Sloppily Live-Blogging Howard-Middaugh

Howard is 7-0 and Middaugh 4-3 so far in the standings so Middaugh really needs it. Howard and Middaugh play once a week in mixed curling on the same team with their wives - so I don;t expect much in the way of intemperance.

End 1 : Massively complicated house and a bunch of guards, Middaugh rock on the button for Howard's final stone. Howard htinks he sees a whole but wrecks on the guard and Middaugh steals 1. The commentators seem to think this may be the first steal against Howard in the week (but do not seem too sure.)

Middaugh 1 - Howard 0.

(Update - that was the third steal against the Howard rink this week.)

End 2 : Howard seems sure to get 2 but Middaugh makes a wonderful delicate double. It is a treat to see this level of play. Howard blanks the end.

Middaugh 1 - Howard 0.

End 3 : Howard's first rock does not have enough weight and wrecks on the guard he was hoping to come around. Middaugh puts a rock on the button, and also has one on the side of th house. Howard is forced to take 1.

Middaugh 1 - Howard 1.

End 4: Middaugh has to take 1.

Middaugh 2 - Howard 1

End 5 : With final skip stones left, Howard has a rock on the button, about one-third open, in a house populated by three Middaugh rocks. He wrecks on a guard, having not enough weight. Howard draws to the four-foot for 2.

Middaugh 2 - Howard 3.

(Back to CSI for a bit.)

End 6 : Most complicated end since the first. Middaugh rock on the button surrounded by three Howard rocks, Middaugh rock in the 12-foot sort of guarding. Hart's last rock puts another Howard rock in the mix at the front, two Howard rocks backing the Middaugh rock. Middaugh raises the rock in the 12-foot, cleaning up the house, sending two Howard rocks off, and now there are four Middaugh rocks in the house. Howard clears thje counting Middaugh rock and rolls off to the side; Howard is now counting 3, though there are 3 Middaugh rocks wanting to count. Middaugh is planning to freeze to Howard's rock at the back of the 4-foot. The shot is perfect. There are now many things that could go wrong if Howard tries to move that Middaugh rock. Howard's nose hit does not do what is wanted and his rock is open for a Middaugh hit for two. Middaugh's shot misses and goes through the house, overthrown. Howard steals 1.

Middaugh 2 - Howard 4

End 7 : With Hart's last (third) rock to be played, there are two Middaugh rocks in the house, one at the front of the 8-foot and one in the left side of the house at the edge of the 12-foot. Howard almost doubles them, but a Middaugh rock remains at the very back of the house, the Howard rock on the right side. Middaugh removes the Howard rock and sticks. Howard does the same. Middaugh hits and sticks for 2.

Middaugh 4 - Howard 4

(I guess I can see that episode of CSI some other year.)

(Also, there is something delightfully small-town about this Rogers coverage out of the Waterloo area, a region I inhabited for many delightful years.)

End 8 : Missed the major stuff (watching Celebrity Apprentice), but Middaugh missed a high-risk shot. Howard draws for 3.

Middaugh 4 - Howard 7.

OK I am of little faith. I won;t update again now unless something insane is going on as I flip back during the ads in Celebrity Apprentice.

End 9: Middaugh gets 2.

Middaugh 6 - Howard 7.

End 10 : Skip stones - after Middaugh's first rock, which did not curl as planned, Middaugh counts 3. Howard will simply draw for shot. Pefect shot into the button. (OK - forget Celebrity Apprentice!) Middaugh plans to see if Howard can do it twice in a row, and just poke the Howard rock out. Executed well. Howard has a draw to the button to win. Utterly perfect.

Middaugh is now at 4-4, Howard at 8-0.

(And don't worry - the part of Celebrity Apprentice that is the most fun I will see.)