The Brier! Live-blogging Draw #1

This is too good! I was going to say it would be the best men's tournament this year, but I had forgotten that this is a year for Olympic qualifying, and that tournament does not suffer the geographic restrictions of the Brier. It will be the best, but this will be dandy!
I am hoping TSN will follow Alberta - N.B. - that would be Martin, Kevin and the elder Howard, Russ. And TSN does the right thing.
END #1: NB go to the back of the 8-foot and Alberta toss up a corner guard. Second NB shot is in the front of the 8-foot, cleared. NB clear the previous shooter and sit out at 3 o'clock. Alberta clear that rock and the shooter. NB clear the corner guard but jam on their own, and Albert put a rock in at 3 o'clock and sit two, the other on the center on the back of the 8-foot. After Morris' first rock, Alberta now have a rock at 2 o'clock and back of the 8-foot on the center. The next exchange moves Alberta's 2-o'clock rock to 1 o'clock - decent chance now of a double. Just missed. House contains only the Martin rock in the back. Only very aggressive brushing brings Martin's first rock into the edge of the house at about 2 o'clock. Howard whiffs totally despite much loud screaming. Martin draws to the 4-foot for three. Don't expect the same level of detail from me for a while!
END #2: Pretty exciting. In the end Martin's team out-draw Howard's in a freezing battle and in putting up guards. NB just get 1. 3-1 Alberta with the hammer.
END #3: I missed the first few shots but NB now REALLY need to do something as Alberta are already counting 3. NB wreck on one of their own front guards and now it is a real mess.
Howard does make agood shot to cut the damage. Martin comes up short. Howard challenges Martin with a rock to the button, got there by aggressive sweeping. Martin's tap-back is perfect for 2. Alberta 5-1, NB have the hammer.
END #4: Some slightly unlucky NB shots but Alberta remain in command. They have made some mistakes here too but are in a situation quite tolerant of that. BIG miss from Alberta - maybe NB can get 3 back. But much of the end to go. NB largely lose their shooter. Martin does not achive quite what he wanted, rolling the wrong way. Howard does not get over to the edge for his freeze. Martin hits to leave NB 2. They get it. 5-3 Alberta with the hammer.
END #5: Meanwhile the other scores are close except that NWT/YT are headed for oblivion fast.
Morris, late in the end, comes up short. It is amusing watching the teams play against shots that would be left to women's teams. Howard's first shot rolls just a tadtoo much. Martin leaves Howard some options. He comes up short and is now guarding an Alberta rock in the house. The Alberta rock picks - Alberta take 1. 6-3 Alberta after 5.
END #6: NB take one.
END #7: Seconod Alberta rock wrecks on a NB guard - we have a NB guard at 12:30 and two Alberta rocks at 11. NB clear the Alberta rocks but end up in the 4-foot. Alberta clear the guard and the shooter. NB toss up another guard near the center-line. Peeled. NB almost freeze to the Alberta rock now. Alberta empty the house. No rocks in play now at all. Despite an almost-miss from Martin the end remains open. Blanked.
END #8: After first, NB have two center-line guards and Alberta two rocks behind them in the front of the house. NB come up short freezing to one of the Alberta rocks. Alberta peel all the guards and clear the shooter.
(On the side PEI win over NWT/YT.)
Heading for a blank. And blanked.
END #9: NB has two center guards, Alberta a pair of rocks in the in the front of the house behind them. NB wreck on a front guard. Alberta clear a guard but leave two others up. NB put a rock behind their guards and in front of the Alberta rocks. Alberta clear both guards and leave the shooter somewhat off the center-line. NB miss an attempt to sneak in on top of the Alberta rocks in the house. Double coming! (I would never say this if this were the women.) Double executed! NB is heavy on a freeze to the Alberta rocks in the house and spin away. Alberta clean that rock away and lose the shooter. Still an Alberta rock in the four-foot, not quite protected by an Alberta rock out front. Howard gets a nice hit and roll , removing the Alberta rock and sitting behind the guard. Martin peels the guard. Howard puts up an unconvincing guard. Martin draws to the button! (Did I really write that?!) Alberta take another one.
END #10: (Meanwhile, Manitoba, Stoughton, claim a win over NS, Dacey.) This end is proving what you would expect. Will interrupt if a surprise occurs. It does not.
The whole thing really over after the first end. NB should feel ebcouraged, though.