Still a good week for Jacobs who now sits 4 - 2 after receiving the Red Bum Award from Team Howard. I still expect Northern Ontario to do well and you just cannot take it away from them. They are a good squad in their own right and I fully expect them to make a full recovery, put the Noxema on their burning backsides and come out swinging against Team Menard. The Quebec boys have been having quite a Brier. Remarkable shot-making....quite a surprise this week from this crew.
And for Kevin Martin, the slide continues. I feel his pain, which must be amplified seeing how he is playing in front of the hometown crowd. Just a bad week I guess but it may not be all over for this squad yet, 4 losses is definitely the bubble and they will have to make sure that they don't lose another game. No doubt, it's a tough road back but if any squad is capable of such a recovery, it is Team Martin. Don't count them out all together...they still might find their pace yet.
And for Paul Flemming, he still is looking to win his first. With no wins yet, this crew have had a tough week. I feel for them.
Brock Virtue...not the showing I expected from them and certainly not what this team had hoped for. Good team though, if they stay together, they will be back.
James Grattan...wow...great play from this squad. They may not make it to the playoffs but they are still in it. James has been making some dynamite shots and lost a couple of squeakers that he could have won. Great showing this week.
But the Brier is not the only curling going on in Canada this week. All over the country, leagues are still going on and that was the case at the BRCC on Monday when the Mixed League continued to battle it out.
Ice A: Al Viel vs Francois Lemieux. WIN for Viel. The Viel squad has won the vast majority of their games this year. Not surprising, there are good players on this crew. Al himself is a great competitor. You can always count on Al to be 100% into the game, and because of this, he always provides a tough game. He wins the "Tough Guys" Award. REO Speedwagon would be proud (if they were curlers.)
Ice B: Dan McMillan vs Michel Rivard. WIN for McMillan. The McMillan rink is another squad that has had alot of success in the Mixed League. Mary Shamas plays for this team and she is a long time pal of the BRCC. Mary is a busy lady but finds time to play curling at least once a week and you see her out there sparing as well. But that's not all, Mary likes to play in bonspiels and she enjoys going to the big curling events to watch. Mary is a true Curling Chronic, and that is for sure. She wins the "Can't Get Enough" Award. Patty Loveless would be proud (if she was a curler).
Ice C: Bob Villeneuve vs Brian West. WIN for Villeneuve. The Villeneuve crew has been solid all season and certainly have won most of their games. And why wouldn't they, with both Bob and Terry Fryer playing on this squad. But Heidi Lees also plays on this team. She plays lead and Heidi has improved over the years and makes alot of shots. And she also loves the game. You can look at her out on the ice and know for sure that she is enjoying herself. If you watch her shoot or even watch her sweep, you will know that she is focused and into the game at all times. The curling bug has bitten her deeply and there is no recovering from that. She wins the "Lost In Love" Award. Air Supply would be proud (if they were curlers).
Ice D: Sandy Milroy vs Jerry Jensen. WIN for Jensen. Nice to see the Jensen squad post a win. They win some and lose some, but here is another squad that absolutely love the game. Kathy Jensen plays on this squad and she is a fabulous curler. And quite a nice lady to boot. Kathy is the model sportsperson and she just loves to play curling. Kathy has made many contributions to the BRCC over the years. She is usually behind the scenes giving consultations, but she has done much to benefit our little club and usually without alot of recognition. Just another refle ction of Kathy's wonderful personality. She wins the "Busy being Fabulous" Award. The Eagles would be proud (if they were curlers).
So that wraps up another Monday Mixed. There is only a couple weeks left and curling will end for this league. But it was a great year and kudos to Alain Viel for being the convener of this league. With the way this league went this year, I'm sure that there will be even more teams participating next year. The Mixed is a great league...and what a great way to get out with your significant other and play a game and mingle with some great people. That what Mixed curling is about and t hat is exactly what happens at the BRCC.
In Thursday Mens action, Round 1 is now complete. Here is a list of the teams that have made it through the first round and will continue on in the quest for the Club Championship.
Team Dave Mitchell: won over Team Zagar and current club champions. The question is, can they keep it together to the end. They will be looking to prevent the slide as they take on Mike Laderoute and his magic stick next.
Team Bob Villeneuve: Won over Team Hammond. I predicted this, did I not? While the Villeneuve crew had a tough season, they pulled it together in the second half and will be a team to watch. If they get on a roll, they could go all the way but they will have to hold it all together as they are meeting Team Rick Rouselle next and we all know the kind of season the Postie have had. they been goin' Postal, and gettin' it done.
Team Ben Lemieux: won against Brian Tonelli. The Robb Road Express have been on quite a roll. They even have an 8-Ender to their credit and they are looking to be the next BRCC kings. And it's not like they can't do it, if they continue to play the way they have been, they will be hard to beat. But the battle of the Lemieux's is next as they will have to play 'mon oncle" Francois. A cup of focus will be required for this one.
Team Francois Lemieux: won against Jeff Mitchell. Francois has had a good year but will really have to bear down against his nephew when he meets the red, hot Robb Road Express next.
Team Dan Berthelot: won against Jim Kendrick. Great to see this squad moving on. Lots of talent on this team and they have had a solid couple of seasons. They will have to draw on this experience when they meet the Molson Exers next. The Exers have game and they are focused on the prize. They might tell you that it's all about the pizza and beer, but they are also looking to be top dogs.
Team Chris Astles: won against Brian West. The Astles crew are a veteran crew and it is great to see them moving through. They will have to bear down, however, if they want to get past the Hagger squad. It's not like they are in tough, Team Astles has lots of game..they will just have to have it all together for this upcoming match.
Team Ryan Hagger: won against Al Viel. Big night for this Hagger crew, knocking off a tough team in the first round. They will play Team Astles next and they will have to continue to hold it all together. If this squad plays up to its [potential, then they will be a force to be reckoned with. look for lots of rocks to be in play during this match. That seems to be how Team Hagger rolls (or slides in this case).
Team Glen Austin: won against Team Roberts. The Thursday Newfie Bullet has consistently finished in the top three every year since starting up in 2007. However, they have never made it past the second round. Hard not to develop a complex given this statistic. But they will be looking to change that trend this year when they take on the winner of Hagger / Astles. Perhaps a support group before this match will help with the psychosis.
Team Keith Rouselle: won over Team Valiquette. I'm happy to see the Molson Exers moving through. They have been together now for several years and they play good curling. While they did not finish as the top team, they still had a solid season and they have the ability to win it all but they will have to batten down the hatches and keep it afloat when they meet Team Dan Berthelot this week.
Rick Rouselle: won over Michel Rivard. The Posties are a red hot team this season. they got on a roll early and finished in the top three. Excellent showing and they will not be easy to beat if they continue to curl like they have been. And they will need to draw on all their skill as they play Team Villeneuve next, who appear to be ready to rock!
So there you have it. As teams lose, they are sent over to the B side and there are lots of good games going on there. And the beauty to this is that they keep curling and staying practiced up for the upcoming Mens Closing which is just a couple of short weeks away now. If you think you have been to great bonspiels but have never been to a BRCC Mens Closing, then you have never seen a spiel like this. It is the bets bonspiel that I have ever attended. It is extremely difficult to beat this one....I'm stoked!
Rock On!
The Curling Chronic
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