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 #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.