s that time again -- the time just before the Olympics when the U.S. mainstream media finds curling. And this story on massive Web site Mashable is sort of typical of what you find -- it profiles the U.S. men's curling team and while acknowledging the team members as Olympians, finds time to poke fun at the four players, pointing out the fact they're just regular guys who happen to not look like many...
s affecting the club player and it comes in a snarky, mean-spirited way from the CCA. First, all funding for things like the club development program have reportedly been shut off. At least two clubs have contacted me to tell me they aren't getting funds. That hurts the clubs but it also hurts the curlers who play their regular games there. They've been counting on that money and to stop it when the...
They’ve gone from the young upstarts known for their fitness to the young team known for their fitness and winning a ton of games. I talked to E.J. before the holidays about their win at the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings, their preparation for the games and their evolution as a team. Even if [...]...
One-half of Huff-and-Puff on the Ferbey Four, Marcel now does double duty as the coach of both the Men’s and Women’s teams from China. He’ll be with them in Sochi and he shared some of what he’s brought to their preparation. You might be surprised to find out that one thing was throwing fewer rocks. [...]...
The Ontario Curling Association is under investigation by the Canadian Curling Association. That much we know. We are also aware that as such, the OCA has been suspended by the national body, after being voted as “a member not in good standing.” But beyond that, no one is commenting on the why or the when or the how. In a sport where there are almost always loose lips and rumours usually fly, this...
t tell anyone about this motion it passed and right now, we believe there's an investigation underway. What this exactly means is not clear but it will not affect Ontario curlers playing for national titles. But it could mean Ontario curlers won't have access to a lot of resources at the national level such as funding for club development. (UPDATE: York Curling Club in Newmarket, Ont., confirmed that...
s final. Mike Koreen of the Toronto Sun got to eat some delicious airport food while chatting with the effervescent Ontario skip who said her team won't be letting up. "This was still one of the goals we had at the start of the year," the cheerful Middaugh 47, said before flying to Sault Ste. Marie for the Ontario Scotties, where 10 teams will vie for this province...
s father is Chuck, the first Scottish skip to win the world championship. Mike was the fifth wheel player on David Smith's world championship rink in 1991 and has been hanging around curling for many years. He served as coach to Rhona Martin's gold medal team in 2002 and, partly as a result, received an MBE. Now, Hay is going to head u the GB team at the Sochi Olympics as the Chef de Mission....
t be playing in his favourite bonspiel this year, the one he hasn...
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s nice to come back to the roots, especially before a huge event like the Olympics," Schultz said. "I can touch base with where I came from. Meanwhile, those who won't play, will watch, such as this columnist from the Virginian-Pilot, who, like many, caught the curling bug. During the 2010 Winter Olympics from Vancouver, my brief, guilty pleasure was curling. Women's curling, at that. ...
s team in Ontario. And a few days ago Glenn Howard assured the organizing committee that Team Howard will be in Smiths Falls for the Tankard. That is wonderful news!! Given the Howard rink's success nationally and internationally in recent years, we are assured of at least one world class rink in the event. Howard, who gets a bye into the final as defending champion, will be going for his 37th...
Here's a rather basic, Canadian-focused rundown of the stories of the year in curling from the Canadian Press via the Globe and Mail. Lots of attention given -- rightly so -- to Brad Jacobs and his rink. “Brad Jacobs might be the hottest curler in the world,” said Russ Howard, a two-time world champion and curling broadcaster. “They were very impressive. To go through the Olympic trials 8-0, that’s...
s a good story although a bit basic in some of the descriptions of the game, even for a non-traditional curling audience. Still, it talks about the pressure facing the rock-tosser who will represent GB in Sochi: She will arrive as a reigning world champion, but also as the focus of a newfound Olympic interest in Britain, and particularly in Scotland, which claims to have originated curling on its frozen...
By request, here is my story from the most recent edition of the Ontario Curling Report on the looming crisis in curling -- the shortage of ice technicians. ----- Curling crisis: Who is going to make the ice? By Bob Weeks In the market for a new job? Here’s one for you: It has long, irregular hours, you have to work in the cold and the pay is average at best. You hear from your clients regularly,...
The Olympic hopes of the American men’s curling team is resting on a tiebreaker it will play on Saturday against Korea. The U.S. has to win that game and then defeat the loser of the 1 vs. 2 match between Germany and the Czech Republic. The winner of that latter contest moves on to Sochi. All four of those teams finished the round-robin at 5-2. Based on round-records, Germany was awarded first place,...
s pretty hard to keep secrets these days and so just about everyone already knew that the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier was headed to . . . Calgary. That also means Cowtown will be the site of the first pre-qualifying for the men's national championship as the format change comes into play for that edition. No longer will there be the 10 provinces, Northern Ontario and Territories rinks which seems...
t produce a really world-class men's team. No offence to all the Pete Fensons and John Shusters out there who are very good and work hard, but when was the last time an American men's curling team really was a threat to win a world championship? While European countries and Asian countries rise up the world ranking, the Americans just seem to struggle to get players and teams who can compete at a consistently...
The halcyon days of sellout crowds at major curling events seem to be a thing of the past. Once again, another major event is apparently going to fall short of projections as Paul Friesen pointed out today in the Winnipeg Sun. Total tickets sales for the event should come in at around 136,000, shy of the 150,000 to 160,000 organizers predicted. In fact, there are concerns the Trials might not...
s Jones, who saw a lifelong dream culminate spectacularly Saturday night at the MTS Centre in an 8-4 win over Sherry Middaugh in the women's final of the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings. "I can't even describe it," Jones sobbed afterward. "You dream of it since you're a little kid and we've had many dreams come true. But this is so rare, this opportunity. Our dreams came truetoday -- and in the...