2008 Brier - 8th End; Alberta 4, Ontario 2 - blanked end

In response to Alan's (sarcastic?) plea for more stats: My guess is that if there were Tradesports.com contracts available for the Brier final (Maybe there are, but if so I couldn't find them), a contract for Martin to win would be selling at a pretty high price right now -- in the range of $80 or so to win $100. Martin is up two and Howard has not yet managed to score two in any end.

Remember how last year in Hamilton I suggested that the dust in the air ducts might have been causing the picks? Well, son-of-a-gun if the announcers aren't suggesting something similar for this final.

Once again, Martin throws rocks into the rings, while Howard plays on the sides to begin. Kennedy gets a nose hit (unusual for him) and Laing claims a double on the reds in the rings. Later, Hart leaves a wide double for Morris, who gets a nose hit instead. Nice discussion about Hart's 2nd shot, but it doesn't quite get the Alberta rock off the ice.

Whoa, look at that scratch! Ice problems shouldn't be determining the outcome.

Ontario calls time to discuss Howard's shot. One question is whose rock is lying shot after Martin's first rock. Ontario guesses they're shot, but takes out the Martin rock anyway, just to be sure.

Beautiful loonnnnggggg double by Martin, leaves Howard with no choice but to try to blank.