy with one. It IS a great guard, but why it is there also baffles me. McCarville peels. Lawton tries a tap back but does not get shot. McCarville has a number of ways to get two now - she elects a draw, which might be heavy, and could wind up giving Lawton one. Apparently someone in the crowd shouted "Throw it away", and Howard asks "Was it Kevin Martin?" McCarville makes a brilliant shot but it looks like one. One it is - 7-4 into the tenth, hammer to Lawton.
END #10: TSN let us miss the first two rocks. I think I am adopting a new policy. I will list the last two advertisers in each TSN ad break and invite readers to boycott that company. This time one of them was MicroForce, selling some silly-looking shaver. Please do not buy it.
McCarville threw one through but then left one as well in the house, and now they have a guard (a failed peel). Lawton throwing up guards, McCarville peeling. Howard is baffled that McCarville wants her rock in the house. McCarville's peeling is weird - she now has two rocks in the house. Why any? Lawton needs a timeout - I can understand - she has few rocks left. Lawton seems worried about being shot, and Howard points out that she has much larger problems than that and being shot means you get peeled! Lawton's coach, Brian McCusker, gets rid of the goal of being shot, and Kasner tries to get behind a corner guard, but still pretty open. George completely misses the Kasner rock! Kasner misses her attempted freeze and goes right through the house. Disaster for Lawton. She's out of rocks if McCarville removes one Lawton rock. And she does. Handshakes. And Lawton's Olympic dream dies. Sport is brutal - someone loses.
Great match though.
And just a passing thought. It seems to me that over the years the women's curling PI (pulchritude index) has been rising fairly steadily. A bit like golf. Both events are becoming through competition much more competitive.
Back in a couple of hours with McCarville-Holland!

Draw 14: Conclusion

A very close game, and whatever misses there have been have been relatively minor or only partial misses. Great curling going into the last three ends tied at five.

End 8. Standard opening again. Nice double by Laing to remove two Martin stones. Martin split the rings, and Howard tries an angle raise double off his own rock. Removes one and moves the other Martin rock to leave Howard sitting two. Martin plays a perfect hit and freeze. Howard replies with a run-back single (trying for a double) and scores one. Howard 6, Martin 5.

End 9.Different opening. Otherwise Martin would have been able to blank the end. Should be fun. This is SO much better curling than the match we saw this afternoon. Morris freezes beautifully to a Howard rock. Howard wrecks, Martin is heavy, Hebert doesn't lift his hair broom away from the rock's path, and some of controversy. Martin makes a terrific raise double to score three. Amazing!!
Martin 8, Howard 6.

End 10. The Howard team looks stunned. They are trying to put up corner guards, and Martin removes them, while still having two on the button. Big miss by Morris who didn't remove the guard but removed a Martin stone from the rings. Fantastic saving double by Martin. Wow, again! Howard leaves his shot open. Martin peels it and wins. Howard plays Stouton in the Semi-Finals. Martin gets the bye.

Draw 14: Howard vs. Martin, middle ends

A series of cat-and-mouse ends so far, with each team forced to take one on each end.

End 4. Who said this: "Is it just me, or is it hard to make a shot out here right now?" I think it was Hart (Howard's 3rd) preparing for his shot. Hmph. He's curling a much higher percentage than Morris... but then Morris makes a really nice hit and roll behind centre guards. Hart removes one and moves another to the 12' with a near double. Nose hits follow. Martin removes the centre rock and sits one. Howard tries to swing around the corner guard but is more than half open. Martin tried to pick it but it jammed on Martin's rock in the back 12, leaving a split for three for Howard. Howard 4, Martin 2.

End 5. Two of Howard's rocks in the 4' and two of Martin's out front. Beautiful pick-double by Hart to clear the sheet of Martin's rocks. And made the same shot again after Morris put one back in the rings nearly frozen. Wow! Howard tried the same shot but missed and took out his own rocks. Now Martin is in good shape to get two. Howard hits and rolls out, leaving Martin with a draw for two. Tied at 4 at the break.

Break: I just realized I'm missing Thursday night NFL to watch this match. Oh well, the Steelers have lost 4 in a row and the Browns are the worst team in the league. It isn't much of a sacrifice!

End 6. By the time the thirds are throwing, Martin has two touching the 8' and one touching the button. Howard will be lucky to escape with one, the way this end is going. Morris and Martin kept dropping a stone on the button, forcing Hart and Howard to play run-back take-outs. Howard, facing three with the hammer, hit and stuck for one. Howard 5, Martin 4.

End 7. Standard opening: Savil to top 4' for Howard; Hebert sets corner guard for Martin; Savil, centre guard; Hebert corner freeze to the 4'. Lang freezes to that stone. More exchanges in the rings. Nice run-back by Howard forcing Marting to draw for one. Tied at 5.

Draw 14: Howard vs. Martin

This will surely be one of the matches we have all waited to see. The Howard and Martin rinks are two of the best in the world. Unfortunately, both are guaranteed places in the play-offs. Fortunately, first place is at stake, with the attendant bye from the semi-finals (no page play-offs here). So with that at stake, it should be an exciting game.

End 1. Far from perfect curling from the front ends as they all miss or sort of miss their shots. Morris doubles off two Howard rocks, and then on his next shot tries to go around the only guard, but is wide open. Howard hits but stays open. Beautiful hit and roll by Howard behind the corner guard forces Martin to draw for one. Martin 1, Howard 0.

End 2. Both teams curled only 72% in the first end. It showed. In the second end, there are five rocks staggered along the centre line. Laing (Howard's second) takes out two and has his shooter roll to be a corner guard. Great shot. The rings are gradually being emptied with only two in the rings now plus a corner guard after the front end rocks have been thrown.
Morris's attempt to clear the house leaves a couple biting the rear. Hart inadvertently knocks them out, leaving only one rock in the house plus a corner guard. Hits and rolls by Hart and Martin. Hit and stick by Howard. Martin manages a hit and roll behind the corner guard. Howard has to draw for one in an end that looks a lot like the first end.

End 3. As we join the end in progress, Martin has a corner guard with the hammer while Howard tries to dominate the centre of the sheet. Beautiful shot by Kennedy (Martin's 2nd) clears the rings and rolls to be a corner guard on the opposite side. But a miss by Martin's team lets Howard set up well in the rings. Martin is forced to draw for one against three. Martin 2, Howard 1.

The iPhone App

Thanks to Marc and Punch-Drunk in comments here, I decided to try the curling info application for the iPhone, Curling Zone. It's okay, I guess. But it is slow, and there is quite a delay in reporting the scores. Also, there's a lot of stuff there that doesn't interest me all that much. Here's hoping that future updates will be faster and will have more information about what is happening in each game. But that would require a truckload of reporters and connections. I doubt if it will ever become as detailed as the material provided by other apps about baseball or the NFL.

Please Support Our Sponsors

We have added a sponsor on the right side of the page, just under the "Links" label. They have decided to sponsor "Curling" for the next year, for which we are grateful.

Draw 13: Second Half

I hate to say this, but I'm not convinced that either of these teams (McCarville, Webster) could end up on the podium at the Olympics. Too many misses. Indeed, their curling percentages are considerably lower than those of the top teams.

End 6. With her last rock, McCarville attempted to pick a Webster rock out but instead took out the Webster rock along with two of her own, allowing Webster to blank the end.
End 7. Webster missed a draw and scored only one. zzzzzzzzz.
End 8. The thirds on both teams are curling only mid-60s percentages. McCarville makes a fine hit and roll to lie one behind guards. Webster wrecks on one of the guards with her last rock. Then McCarville's draw is too heavy and she scores only one. McCarville 5, Webster 3.
End 9. Guard, peel, etc. until a McC shooter sticks as a guard. Webster come-around to a McC rock in the rings. Pick by McC, replaced by Webster. Webster well-set to score two, but her first draw is light. So McCarville hits and sticks to lie three. Webster has a hit-and-stick for one. Barely scored one. McCarville 5, Webster 4.

It is really clear the announcers are trying (and struggling) to say nice things now and then about the shots in this game. It is also really clear that there is a sizeable gap in performance between the top teams and the rest.

End 10. McCarville is up 5-4 with the hammer coming home. If she wins, she'll force a tie-breaker with Holland, who just demolished the Scott rink (man, did I ever pick them wrong!) and with Lawton, who just handed Bernard her only defeat. Two centre guards by Webster, nice come-around by Lang (McC lead), followed by nice come-around by Preston (Webster's 2nd). Guard, remove, guard, remove, guard, remove, guard.... Wtf is Webster guarding? she's second shot and McC is shot. And in the end, Webster misses a hit-and-stick. McCarville wins 6-4 and will be part of the tie-breaking marathon that is shaping up.

Draw 13: McCarville vs. Webster

McCarville is 3-3; Webster is 2-4. I would much rather be watching Bernard 6-0 vs. Lawton 3-3. So my interest might drift a bit.

One nice thing about watching these matches live is that you get to watch the game you want to watch and aren't forced to live with TSN's choices.

End 1. McCarville is off to a bad start as George (vice) came up short and then wrecked on her second shot. A series of missed attempts to hit and roll failed. McCarville hit and stuck for one. McCarville 1, Webster 0.
End 2. Lots of rocks in play agian, but not all on purpose. Ray's tone captures my feelings: this is good curling, but it's nothing like what we saw this morning. 7 rocks staggered along the centre line. Messy house. Webster tried to knock out the McC rocks, but scored only one. McC 1, Webster 1.
End 3. Holy cow! George is curling only 46% through three ends, leaving McCarville with difficult shots. Webster wrecks on a guard after McC is too heavy with a draw. But on her second shot, McCarville draws through a curved port for one. McCarville 2, Webster 1.
End 4. Plenty of McCarville stones in the rings, but strategically the teams seem about even so far in this end. Nice near-double by Olson-Johns (Webster's third). But McCarville seems to be gaining position. McCarville's last shot was light and thin; Webster missed a hit-and-stick for two, rolling out, and scored only 1. McC 2, Webster 2.
End 5. I've been distracted by the responses to my request for an iPhone app. More on that later. Meanwhile, as I look up at the tv, I see 7 rocks in the rings and an attempt by McC to play an angle raise take-out on the Webster shot stone. Got a double, but not quite the way I was expecting, and scored two. McCarville 4, Webster 2.

Future Coverage of the Roar on This Blog

We expect to be able to cover both of the remaining draws today. We're also hoping to cover the playoffs on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, but we're not sure one of us will be available for both of those matches.

I am hoping that I will be able to attend the finals on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon at the Rexall Place in Edmonton. If I can, I shall try to take my laptop and iPhone with me to blog updates from there. We tried desperately to obtain media passes for this event, with no success since neither of us is a full-time journalist, and so I'm not sure how it might work out, if at all, trying to blog from the stands. But I'll give it a shot.

Watch for updates!

Is there an iPhone app with Curling Updates?or are we it??

I have an iPhone, and I love it. One of the apps I use often is a sports application that provides frequent updates of scores and plays in all the major sports. But I have not been able to find such an application that includes curling scores/plays/updates. Is there one? I know there's curlcast for the computer, but curlcast requires "flash", which is not available on the iPhone.

Curlcast for the iPhone would be great. I'd certainly pay for it.

Or do people just check in here now and then for brief descriptions and updates?

Draw 12: Second Half

As the second half of the draw begins, Ferbey leads Howard 4-3 and has the hammer. I have quite enjoyed Russ Howard's commentary, but it is dangerously close to becoming too pedantic.
End 6. Lots of rocks in the rings. You have to be a good intuitive physicist with good foresight to play at this level. Nice raise double by Ferbey to clear two Howard counters from the rings. Nedohin's last shot: attempted quad-raise take-out, but didn't quite make it. Steal of one for Howard. Tied at 4.
End 7. Just a few rocks in play, keeping the strategies a bit simpler. Ferbey (throwing 3rd's stones) rolled out of the rings, though, with his last rock, and Howard drew perfectly around the guard. Nedohin's first draw or tap missed and coasted a bit deep. Howard puts up another guard. Nedohin has to draw through a good-sized hole for one. Ferbey 5, Howard 4.
End 8. Russ Howard's insight on the Gunnlaughson rink: "They haven't lost enough games in their careers to learn from their mistakes." The rocks are not really lined up in the centre, leaving some interesting carom attempts. Great fun! Two phenomenal hit-and-rolls by Hart have set up the end nicely for Howard. Draw for two. Howard 6, Ferbey 5.
End 9. Another staggered line-up of rocks down the centre with the lead's rocks. I sure am impressed with the knowledge and quickness-of-adjustment on the part of all those involved. Most of us would take minutes or hours to get to the strategies they do, if we could ever get there. Wow! what a shot by Laing through the port to pick a Ferbey rock; and then Pfeiffer makes a good clearing shot. Great curling! But a thin double is always a tough, risky shot, and Nedohin missed it, giving up a steal of two. Howard 8, Ferbey 5.
End 10. Up three without the hammer, Howard is keeping the sheet as clear as he can. He'll run Ferbey out of rocks and win.

Draw 12: Howard vs. Ferbey

After having seen these teams play in the past, one has to expect the probability that Howard will win is reasonably high.
End 1: Centre guards and come-arounds into the rings. Jam by Hart sets up the end for Ferbey to score 2, which he does after Howard misses a pretty tough double.
End 2: Pfeiffer (Ferbey's 2nd) comes up short, setting up the end for Howard, but Ferbey slams out a bunch of guards and a Howard rock to reduce the Howard advantage. Both Ferbey and Nedohin had superb first shots and not quite superb second shots, allowing Howard to take two. Howard 2, Ferbey 2.
End 3: Guards and run-backs. Howard missed a run-back, setting up a chance for Ferbey to score two, but Nedohin leaves his first rock exposed, creating a double opportunity for Howard. So Ferbey is forced to blank since he can't get two.
End 4: A series of terrific hits, run-backs, doubles. There's one long guard and a rock in the rings; and both teams vie to use both. Ferbey - nose hit. Hart - nose hit. Nedohin - nose hit. The ice seems straighter than they expect; let's see if the skips adjust. Oops, Howard rubs on the guard then misses a double, allowing Ferbey to score two. Ferbey 4, Howard 2.
End 5: Several beautiful draws make both teams concerned about what the other team will do. With last rocks, Nedohin taps instead of freezes, setting up a hit for four by Howard, but he's just a bit off and gets only a single. Ferbey 4, Howard 3.

Draw 11: Jones vs. Bernard

Bernard is 5-0 coming into this draw, but a few of their wins were very close.... some would say lucky. At the same time, the Jones rink has struggled and not looked all that good, with a record of only 2 wins and 3 losses. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up with the draw, but I'll post notes as I get a chance.
End 1. Plenty of guards and lots of action and lots of misses or rubs. Nice draw by Jones, but not quite good enough to cash a deuce. Jones 1, Bernard 0.
End 2. Hit and stick in the rings. Etc. Etc. Ho hum. Blank.
End 3. Oh crap. Same thing again. zzzzzzzzzz. Peaty single malt seems to relieve the boredom somewhat...
End 4. The TSN announcers can't believe it, but there's a corner guard from Bernard. Maybe we'll see some action this end? Lots of rocks on the side in the 8', but just the one corner guard. Jones last rock drifted too deep; Bernard made a raise take-out and scored 4. Bernard 4, Jones 1.
End 5. Jones has positional advantage as the end develops. Just missed a slight tap for 3 but had to settle for two. Bernard 4, Jones 3.

Sorry, but I'm too tired to continue.

Draw 10: Second Half

The Martin team dominated the first half of the end. It will be interesting to see how the Ferbey team reacts.

End #6: Two centre guards by Ferbey, two come-arounds by Martin. Nice tap by Nedohin, leaving Martin with a raise double on his last shot, but it jammed. Steal of one by Ferbey. Martin 5, Ferbey 3.

End #7: Similar start with a centre guard by Ferbey, but this time followed by come-arounds with the remaining lead stones. Beautiful double peel by Mark Kennedy -- he should get bonus marks for that shot! Lots of ensuing guard-peel-guard-peel, etc. even with rocks in the rings. This is definitely NOT club-level curling! Martin scores 2. Martin 7, Ferbey 3.

End #8: Oops. Work got in the way again, so I missed the first eight rocks. I see there are two Martin rocks and one Ferbey rock in the rings; no guards. In the end, Ferbey scored 2. Martin 7, Ferbey 5.

End #9: The end begins with a centre guard, but Hebert (Martin lead) moved it over; the next guard was pushed back to the back line and barely stayed in. So now the come-arounds begin. With his last shot, Nedohin just missed a double, leaving Martin a draw to the 4' for two. Martin 9, Ferbey 5. Handshakes. I must say, the Martin rink looks VERY good.

Draw 10: Martin and Ferbey

This is one of the many matches forward to which we have been looking... 8-)
Both teams are among the contenders, entering the draw with 3-1 records.

End #1: Cat and mouse with no guards. Hit-and-stick; repeat. Disappointing. I gather the goal is to get a better feel for the ice and at the same time to save time. Blech. Blank.

End #2: Action this time, with guards and come-arounds. Nice taps by Kennedy (Martin's 2nd) and Ferbey (throwing 3rd stones). So now, already, we get the joy of listening to their discussions and strategies. This end alone makes up for the boredom of the first end! Nice triple-tap by Morris (Martin's vice) to leave Martin lying 3. Nedohin (throwing skip's stones for Ferbey) over-curled with his first rock and tried a real tv-shot bounce-around, but left Martin lying two. Martin had a nose hit for four, but lost his shooter to score only 3. Martin 3, Ferbey 0.

End #3: Lots more strategy, but a bunch of it seems wasted as Ferbey flashes on a pick attempt. Nevertheless, Martin still seems to be fretting and his shot drifts too deep. Nedohin's first shot is a nice angle tap, but Martin's last shot leaves him lying two and Nedohin in trouble. But he was able to draw for one. Martin 3, Ferbey 1.

End #4: Two big wrecks/rubs by Pfeiffer (Ferbey's 2nd) set up a possible big end for Martin. But watching the skips explore the possibilities is a great treat anyway. Morris makes a thin hit, and Ferbey tries for a double, but doesn't quite remove one of the two Martin stones. Martin's lying 3 and Nedohin tries a come-around to sit second shot. I don't understand why Martin doesn't pick it out, but Linda (commentator) he is trying to keep some other options open for the hammer. So he draws to the top 4 to lie 2. Nedohin misses a double. Martin draws for two instead of picking for three. Martin 5, Ferbey 1.

End #5: The end opens with jockeying for guards with a couple of rocks in the rings. Tap and roll by Ferbey that is removable, but Martin asks Morris to tap it back. Too hard. Martin lies three; Ferbey taps back the shot rock, but too far. Nedohin hits and sticks for one. Martin 5, Ferbey 2 at the break.

Draw 9, second half

After the first half, Kleibrink leads Bernard 4-2. Bernard dodged bullets often and Kleibrink dominated more than the score showed.

End #6: Fascinating analysis by Russ Howard, who pulls no punches. Kleibrink's last rock: a double attempt that was close and pretty darned good, leaving Bernard with only a draw or hit for one. She elects to try the hit. Nice pick. Kleibrink 4, Bernard 3.

End #7: Through 6 ends, Bell (lead for Kleibrink) is curling 100% and Darbyshire (2nd for Bernard) is curling only 65%. These two percentages more than anything else probably account for the Kleibrink lead over Bernard.

Another note: As Alan has mentioned, it is really annoying to miss the first few shots of the end. Not seeing those shots makes it harder to maintain interest --- Take Note, TSN!

Neither team was able to establish a guard for this end. We're looking at 1980s curling as a result. No surprise, a blank end.

End #8: This should be fun. Bernard puts up a near-centre guard, Kleibrink comes around to the top 12, Bernard tries a come-around, but freezes to it, which ends up making life difficult for Kleibrink. Great shot by Darbyshire and a near miss by Webster leave Bernard in pretty good shape for this end even though Kleibrink has the hammer. A complete flash by Nixon, followed by two Kleibrink misses put Bernard in an even better position. Bernard steals two. Bernard 5, Kleibrink 4.

End #9: Wow. Bernard has the advantage again, as Nixon flashes again. And then Bernard makes an amazing draw, followed by at least as amazing draw by Kleibrink through a tight portal for one. Bernard 5, Kleibrink 5. Bernard has the hammer going home.

End #10: Again, the Bernard team seems to grab the advantage early on, then Nixon wrecks on a guard and O'Connor essentially triples off the yellow guards. With the hammer, Bernard is in great shape to win this. Kleibrink makes a fine draw, and Bernard opts for a run-back take-out for three. Bernard wins 8-5.

Thoughts: wow, did the Kleibrink team ever fall apart in the second half. Russ Howard pointed out numerous strategic errors; also the curling percentages plummeted for Webster, Nixon, and Kleibrink. At the same time, Darbyshire improved and Bernard never seemed to lose here cool.

What a difference from the first half of the draw!

Draw 9: the Kleibrink-Bernard Duel

The Bernard team comes into this match-up undefeated, and the Kleibrink team is in second place so far with a 3-1 record. This is gonna be fun!

End #1: The Bernard front end of Bartel and Darbyshire curled only 50%, setting up the end for Kleibrink to score big with the hammer. She had a chance for three, maybe four, but was about a quarter inch wide and scored only two. A bit of moral victory, so to speak, for Bernard.

End #2: The Kleibrink lead (Bell) was about a foot or two deep with her first rock. After guards, Bartel froze to the Bell rock on the button, and Bernard was in good shape. But then Webster (2nd for Kleibrink) made a perfect freeze. It looks as if the advantage is going to flip-flop a bunch this end. Great raise double-tap by Kleibrink left Bernard facing four; she was a bit heavy but escaped, giving up only 1. Kleibrink 3, Bernard 0.

End #3: I'm working at home today and the damned work interruptions are getting in the way of watching curling. I looked up in End 3 and saw three yellow Kleibrink rocks in the rings, but have no idea what is happening. Interesting: Kleibrink has two near the button that could easily be doubled off, but Bernard has O'Connor, her third, attempt a hit and roll. For reasons that are not clear to me, Nixon (Kleibrink 3rd) clears the rings, allowing Bernard to blank the end.

End #4: This end has unfolded much as the 3rd end did but with a corner guard for Bernard. Oops. Kleibrink missed a run-back attempt, leaving Bernard with a good chance for two or three. Russ Howard (commentator) was puzzled by Bernard's decision not to try to bury her first rock, meaning the most she can score is two. Kleibrink 3, Bernard 2.

End #5: The Bernard rink bounces back with some excellent shots including a good freeze, putting a lot of pressure on Kleibrink, facing one on the button with a couple of guards. Nixon miscalled the sweeping slightly, but Kleibrink salvaged one anyway. Kleibrink 4, Bernard 2.

More Reflections on the Roar of the Rings

Well, the Scott rink sure hasn't pulled through the I expected. And the Bernard and Kleibrink rinks both look pretty impressive so far. I wonder, though, whether either rink will have the consistently strong ability to win the gold in Vancouvre. I am really looking forward to their match-up this morning!

On the men's side, Howard has squeaked through but also looks strong. The other major contenders also look good, especially the Martin, Ferby, and Koe rinks.

We are hoping that I will be able to live-blog the finals from Edmonton.... we'll see...

Roar of the Rings - Draw 7

And now it's the women! TSN is featuring Holland-Lawton; not quite sure why, as both are at 1-2.
END #1: Holland makes some great finishing shots to score two.
Sorry - wandered off. Family mini-crisis.
6-3 Lawton over Holland in the 6th end.
7-4 Lawton after 7. Apologies, but I have a life.
Lawton wins 10-4.

Roar of the Rings - Draw 6

It's the men, and the TSN feature is Stoughton-Koe. I intend to follow yesterday's pattern.
END #1: Howard had predicted a fairly open end, and was terribly wrong, as the house is filling up with Koe rocks. Ooppss, my mind wandered, but Stoughton successfully drew for his one.
END #2: Koe slightly misses on a tap-back, leaving Stoughton with shot rock, which Stoughton guards. Koe draws for one.
END #3: Park makes two great shots to give Stoughton two rocks in the front of the four-foot. Koe doubles them out. Stoughton freezes beautifully to a Koe rock in the four-foot. Koe misses his freeze. Stoughton draws to the button for two.
END #4: Koe makes a perfect freeze and sets up his own double. Something fitting about that.
END #5: Koe makes a brilliant double with his last shot. Koe's rock is partly buried behind a front guard. Stoughton draws for one, with a LOT of help from the sweepers.
END #6: MacDonald makes a great double to leave Koe lying two, but the double is there and Stoughton makes it, leaving the house empty for Koe. In the end, Koe winds up drawing for one, after a great Stoughton freeze. 4-4.
Russ Howard has already commented that these are two great hitting teams, engaged in a battle of touch shots.
END #7: After some early complication the house becomes pretty empty and the skips trade hits, and Stoughton blanks.
END #8: What a messy house! How did htis happen? (I was chopping vegetables.) More or less vertically aligned we have a Stoughton rock, two Koe rocks, and two Stoughton rocks now. Of course there are many weird angles involved. MacDonald comes up short and puts another Koe rock up in the front of the house. Weird stuff goes on with the bizarre angles at teh front of the house. Hey what happened? More vegetables and I find two Koe rocks scoring in the house now! Stoughton doubles them out and scores two. Wow! This is one crazy match. For all the touchie-feelie, that was a great hit.
END #9: Koe, against three Stoughton rocks, draws to take one and heads into ten down one, Stoughton with the hammer.
END #10: Nobody entirely happy with play in this end, and Koe tucks his first rock beautifully behind cover. Stoughton removes the cover. In the end, the hitting wins as Stoughton doubles the house clear. Great match.

Roar of the Rings -- Early Reflections

Because of my day job and other activities, I have been unable to watch nearly as much of the Roar of the Rings as I had hoped to watch. One of the things that has impressed me, though, is how good the non-favourites have been. The Howard rink has squeaked by with a couple of wins; Martin looked shaky against some impressive competition. And so many rinks, including Simons and Stoughton are looking quite good (despite lapses now and then).

And on the women's side, the Scott rink hasn't dominated as I expected them to. And even though the Jones rink was VERY impressive last night, they looked quite weak in their first two losses. At the same time, McCarvill looks better than she ever has at the Scott. And the Kleibrink rink is doing better than I expected, too. And that doesn't even include the others who are doing so well!

So, based on the early rounds, the Roar of the Rings is everything we hoped it would be and more.

Roar of the Rings - Draw 4

Can one do better than Howard-Middaugh? ex-teammates, and both skips of great teams - obviously - they are here!
As with the previous commitment, I will do a light-handed documentation of what is on my TV screen.

Roar of the Rings - Draw 3

It's women again, and the featured matchup is Kleibrink-SCott, which is a bit of a revenge match from the last Olympic Trials. I won't be live-blogging in detail but will update this from end to end with the current status and occasional comments.
END #1: Kleibrink blanks a pretty much wide open end.
(Meanwhile Lawton chooses complication and scores 3 in the first against Webster, and Jones scores 1 against McCarville.)
END #2: Kleibrink makes a brilliant and risky double to clear the house of Scott rocks and score 3. 3-0 Shannon.
END #3: Scott blanks. There still seems to be significant confusion about the ice.
END #4: Scott is using some front guards but the Kleibrink team hitting skills are working so far. Meanwhile McCarville steals one to go up 3-1 over Jones. Lawton scores 2 in the third to go up 5-2 over Webster. Schraeder buries a beauty and Kleibrink's attempt to remove it just moves it in the house. Scott puts a second rock in the house, but behind the T-line. Kleibrink decides to knock one out, leaving Scott a shot for two. Then she chnages her mind; and misses badly short. Scott, as a result, can and does score three. 3-3.
END #5: Nixon makes a perfect and brilliant shot through a tiny port to place the scoring rock in the house. Scott starts clearing guards. After further adventure, including a whiff by Scott, Kleibrink now has a draw for three. And makes it. 6-3 Kleibrink.
Holy Cow! McCarville is 7-2 over Jones!
END #6: Kleibrink fills the house with rocks (five!) for Scott's last shot. One sits on the button behind guard. Scott just taps the rock on the button with a brilliant shot to take one, by far the best of the alternatives available to her!
END #7: Under significant threat from the Scott rink, Nixon has a terrible miss, with a totally lucky outcome, a freeze, entirely unintended, against a Scott rock. Scott herself then misses and basically blasts all her own stones from the house except the shooter. Two wrongs have made a big right for Kleibrink. After some more bare competence (at this level) Kleibrink scores two to lead 8-4.
END #8: More dumb luck for Kleibrink, and a miss by Scott, give Kleibrink a steal of one. 9-4.
Scott keeps fighting but succumbs in the tenth. Bernard-Holland ends up in a measurement and Bernard wins by a whisker.

Roar of The Rings - Draw 1 Live-Blog - Ends 6-on

End #6:
Wow have I seen worse TV coverage? We enter ends with many rocks in play, the TSN team choose not to name the members of the Holland team. I have three of their names now, but may never learn the name of the lead, as her rocks are gone by the time the ads are over. I am building a list of the advertisers as I really do not like this.
And indeed all Holland lead rocks in play. This is horrible. I loathe it.
OK empty house with the first Officer rock to come. She drops a center guard. Tammy Schneider peels. Officer pust up another guard. The peel attempt leaves a rock out front and Overton gets sort of behind it. Sorry - missed some shots (I have a life) but Overton leaves a rock in the eight foot at roughly nine o'clock and open. It gets peeled and Jones tries to get in behind a Holland guard out front at 1 o'clock, but it is pretty wide open. Holland hits and rolls into the open at 11 o'clock in the front of the eight-foot. Jones hits and rolls past cover. Holland blanks.
END #7:
My fault this time - caught up in Lady Gaga, figuring the end would be over before TSN returned. And in fact I am right to a degree - this is major yammering going on while play goes on. Does TSN think actual curling is boring and therefore we should have almost brain-dead chatter instead of actual coverage of play with, like, the names of the players?
This is awful.
Two Jones rocks in the house, one Holland rock in between, all roughly vertically alingned on the center. No guards out there at the moment. Officer guards. Tammy Schneider peels. (The front Jones rock is roughly on the button.) Overton guards. Kim Schneider chips out the front Jones rock and sticks! Overton gets a rock to the front eight, behind a Jones rock in front of the house I did not notice. But it is not buried. Kim S puts a beauty in front of the other team rocks, in the front of the eight foot. Jones hits but really does not clean up much - her shooter is open and Holland has two counting rocks (though they are side by side) behind the Jones rock. Holland puts a rock into the four-foot. Jones clears out the second and third Holland rocks; Holland draws for two. She leads 6-3 and still TSN has not told me the name of her lead!
END #8:
Ms. Kalenchuk! Outscoring Askin by miles! First name please?
OK we have Holland rocks in the front of the house, eight and four foot. There is a Jones rock off to the side. And Officer now puts one out in front of the house at left (there is another at right). Holland clears the left guard and rolls over to sit in front of her other center-line rocks. Officer drops a rock into the house, just behind the T-line, at around 4pm in the four foot. Whatever the plan. Holland peels the left front guard. Housecleaning going on. Overton fails to bury a rock. Holland picks it out. Jones tucks a nice hot in to the back of the eight foot behind cover. Holland slightly misses. Joes draws for two. WOW!
END #9:
It's like watching track and field when you rejoin the CBC coverfage in the 1500 and they have already run 800 meters. Rejoining and end with rocks in play is extremely annoying, and this is TSN, who love to claim to serve fans. Jones has a pile ov center line rocks - including one at the front of the four-foot, flanked by Holland rocks. Tammy S just peeled a front guard. Replaced by Officer. Tammy makes a slightly flukily great shot clearing most of the Jones rocks from play. Jones tosses up a center line guard. Overton almost freezes to the Holland rock in the back of the eight foot. Kim Schneider clears that and their own rock - but that is a win. Jones gets her weight wrong and her rock sails by all planned acquaintances. Holland drops a rock into the four foot but goes a tad too deep. Jones deposits a stone in front of the four foot, with Holland stones backing, and it seems she may be shot. Holland thinks not and plans to draw to the button for two. Perfect!! Two for Holland.
END #10: We are into running out of rocks.
Heather Kalenchuk! That is the lead's name, and a fine cross-cultural name it is. Thanks at last, TSN.
I'll take notes if this starts looking other than a foregone conclusion. And that will not happen. Holland 8-5.

Roar of The Rings - Draw 1 Live-Blog

Key point here is that there are only eight teams so each round-robin match has great significance. Falter once and you may be gone.
And this actually raises my first question. There will be ten teams at the Olympics. Would it not make a lot more sense to have the Canadian Trials mirror the likely upcoming competition - that would mean ten teams, and the same schedule? Why did the CCA (I assume) choose this odd format?
Theory #1. This is 20% cheaper.
Please offer other theories.
I was once a track and field coach and I always thought that the brilliant thing about the US Track and Field Olympic Trials was that they mirrored the Olympic schedule perfectly. Now the US was likely the one country that could do that; but surely Canada is that country in curling.
First draw on TSN is Jennifer Jones versus Amber Holland. Woo-hoo! I am so excited.
END #1:
First Holland rock to back of the eight-foot, Askin goes through the house. Holland puts a center guard in the twelve foot. Askin peels. Another guard in the twelve foot. Officer peels. This one heads into the four-foot. Officer punches the guard into the back rock, which rolls over to the side of the house. Holland team punch out Officer's rock, and leave the shooter up front. Overton misses the double, leaving her rock out front. Team Holland kills Overton's rock, and also her own rock, sticking out front. Overton peels the front rock, and leaves the house. Holland sits in the four foot. Jones hits and rolls over into the eight foot. Holland removes that rock and moves to the four foot. Jones fails to blank the end, hits and sticks.
1-0 Jones - Holland takes on the hammer.
(I apologize to the individuals on the Holland team - I am learning your names.)
END #2:
(Meanwhile Lawton scores 2 in the first over Scott. Bernard-McCarville blank in the first. Kleibrink down one after one.)
And dammit - we are many rocks into the second end! What the hell?! In the Roar of the Rings, TSN does not give a crap?
Let me wait until it makes sense to describe but I am peeved. All the advertisers will get nastygrams from me.
Jones rock in the back of the eight-foot, a number of Holland rocks up front on the right. Officer tucks a rock in almost behind those just behind the T-line. Nice Holland team shot, clearing one of the up-front rocks and rolling to the other side of the house. Overton kills the rolled-over rock. Big Holland team miss - they punch a Jones rock over and lose the shooter, not as planned.
Why is TSN not mentioning the names of the players on the Holland team? Did they forget to pick up the media package?
Holland punches some rocks out of the house. Jones leaves a thinnish double. (I wish I could describe this better but TSN is being silly.) Holland makes the double beautifully. Jones hits - hit and stick for two for Holland. Meanwhile Kelly Scott makes a very great shot for 1 to go down 2-1 to Lawton.
Holland hits and sticks for 2, so 2-1.
Editorial comment - TSN got broadcast rights, and Doc and I did not get media passes? Oops - forgot - CTV has a lot of money (despite what they tell the CRTC).
END #3:
Rocks in play again! What sort of braidcast contract is this - advertise at your ill? Certainly not a fan-friendly one. Wonder if I could take this to the CRTC.
After first rocks we have one of each in the house. Jones rock removed by Holland's second. (HEY TSN - DO THE HOLLAND PLAYERS HAVE NAMES??)
Jones tosses up a guard, the unnamed Holland second drops in behind it.
The Jones freeze merely taps the Holland rock out a bit and sits. Lost track of some shots but Jones freezes to a Holland rock at 9 o'clock. Holland's third (still unnamed) comes up short and taps the front guard and joins it.
Overton makes a fine hot to sit on top of the two shots behind guard at 9 o'clock
Holland gos too deep, to back of the twelve-foot. Jones comes and sort of sits on the back rock. (Meanwhile McCarville draws for 2 to go up 2-1 over Bernard.)
Holland clears all teh back rocks but that leaves Jones an interesting shot for at least two. Jones misses big time and gives away a steal of one!
HEY CCA - send a media package up to TSN with the names of the players on Holland's team! I am sure they are asking.
END #4:
This is sad. No end starts without rocks in play. TSN Seems to have no idea of the names of the players on the Holland team. What bad joke is this?
Rocks in play again. I almost give up! Holland rock at the fron to the four-foot, guards in front. Askin's (we all know her name) second rock tucks in at the top edge of the twelve. Lots of action up front. Let's see what happens and then I can try to describe it. Holland asks for more piling up out front. Officer does MAJOR house-cleaning - still some guards out front but nothing much left behind. Tammy Schneider (yes, a name!) slightly misses. Officer goes too deep behind a bunch of Holland rocks out front around 11 o'clock. And now Kim Schneider (a name!) removes an open Jones rock at 3 pm. Overton hits that and rolls beautifully behind the Holland rocks out front. Kim Schneider sits on a Jones rock at the back of the eight foot. Overton is light and leaves herself at the front of the house. (Meanwhile Scott steals two in the fourth and leads 3-2 over Lawton.) Holland puts a rock on the button, well guarded. It seems to have gone a tad too deep. Jones is heavy and goes through the house. Holland goes into the eight-foot, almost inviting a double attempt from Jones, though the risk is self-destruction of a high degree. Jones misses totally, so Holland has another steal and leads 4-1.
END #5:
Oh for heaven's sake! They interview Jones while more rocks go into play. I almost give up.
We have two Holland rocks in the house, and a left guard from Jones. Officer puts a guard up on the right. Tammy Schneider (now that they told me her name) clears that and goes away. Overton tucks a rock away behind one of their guards on the left side of the house, not yet scoring. Kim Schneider kills the guard but there is a jam and she leaves a Jones rock on the left behind the remaining rock. Well, not quite behind. Overton hits and stick nicely on a Holland rock in the four foot. Kim Schneider htis and sticks, missing the planned double. Overton hits and rolls, implications not clear. (Scott and Lawton go to the break at 3-3.) Holland hits Jones' scorer, but also leaves the house. Jones sort of tucks in behind a corner guard. Holland clears teh guard, missing her planned double, leaving Jones a draw for two. And she gets it. 4-3 Holland at the break.
END #6:

My pick to be Canada's representative to the Olympics

As Alan says in the previous posting, and as we have been noting for the past four years, we expect that the curling we will see for the next week will be the best curling in the world. Canada has so many teams that could compete well and be likely to win the gold at the Olympics. Furthermore, there will be more than one team from some provinces, whereas in the Scott and the Brier only one team can represent each province or territory.

Unfortunately, my day job will keep me from watching many of the draws, as will some travel. At one point, Alan and I had hoped we could report live from the event in Edmonton, but we were unable to secure media passes because we not been full-time journalists for the past year. But more on that later....

Meanwhile, I would like to offer my predictions as to who will win and maybe some thoughts on which team I think might best represent Canada at the Olympics.

Since the women start first on Sunday, I will begin with them. I have no idea who will win this. Not a clue. Kelly Scott came so close four years ago, and her rink has been superb over the years, but they seem to have slipped a bit lately. The Kleibrink rink actually looks better than they did four years ago, and they have a good chance. The Jones rink has been solidly good for most of the past few years. I will be a bit surprised, but only mildly, if one of these three teams doesn't win the trials. But several of the others would likely be just as good at representing Canada in Vancouvre. My pick will be Scott, but with 8 highly qualified teams in the running, I give them about a 15% chance of winning, which is only a bit higher than random! Whoever wins will surely have their hands VERY full trying even to medal at the Olympics.

On the men's side, it looks like a real fight between the Howard and Martin rinks, with Stoughton and Ferbey as close contenders. I expect that Simmons or Koe would also do an adequate job of representing Canada. The real dark horse is Gunnlaugson; I'm really looking forward to seeing him curl again. I'm willing to bet beer (at even odds) that Middaugh's rink will not be the Canadian representative at the Olympics. My pick: Howard, but I'm really expecting to see some fine and fun curling over the week.

Fasten Your Seat Belts - Roar of the Rings

The Olympic Trials in Curling for Canada start tomorrow. The eight top teams for men and women, election unencumbered by provincial origins (in fact, the teams need not have members from the same province, if I interpret the Gushue team from 2006 correctly), making this likely the best Canadian tournament of the season.
I expect we'll be there. I know I will be racing home for the first match.

Road to the Roar

This weekend, I've been watching the Road to the Roar --- the preliminary preliminaries, so to speak. It has been enjoyable curling. Excellent teams, even if the top names in curling are not there. And it sure is fun to watch some of the lesser-knowns (e.g. Jason Gunnlaugson).

Once again, I am pretty strongly convinced that the best curling of the season will be the Olympic trials (aka "The Roar of the Rings"), where the best Canadian teams meet to see who will represent Canada in the Olympics. Even if the Canadian teams do not win gold in the Olympics, overall, there is so much depth of superb talent in Canada that I cannot imagine we won't be delighted with the play in December.

Grey Power World Cup of Curling Final - Maybe a Live-Blog

It turns out the CBC is broadcasting it live on the main network. The final is Howard vs Koe; the Koe rink is 0-5 in Grand Slam of Curling events. The Howard rink has been in six of the last seven Grand Slam finals. The winning team wins $18,000, which probably reflects the fan demographics, also revealed by the sponsor.
First End
After Koe's first rock, a delicate and nice tapback, his rink sits two, Howard with the hammer. Howard clears Koe's front rock (the key priority), but Koe still counts one with a rock touching the button. Koe nearly freezes, again delicately, to his front rock to count two. Howard is not planning for a deuce, just wondering what is the best way to count. Howard is heavy, and allows a steal of two.
Koe must be hoping!
Second End
"Great sweeping", from both the broadcasters and the skip on the second Howard stone. Hart's second rock runs too far and Howard, with a couple of rocks counting behind a variety of guards, not all intended, fails to capitalize immediately on those. Koe now wants to come into the house and bury a draw. The shot is lovely, is now counting, and blocks the path to Howard's two rocks angled behind it. Howard's attempts to double Koe rocks out of the house misses slightly but disastrously, removing one of his own. He also buries a Koe rock behind a Koe guard in the four-foot. Koe slides yet another guard into the front of the eight-foot in front of his counter. All Howard has is a tough draw for one. A beauty to the button.
It's not over yet!
Third End
Early in the end Howard is piling up rocks in front of the house, and in the front of the house, but Koe has a rock that counts. He clears out two Howard guards in front of the house and leaves his own there. Howard puts another in the front of the button, so there is Koe rock and flanking Howard rocks behind a Koe guard. Koe clears one of the Howard rocks, but leaves Howard an opportunity to cause trouble. Hart's shot does not roll enough, but the Koe team response leaves a Koe rock open and two Howard rocks in the eight-foot, one guarded. Hart leaves Howard lying three. Koe gets rid of the front guard, and parks a rock next to the front Howard rock. Howard just misses his removal of the Koe rock, in that he now lies only two, and the shooter rolled out past the third rock point. Koe now thinging a deuce! It overcurled, and now Howard needs to hit and stick, and force a one. Koe gets his one, despite a moment of wondering.
3-1 Koe after three ends.
Scott Russell does a laughable interview with a sponsor, the premiss being that the amount of money available is increasing. $18,000 dollars for the winning team, divided by four (more likely five or six)? So around $3,000 for winning individual members of a team, for a week of direct participation. My guess is that in, say, tennis, that iswhat a losing qualifier in the first round of qualification gets.
So why is the CBC cheerleading this crazy notion? (Maybe not the CBC overall, maybe just a deluded Scott Russell.) Curling won't last long as a spectator sport with these economics.
Poker after Dark is a lot cheaper to show.
Fourth End
Was cutting vegetables for salad, so am not sure how we got here. And I think I will wait to describe 'here' as peels are coming up. OK that is not how it went but here is the scene after Hart's first rock. Two Howard rocks in the front of the eight-foot, one Koe rock in the back - Koe planning to have Blake M(a?)cDonald double out the Howard rocks. Well, that did not work. Jams. Howard buries a rock (well, burying is relative). Koe plans a cosmic blast, and misses it barely.
Sorry, attention wandered (there is also NFL), but Koe has now left Howard a draw for two. Howard makes it.
Broadcasters are saying, well, back where we started from, but NO, the hammer has moved.
Fifth End
Got a bit lost in housework in the long break between ends. Will describe things when it makes sense (to me).
OK well open Koe rock unguarded in the house with Hart's last rock top come. He removes it and rolls to the button. We are in blank country now. And now the house is empty. Howard puts his own first rock at about three o'clock in the twelve foot, not really guarded by a nearby rock out of the rings. Koe clears it and roils to the eight-foot in the centre behind the button. Howard hits and rols a tad to one side. Koe blanks with no problem.
Sixth End
Anticipating a blast, I refrained from detailed description.
Now there is a Koe guard out front, and Howard rocks in the front and back of the eight foot more or less behind it and a Koe rock in the twelve foot behind them.
Another blast replaced the front Koe guard with the shooter, and removes all but a Howard rock in the back of the four foot and Hart adds a beauty in the twelve foot in front of the button. Another Koe blast is coming. Almost excellent, leaving Howard a rock on the back of the button slightly covered by a Koe rock off centre line in front of the house. Howard draws behind cover just in front of the buttopn. Runback number four coming. And it is an utter miss by Koe.
Howard has two in the middle of the house, and Koe one at 3 o'clock on the centre line. Howard puts a rock in the centre at the top of the eight foot. Howard lies three. Koe aiming to clear the house and score one or two - no draw intended. :-)
This blast clears all the Howard rocks and the shooter, and the shooter just misses Koe's rock, so Koe scores one to lead 4-3.
Seventh End
I missed the first shot, not because of me, but because the CBC decided to have people yapping instead of showing play. I think I will wait a bit before complicated descriptions of the house are useful. Worth mentioning that an initial nice split of Howard rocks in the house got removed by Koe, placing the shooter nearer the center of the house. Koe's second second misses mightily, clearing the house of all Koe rocks and the shooter, and leaving Howard a chance to drop a rock in behind a Koe rock in front of the house, to join two others of his.
First Koe third rock removes one Howard rock and parks near another. Howard calls a timeout, looking for some way to prevent the runback multiple shots we have been seeing from the Koe rink at times. They want a rock in the front of the eight foot to allow a possible jam. They get top 12-foot, so they are not second shot but do make a runback more problematic. They try for a runback double and jam but leave Howard lying only one. Hart essentially walks down and puts his rock behind cover. Koe clears the guard and centre Howard rock but leaves the shooter to go behind. Howard splits the house. Koe hits and stays but is open.
Howard hits and sticks for two.
Howard 5-4, Koe going home with the hammer.
Eighth (and possibly final) End
House is becoming pretty messy with a pileup of rocks in the front and some guards out front. Howard asking for a big runback - and it misses, though not as badly as it might have. Koe's response wrecks out front. Hart puts the rock where wanted, and Howard lies three, though things are so messy anything could happen.
Koe puts a rock sitting on a Howard rock in the back of the house. Hart sits on that but none of these shots makes anyone happy. And then reciprocation. This is too complicated to be worth writing about. Howard puts his own first shot on the button in front of a staggered line of rocks. Koe calls timeout (his team in under serious time pressure). He plans to hit that Howard rock, no mean feat. He misses, moves the Howard rock more behind cover, knocking out his backing, and leaving the shooter in a mildly threatening position.
Howard takes a timeout. He will guard the last attempted shot and put a guard up around 5pm, in the twelve foot. Hmm no that was wrong. Well, no it was right, but way in front of the house. Koe plans some crazy runback. With no real time to think about it.
He gets the shot off just in time and misses. Howard wins this tournament for the fourth straight time, and Koe now has six straight Grand Slam final losses.
An aside.
Just now, as the coverage ends, that worst ad in the universe for Grey Power is being run. I have been waiting. But there is a second worst and Capital One (same company) has been running it all afternoon.
Come on guys, find a decent ad agency! What about Sterling Cooper?
Major Hmmmmmm:
They are holding one of those pseudo-cheques for $24,000! Changes my analysis above marginally.

It's That Time of Year!

Well, it has been for a while, and we've been a bit lazy, but I suspect we'll be around for the season now.
Currently, the Grey Power World Cup of Curling is running, with what may well be the best field of the year to come (though I imagine the Canadian Olympic Trials do trump this one).
It is a little ominous looking at the championship sponsors. It means that if this gets onto TV we will suffer the most annoying TV ad in the history of the universe. I embed below a video response to this ad, which really does not hit all the obnoxious things about it, but captures one viewpoint, and identifies the insurance company responsible.
But the good news in this tournament for those of us who did not subscribe to CurlTV is that the CBC is streaming (free!) CurlTV's broadcasts. Just go to cbc.ca/sports.
I am coming to love this new world, and, I hate to say it, but thanks, CBC!