General Curling Thread

[Derek Sutton]

Some personal take aways from this event;
Team Jacobs has to have put in the most practice, Monday(?) night after the Gushue/ Jacobs 10 end game, both teams were back out there practicing immediately after the game, Wednesday night again after their game team Jacobs was again out there practicing at 10:00pm. Thursday afternoon they had a bye and they were down at the Curling club practicing.

It was nice to see players in the Patch. They were not forced to go like they normally are and were in fact discouraged given Covid, but some teams were regulars (Nova Scotia, SK, and NB0, of course last night there about a dozen teams in their haveing a drink.

My opinion of Gushue/ Nichols has certainly come around as they were great with the fans of all ages, interacted with the crowd and praised the volunteers. Also Jason Gunnlagson (who I've previously had no use for for a couple of reasons) and Adam Casey made the day for some of our volunteers on two different occasions.

As for the curling, Team Flasch making the final 4 has to be the only real surprise but it was nice to see Howard, BC and QC turn their weeks around after awful starts, BC nearly forced a tie breaker which would have been something for them. And there are about 4 teams who do not belong in this field, a format change should happen where a play in or some other form of qualification is required and more competitive teams participate, this is a better Brier if John Epping is in and Nunavut is out.

And the rumors of team changes, are flying around fast and furious. It is no secret that teams Koe, and Gushue, are done at the end of this season, we will see some huge shake ups. Koe, Kennedy, Walker and Hebert is the hottest rumor.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Derek Sutton

Some personal take aways from this event;
Team Jacobs has to have put in the most practice, Monday(?) night after the Gushue/ Jacobs 10 end game, both teams were back out there practicing immediately after the game, Wednesday night again after their game team Jacobs was again out there practicing at 10:00pm. Thursday afternoon they had a bye and they were down at the Curling club practicing.

It was nice to see players in the Patch. They were not forced to go like they normally are and were in fact discouraged given Covid, but some teams were regulars (Nova Scotia, SK, and NB0, of course last night there about a dozen teams in their haveing a drink.

My opinion of Gushue/ Nichols has certainly come around as they were great with the fans of all ages, interacted with the crowd and praised the volunteers. Also Jason Gunnlagson (who I've previously had no use for for a couple of reasons) and Adam Casey made the day for some of our volunteers on two different occasions.

As for the curling, Team Flasch making the final 4 has to be the only real surprise but it was nice to see Howard, BC and QC turn their weeks around after awful starts, BC nearly forced a tie breaker which would have been something for them. And there are about 4 teams who do not belong in this field, a format change should happen where a play in or some other form of qualification is required and more competitive teams participate, this is a better Brier if John Epping is in and Nunavut is out.

And the rumors of team changes, are flying around fast and furious. It is no secret that teams Koe, and Gushue, are done at the end of this season, we will see some huge shake ups. Koe, Kennedy, Walker and Hebert is the hottest rumor.

Can confirm.

I was told this by a good friend of Hebert and he would know better than anyone.

I was stunned but that quartet is pretty much an all-star team.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Can confirm.

I was told this by a good friend of Hebert and he would know better than anyone.

I was stunned but that quartet is pretty much an all-star team.

Hmmm walker and not Gallant? Gallant is also headed to AB and a 2nd.

[KelVarnsen]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1502437923144282114

Nichols out for the rest of the Brier

[transplant99]

Ouch for the Gushue group.

[Strange Brew]

Koe is going to need more from his third to win this thing IMO.. Although the Nichols news sure changes things.

[Derek Sutton]

Home from the patch. Hopefully this isn’t how it ends for team Gushue, they do deserve better. There are a couple tour events to come and they could provide the send off they deserve. Found this article on the future of the Brier and a few ideas on potential changes.

https://torontosun.com/sports/curlin...anges-to-brier

[Frequitude]

Thanks for the insight, DS. Why is Gushue breaking up?

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

Thanks for the insight, DS. Why is Gushue breaking up?

Geoff Walker is joining Koe.

[GirlySports]

Wow, these guys can make anything on this ice. Gushue with an amazing shot in the 2nd end to score too.

I'm starting to think instead of all this naval gazing of what's wrong with Canadian curling, maybe there isn't anything wrong. The Brier the last 6 years has had three finalists, clearly the 3 best teams this decade. Will be the 7th year if Flasch loses today.

And Einerson has won 3 consecutive Scotties. If Einerson ####s the bad in Prince George next week, then we have to conclude that international ice and rocks are garbage.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Wow, these guys can make anything on this ice. Gushue with an amazing shot in the 2nd end to score too.

I'm starting to think instead of all this naval gazing of what's wrong with Canadian curling, maybe there isn't anything wrong. The Brier the last 6 years has had three finalists, clearly the 3 best teams this decade. Will be the 7th year if Flasch loses today.

And Einerson has won 3 consecutive Scotties. If Einerson ####s the bad in Prince George next week, then we have to conclude that international ice and rocks are garbage.

IMO that conclusion doesn't follow. We already know Canada has the greatest collection of curlers, that was never in doubt.

But other countries are producing elite championship curlers out of much, much smaller samples. So something different is happening with how elite curling athletes are being prepared to get over the top. For one thing, even the best Canadian curlers have day jobs for the most part. Not sure that's true for many of the top players you see at the Olympics.

Blaming rocks and the ice would be such a Canadian thing to do.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Geoff Walker is joining Koe.

I guess I’m more curious why he’d choose to leave and why they’d break up after all these years. Granted that potential Koe team looks like a bunch of all stars, but still. Didn’t think I’d see the band break up!

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

I guess I’m more curious why he’d choose to leave and why they’d break up after all these years. Granted that potential Koe team looks like a bunch of all stars, but still. Didn’t think I’d see the band break up!

Geoff Walker lives in Alberta with his wife Laura so the past few years have been tough for him going back and forth. And Gallant is marrying Peterman so he's also headed out west. So keeping the team together would be a chore now.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Can confirm.

I was told this by a good friend of Hebert and he would know better than anyone.

I was stunned but that quartet is pretty much an all-star team.

Why would this stun you? Koe, Kennedy, Laing, and Hebert played together for four years. They went to the Brier the 1st three years, winning one and making the final in another. They only missed the 2018 Brier because they were the Olympic rep. It’s just substituting Walker for Laing.

[KelVarnsen]

Gushue! First three man team to win the Brier

[nieuwy-89]

Impressive win for the Gushue rink. I think when Nichols went down it was thought that this was Koe’s to lose. Instead Gushue forced him all game long.

Happy for Botcher to finish third when many counted him out. I think he answered the critics with a strong week.

Koe will be back stronger with his new lineup next year. Looking forward to more Alberta dominance!

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

Why would this stun you? Koe, Kennedy, Laing, and Hebert played together for four years. They went to the Brier the 1st three years, winning one and making the final in another. They only missed the 2018 Brier because they were the Olympic rep. It’s just substituting Walker for Laing.

Im aware.

The fact Walker was leaving Gushue with all the success they have experienced the last 6 years was what surprised me.

Even Kennedy coming back is a bit of an eyebrow raise too. I was under the impression the skipper wasn't a fan of his leaving when he did previously. Although its apparent he is as close to a mercenary as there is in that sport.

Im pretty stoked about it all though. Im a huge KK fan and the way he both plays and handles himself on the ice. Still think he is the best shotmaker I have ever seen.....game after game and year after year.

[speede5]

It's the nature of Canadian curling isn't it? These guys still need to consider their day jobs and home lives as much as the team they want to compete with. They don't make millions and moving and continuing to curl with the home team is just a logistics nightmare.

I understand a few teams are not local club teams but how many of these guys fit curling into their lives vs fitting their lives into curling.

[GirlySports]

That's the big debate right now. Do we professionalize curling? Or continue with amateur provincial teams? Here's a show about it.

https://podcast.sportsnet.ca/inside-...na-rutherford/

You need to take a week off for provincials, then two weeks off for the Scotties/Brier. Another two weeks for the Worlds. plus 6 or 7 grand slams. But don't make enough money to live on. All monies are divided by 4 players plus staff.

[speede5]

The money would have to be significant wouldn't it? Right now there are maybe 3-4 teams in each M/W that would qualify as pro stacked teams? To keep the top tournaments interesting you would need 8-10 competitive pro teams? If the money isn't there now would it be sustainable at all?