Team Martin Shake Up!

"Good - bye Mo, Me gotta go, me - oh -my -oh, Me gotta go, pole the pirogue down the Bayou...."  Yes folks, that's right! Johnny Mo packed his curling shoes and broom into his pirogue and poled out of Team Martinville. Incredible news! I saw this coming but I thought it would happen after the Olympic Trials run in December. There is no doubt that things were going a bit awry for this squad. They did not have a great season and certainly the writing was on the wall. In my opinion, the chemistry was just not there anymore and it showed in their play. It only goes to show, you can have 4 of the best players in the world on a team but if the chemistry is not there, it will be difficult to win.

So, what will become of Johnny Mo? My guess is that there is already an offer on the table for him with either a team that has qualified for the Trials OR the pretrials. This has yet to be revealed. Who knows, perhaps Johnny Mo will step back from competitive curling and concentrate on just fighting fires. Not likely! I'm thinking that within the next month, Johnny Mo will be named as a member of another squad.

And what of Team Kmart? Will he move Kennedy and Hebert up and make a spot for his son? Not likely. I think Martin looks for a third. So who is available? Well, there are lots of good curlers in Alberta. Annie thought that maybe he would look to Jamie Koe from the territories. Interesting idea. Bob Weeks, in his article, named Don Walchuck. Another interesting idea..I miss that broomball shoe!

I don't fault Johnny Mo for his departure. If it is not working, then it is not working and that's all that can be said about that. I'm surprised they stayed together as long as they did. Nonetheless, this squad had a great run and they accomplished alot in that time.

Stay tuned, there is more to this story yet to be revealed.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

In The Final Analysis

Eve Muirhead. What a year this young lady has had (and her team!). At 22 years old, Eve has accomplished an incredible amount in the Roaring Game. She has won the World's and now has won the Player's Championship. Some would argue that this is the best team in the world today. Indeed, they would be right. And right on her heels is Team Sweden with Maria Prytz shooting last. Personally, I would have to argue that this is also the best team in the world albeit the fact that they have lost numerous finals.

One thing is for certain, Canada is no longer the big, bad wolf of curling. The rest of the world is catching up in leaps and bounds. Although this may not be the best news for Canada at face value, it IS good news for curling in general and certainly good news for international curling. Look at the Russian curling program...Team Siderova has lots of game and they will be getting better. Then there is the Czech Republic..another program that has taken leaps and bounds.

I think Canadian curling is still right up there. A transition is taking place...and the younger teams are coming into their own. Teams like Jacobs and Homan, although not winning gold are solid squads and it is teams like this that will rise to the top on the world stage. But make no mistake, the rest of the world is improving too. The Olympics in 2014 will be huge!!! And entertaining as there are so many good teams out there now.

It turns out that Epping took the last spot in the Olympic Trials which means that Jacobs and Gushue will have to qualify through the pre-trials. Not the worst news...they will have to practice hard and play well. Certainly they are capable.

Gushue's team looked good this year. They looked strong in the Brier and they played well in the Player's Championship. I think Gushue has finally found the right mix and they seem to play well together. This squad can only get stronger.

And what's to say about Jacobs that has not already been said. I hope to see them advance to the Olympic Trials and with any luck, make it to the Olympic Games.

Check this site from time to time over the summer holidays. It might be summer but there is still curling stuff to fill you in on.

Enjoy your summer. Be safe.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

World Mixed Doubles This Weekend

Robert Desjardins and Isabelle Neron. This Quebec duo is going to represent Canada in the World Mixed Doubles, kicking off this weekend in Fredericton, NB. It will begin Saturday, April 13 and go till the 20th. It will all begin with Canada meeting Italy at 3:30 pm on Saturday. And guess who will be commentating...none other than longtime BRCC pal, Dean Gemmell. They will be streaming the games live and you can watch them...just go to www.youtube.com/WorldCurlingTV  Check it out, I'm sure there will be some good curling and Dean will no doubt have excellent insights.

Just google 2013 World Mixed Doubles Curling and you can check out game times and who the other competing teams are.

Mixed Doubles is really catching on. It is a fast game and certainly an interesting game. If you ever wanted a way to improve your shooting shills, then start playing Mixed Doubles. Certainly it would make practice more fun!

It would be nice to start a Mixed Doubles league at the BRCC...at the very least have a Mixed Doubles tournament some weekend. I think I will attempt to make this an agenda item at a board meeting this summer. I think we could generate enough interest in it and perhaps grow this type of curling match within the club. Now that our beloved Maymar and Al are back, I am betting they would be interested in this as well.

Don't forget, the Players Championship, the final stop of the Grand Slam events will be kicking off in Toronto on April 16. All the big teams will be there and here's the thing, if Team Jacobs does well, they will secure a berth in the Roar of the Rings. At this point, I think the Jacobs rink have a slight edge, pointswise, on Team Epping so hopefully the boys can keep it going. Stay tuned for my updates and predictions.

With the readership growing on this blogsite, I am going to try to keep the blog going all summer long. There is always curling news going on and perhaps I can also keep you abreast on what is happening at the BRCC as well, in terms of summer repairs, etc. So, stay with me during the summer.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

True World Class Champions

E J Harnden. A true curling champion. I read an article on facebook from a BC newspaper about Ryan Fry giving his broom to a 5 year old girl during practice just before the championship game. It was an excellent gesture and both the father and little girl will remember this for a very long time. There can be no doubt that Ryan Fry has earned the right to be a part of this world class curling squad, both by his great play and by the way he interacts with this young team. He may, in fact, be the addition that this team was waiting for to move to the next level.

But, then I got to thinking about E J Harnden. Once the third for this squad, he moved to second stone and made the way for Ryan Fry to become a part of the team. Surely a sign of his dedication to the success of this squad. (The same can be said about Ryan Harnden as well!) But more than this, E J was completely composed during the World Championship. Even when they struggled, he was supportive at all times. He played lights out and made shot after shot. They even named the run back double, "The E J". E J Harnden has matured exponentially over the few short years that they have been on the national curling stage. In the championship game against Sweden, when things were looking bleak and it was looking like Sweden was going to win (which they eventually did), E J said nothing but supportive comments to Brad when he was about to shoot and when the shot was done (made or not). This, to me, indicated the level of maturity that this young man has attained and this is the very thing that makes him a world class athlete and curler. My hat is off to E J Harnden because of this.

In fact, my hat is off to this entire squad. They did not win gold BUT they did win silver and this is a great accomplishment and we should be proud. Not only as Northern Ontario curlers, but as Canadians in general. As far as I am concerned, these guys made a tremendous splash at the Worlds (and the Brier) and they represented their country in an awesome fashion. All 4 players played excellent and they should be proud of the things they have accomplished. They are indeed role models in curling and in sports in general.

Arm chair curlers are the most critical when it comes to team analysis, and that sometimes is a disservice to the people that represent their country in sport. But make no mistake, the pressure involved in wearing the Maple Leaf on National (and International) TV must be staggering...but this squad bore it well. They are true champions and world class athletes. They deserve nothing but our respect and admiration and I say this as a Northern Ontario curler and as a curler in general. They have done their part for the sport of curling, Sault Ste Marie curling, Northern Ontario curling and Canadian curling. Kudos guys...you deserve it for an awesome display of curling and sportsmanship.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Canada Gets Silver

Team Edin. Gold medal finish at the Worlds. And they deserve it too. They played well and were strong to the finish. Good on them! And the Canucks took the Silver. Not too shabby! They played well and all in all, a great showing for a young team at their first worlds. I am predicting they will get back there.

And Team Jacobs can hold their heads high. Second place in the world is an excellent accomplishment. When you think about starting at the regions and working their way to the final of the world championship, it's been a long hard road and they had to put together alot of wins to get there. Kudos to these guys. They certainly have put Northern Ontario curling back on the map. Awesome job guys!!

Ryan Fry was phenomenal! In fact, the entire team was phenomenal all year long. This is only the beginning for this team...they will be back and even more formidable than they were this year.

The Players Championship is coming up. The Jacobs crew will have to do well here and they will secure a berth in the Roar of the Rings. The possibility of them getting through to the Olympics is very real! They are an awesome team and they have a good shot. Practice hard boys, knock back a few more protein shakes and before you know it, you'll be representing your country again.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

The Finals!!!

 I know what you're thinking. Is Yvon Valiquette playing for Scotland? And is his shot tight?

 Or perhaps you're thinking what is Steph Lemieux so happy about. The shot or the hair?

You might even be wondering if curling is a good fit for Alfred E Newman. He looks so serious.














Well, the first one is Tom Brewster. Third for Scotland. Interesting dynamic, this 5 man rotation. I'm not sure I'm a fan. They had Brewster sit out last  night's semi-final. Granted, he had a tough game in the semi-final  but to me, that was just a bad game. Who hasn't been there/ However, he's an awesome player in his own right and I think that on the night of that semi-final, it would have been key to have him in this that game, but hey whatever. The Canadians pulled it out, in fine style.

The second one is NOT Steph Lemieux, it's Rasmus Stjerne...skip of Denmark. He is a rising star out of this country. Awesome shooter...what a great surprise. His game was awesome and this squad had Canada in a nail biter in that 3 - 4 game. That run back by Ryan Fry was nothing short of spectacular and I invented a new dance move right there in my living room when that shot got made. I was smelling the win before that shot, but I tasted it after it got made. The Fry Guy has been spectacular...and the Gushue is still scratching his head!

The third one is Greg Drummond...he usually plays second but for the semi-final, he played third. He curled 81 % but  was out curled by Fry and hey, I think that perhaps this rotation was more disruptive to this squad than a benefit. But Greg Drummond is no slouch..he is an excellent curler and he is tough to out curl. You gotta bring your A game to take this veteran on.

So the Bronze game is in the 7th as I type this. Tom Brewster has been awesome. So has Rasmus Stjerne. Boy, it's hard to predict a winner.

Tonight is the BIG GAME. Edin et al have been in the zone  but so is Jacobs. And me with no fingernails left. Break out the Melba Toast! (That is so 50 - something of me).

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Canucks Finish Fourth But The Fight Goes On

The Rolling Stones. They said it best with "You Can't Always Get What You Want".  And the Canucks are singing this ditty this morning after suffering back to back losses against Denmark first and then Sweden last night. The Danish team played great curling and secured the win in yesterday evening's game and then the Swedish squad were just making everything and handed Team Jacobs a loss for 4th place.

But 4th place is still not so bad. Granted, it's a tough road to the final but the Canadian foursome is more than capable. They will play Denmark tomorrow afternoon in the 3 - 4 game and you can be sure the Canucks are seeking redemption. My prediction?....Canada will win this one. And then, they will face the loser of the 1 - 2 game, Scotland and Sweden. This will be a tougher game for the boys but once again, it is a game they can win.

Surprises? Team Czech Republic. I think this squad had an excellent week and kudos to them. Also, Denmark, I find to be a bit of a surprise but hey, this is curling and anything can happen. This team played well this week and they are deserving of their berth in the 3 - 4 game. Another good showing this week was from the Russian squad. I liked them...they played great and I am hoping to see these guys on the WCT more. You get a squad like this active in the Grand Slams and their game can get to the stratosphere.

The BRCC ladies had their banquet last night and it was a nice time. The crew of Paula Sommers, Jamie Ellmore and Jennifer-Stanton Smith had the club nicely decorated and provided a fun time for all. They had a special visit by "Swami Sommers" who entertained the BRCC Belles with her insights. Thanks alot Paula for being such a good sport.

I hope to see the Ladies League back next year with even more teams in the mix. They had 13 teams this season and there is still room for this league to grow.

And back to the Canadian Men, hang in there! Because the next line of that Rolling Stones favorite is "If You Try Sometimes, You Just Might Find, You Get What You Need" These boys are far from out of it and I think you will see a star-studded performance from Team Jacobs tomorrow. There's another Rolling Stones tune that aptly describes what needs to happen in that 3 - 4 game "When The Whip Comes Down"....stay tuned, the drama is far from over!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

It's A Rollercoaster Ride At The Worlds

What a ride for the Canucks. Yesterday's loss to Japan is so typical in the game of curling. And you have to hand it to the Japanese team, they played excellent, much to the dismay of Team Jacobs. It seems Brad Jacob's confidence has been rendered a bit shaky but he is a great player and I'm sure he will get it all together. I can't imagine the pressure of representing the country and having that sit on you game after game. Still in all, the boys are 7 - 2 and still sitting at the top of the standings, albeit in a tie with the ever-present Scottish squad.

And kudos to Team Denmark who continue to stay with it! And the Russian crew have been playing well and they certainly gave the Canadians a tough battle yesterday afternoon. Their curling program certainly is making strides.

The Canadians will meet Denmark today and as they have been painfully made aware of, no team can be taken for granted! They will have to focus and play well and after that, they will meet Sweden and we all know that Nicholas Edin is no slouch even though he is not as high in the standings as might have been expected. These guys can, however, get on a roll so the Canucks will have to bring their A Game. If Team Jacobs can win this next two games, on this, the final day of round robin play, then they will go 9 - 2 and secure a spot in the 1 - 2 game.

As this tournament nears the playoffs, I find myself becoming more and more anxious for the Canadian squad. I would like so much for them to win...not only to win a world championship which would be totally awesome not only for these dedicated young fellows, but for Northern Ontario curling and for Canada. But that's not all, to win the worlds would give Team Jacobs a great chance to secure a spot in the Roar of the Rings. Not only that, but they would also get to the Continental Cup of Curling in Vegas where I will be happy to see them and shake their hands on a job well done!

Meanwhile, things have pretty well ground to a halt at the BRCC. The ice is long out and tonight the BRCC Belles will have their closing banquet and then that will be it. On to summer projects and making improvements to our club.

It's been another successful year at the BRCC and we can be thankful for that. However, the strength of our club is not something to be taken for granted. We still need to get new members into the club and into the Roaring Game. So over the summer, while you are hanging out with your pals in the hot, summer sun, tell your friends about how fun curling is and look to getting them involved. As curlers, the onus is on us to keep growing the game and keep growing our club.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Canucks Take a Tumble to 5 - 1

David Bowie. Most of you will know him as a rock star. However, he has dabbled in movies during his long career. This is a scene from his movie, "The Man Who Fell To Earth". Interestingly enough, I believe Team Jacobs just fell to earth themselves after a loss to the Czech Republic who were, before this match, 2 -3. I'm sure the boys would agree that this was not their best performance and they paid the price. But falling to earth may not be the worst thing...we all have to remember that they are playing in their first world championship and they have been spectacular. It must be a struggle just to hold focus, especially when things start to go south a bit. This loss may be the best thing that could happen to them. Given a few hours to ponder this game and the result may in fact, be the very thing to get them back in the zone.

They will face Norway tonight and I expect this to be a barnburner. But if Team Jacobs can reset, they can get back to their formidable selves and string another bunch of wins together.

10 o'clock games. I don't know what it is, but the older I get, the harder it is to stay awake until the end...and it is hard to watch through your eye lids! Note to self, pick up some toothpicks at Kwik Way!

The boys are still doing great and I am confident that this is just a brief stopover in "lamentville". And it's like I said before (this one is for you Chad), drink a cup of focus and chew a few crumbs of confidence and they will be right as rain!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Canucks Go 3 - 0

Team Jacobs. Great start to the Worlds as they sit undefeated. They played a big game last night against the tough Scotland team but went on to a relatively easy victory. The Sault Ste Marie squad are looking good and bar the 4 point faux pas against the Finlanders, they have been in total control. Ryan Fry has been lights out and I am sure at this point, Gushue is scratching his head wondering why Fry didn't play like that when he was with the Newfoundland crew. All kidding aside, Fry is an outstanding player in his own right and it would seem that finding his groove is tied in with finding a squad that he has good chemistry with.

The Jacobs crew is in the zone as they post their 8th consecutive victory including late round robin play in the Brier as well as the red hot run in the Brier playoffs. After getting by the Scots last night, it is conceivable that they can at the very least make the playoffs. But they will  not be able to take any team for granted and it will be imperative that they stay focused in every game. Norway is still in the wind and they have game. Today it is the Swiss and later the USA. I expect them to win both their games but this is curling and anything could happen.

One thing is for sure, Team Jacobs is in awesome form and they are now one of the top teams, right up there with Stoughton, Howard, Martin, McEwen, Koe. Excellent representation for Northern Ontario curling. This crew is proof that it is possible to attain your goals with hard work....and a few protein shakes!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic