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

Men's Worlds Kicks Off This Weekend

I know what you're thinking. Am I promoting the TV series, "Vikings?"  Well no, but I do like that series. But these guys are not in it, although they are northmen. This is Team Finland and they will be in Victoria this weekend to play in the Mens World Curling Championships and they will be meeting the Canucks at some point.

Here are my predictions for this year's worlds:

Top 4 Teams to playoffs at the end of the week: Jacobs (Canada), Murdoch (Scotland...yes, that's right..Murdoch is skipping and Tom Brewster will be third), Ulsrud (Norway) and Edin (Sweden). Final will be Canada vs Scotland with Jacobs going on to win the Worlds. However, i don't think it will be an easy win for the Canucks...the Scots look like a tough squad and in this case, I don't think looks are deceiving.

I forgot to thank Murray Fullerton and Michel Rivard in my last post. These guys lent the BRCC their trailers so we could have storage for the Mens Closing. Thanks alot guys for all you do.

Stay tuned and I'll get with you once the Canucks have played their first and we'll see how they look. I expect they will have  some early game jitters as this is their first World Championship but hopefully this will not impede their performance. Another big week for Northern Ontario Curling.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Muirhead Wins Gold

Team Muirhead. Winners of this year's World Womens Curling Championship. They won it, they deserve it. There are many that would say that Homan should have thrown the draw for her last shot in that semi-final. I would have to argue that the scoring area was pretty small and the double was there. The take out is definitely Homan's "go to" shot and make no mistake, on another day she would have made it. As it was, she stuffed it and lost the game. BUT, the Canucks had a good run and they did well. They are a young team and I am confident they will get back there and go all the way. Just  not this year.

The Men's Closing ended on Sunday with Team Gary Graham winning the A Event over Al Harnden. Team Shane Boyer from the BRCC won the B Event with a win over Danny Lemieux. (By the way, Danny had his 16 year old son, Mitchell, playing third and this squad also had a good run). Team Chad Horton won the C Event over Team Jeff Edwards. And it was Team Dunc Murphy winning the D Event over  Team Terry Fryer.

All in all, an excellent event once again. Thanks alot to Nancy and Brian West for making this event such a success. The prize table was incredible! Nancy worked hard this weekend and I cannot say enough how much of an asset the Wests are to the BRCC. They do so much for the club, so if you see them around, offer them kudos on an excellent job. Also, a word of thanks to Mike Laderoute, Michel Rivard, Rick Olmstead, Rick Albert, Terry MacDonald, Ron Forrest, Dan Shannahan, Gator Fortin and Warren Neufeld for a great job on the ice.

I want to say a special word about Gator and Karen Fortin. These are first rate people and also huge assets for the BRCC. I noticed on Saturday that Karen showed up to the club with 2 laundry tubs full of sandwiches that they made for the curlers. Not only their teams, but for everyone who wanted a quick bite. This was NOT for profvit, they did this as a random act of kindness. This is truly a reflection of the type of great people that the Fortins are. Thanks alot Gator and Karen.

A special thanks to Cameco for donating the BBQ's. I'm not sure what else they donated but I am sure the list would be too long to type out, especially if we added up what this company has donated throughout the year. Cameco, once again, demonstrates just how community-minded it is. The BRCC has done well again this year, and the help of Cameco is a big part of this. Thanks alot to Cameco, Chris Astles and the great employees that work there.

Great job by Jukebox and the people who got up to bang out some tunes at the Saturday afternoon jam session. Anita and Joanna did a great job as DJ's for the dance.

And thanks to all the volunteers that helped out during this weekend. The BRCC depends on its volunteers so all these people are also a big factor in the success of the club.

The Mens Worlds will be this weekend, kicking off on Saturday. Jacobs will be taking on China first. Team Liu is no pushover but if the Canucks play anything like they played in the playoffs of the Brier, then they should have no trouble. Stay tuned for my playoff and winner predictions.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Happy Men's Closing Day

Anna Siderova. Skip for Team Russia. This team has made huge inroads in the Russian Curling program. I like this team, they have a good game. But they will need it, because she will be playing against the US in a bid for the 4th spot in the playoffs. If Russia loses, there will be several teams at 5 losses that will play in a tie breaker. One of them is the US ladies. Another would be the Swiss but they will have to win their game this afternoon. If Siderova wins, there will be no tie breakers. But the Canadian ladies are in the wind for whoever comes out of this shuffle. They ended up going 8 - 3 in regular round play with wins against China and then Japan this morning. The Canucks look good out there now. They look to be in control and are confident. They need to win their next 2 games straight to get to the final.

And Happy Mens  Closing Day! It's finally here, the premiere event at the BRCC. With games beginning at 6 pm tonight, there are 48 teams playing in this excellent tournament. I'm stoked!

It's confirmed, the top team in the BRCC Ladies League is Team Anita Moran. Great job ladies! This squad of Anita Moran, Lucy Ann Trudeau, Denise Hutchings and Paulie Ann James were consistent all year and they won the vast majority of their games, ending their season by giving the Red Bum Award to my beloved Rez Girls. I should mention that Pauli Ann James is a junior curler and she is an awesome young curler. She has a solid delivery and given time, she will will be a tough act to follow. I'm hoping this squad stays together for next year.

So that's it for now. My first game tonight is 10 pm and Thursdays always turn out to be a late night. I will attempt to update the action at the BRCC Mens Closing but I cannot guarantee it but you can count on the results following the spiel!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Canadian Ladies 6 - 3

Team China. Skipped by Bingyu Wang. This team has won the World Championships before but it will not be this year. Sitting at 4 - 5 with their most recent win being against Latvia, 5 losses is most likely too many.  But they are a tough squad and now they can play spoiler. This is the team that Canada will face next. And Canada is just coming off a win against Switzerland. This was a big win for the Canucks. I have to hand it to Tirinzoni, she made some fantastic shots but so were the Canadians and in the end, they finished early. But, the Canadian gals will have to carry this elation to the next game because it will not be an easy one and they will have to continue to play well.

It seems to me that the Canadians have found their mojo. They look to me more confident now, especially Rachael Homan. That's a good thing because when they are in the zone, they can beat anybody.

The Swedish ladies are guaranteed a play off spot. This is an awesome team, I am really impressed with Maria Prytz, she's a pistol!

Scottish Team Eve Muirhead is in second place now but still looking very strong. Russia just suffered another loss so they sit at 3 losses as well. I really like this Russian team. They have come on really strong this year and it is good to see.

So it's a tough road ahead for our Canadian champions but they are up for the challenge. A cup of focus and a few crumbs of confidence goes a long way. C'mon you Canucks, bring home the hardware!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic