On Wall Street, a Romance with the Curling Stone

[Bunk]

This is kinda neat.

On Wall Street, a Romance With the Curling Stone
By ERIC DASH
Published: February 25, 2010

Wall Street trading is often described as a blood sport. But inside the great investment houses, the sport of the moment is, of all things, curling — that oddball of the Olympics that is sort of like shuffleboard on ice.

This slow-poke game, which originated in 16th-century Scotland, has captivated the Type-A world of Wall Street almost by accident. CNBC, whose market chatter is the background music on trading floors, switches to curling from Vancouver shortly after the closing bell....

Full article
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/26/bu...rling.html?hpw

[Tron_fdc]

It's really bizarre. I talk to Americans every day for work, from California to New York, and they all LOVE curling.

I was in Atlanta last week, and one of the guys I was working with knew almost nothing about the winter olympics, but man did he ever like his curling.

[Rathji]

Sometimes I don't understand how people can think curling is boring.

Then again, I was raised in a house where it seemed like we went from the Scott Tournament of Hearts to the Brier to the Worlds every spring like clockwork.

[Table 5]

Curling is one of those things that I never plan or want to watch, yet whenever it's on, I'm mesmerized. I've probably watched a dozen matches during the games (NBC had it on all the time for some reason) and I've really enjoyed it.

I'd love to give it a shot. It seems like one of those sports that would be much more fun to play than watch (not unlike golf or baseball).

[temple5]

curling is awesome.

Its a sport everyone thinks they could be an olympian in.

plus the women are hot, even the older women are somewhat attractive.

Also its the quasi lululemon effect for womens curling. Mildly attractive woman looks like a fox in lulu lemon pants.

[GirlySports]

Curling is the sport where you watch it for 5 minutes and think this is crap.
Then all of a sudden, 2 hours has past.

[Acid Rush]

Honestly, I don't understand curling...

BUT I still watch it.

[Dorkmaster]

I'm big on chess and strategy games so me and watching curling seem to fit pretty nicely. Its especially great since my sister has started watching because of Cheryl Benard and now I have someone to learn to watch the sport with.

[HotHotHeat]

Curling sucks. It's boring.

Yea, I said it.

[Caged Great]

It makes sense the two most popular sports in the US have a high action period followed by a rest period, followed by an action period.

Football: play, 45 second reset, play repeat

Baseball: Pitch, 10 seconds Pitch repeat.

Curling: Throw, 15 seconds for the rock to get down to the circle area, break to set up the next shot, repeat.

[Dr GonZo]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

It makes sense the two most popular sports in the US have a high action period followed by a rest period, followed by an action period.

Football: play, 45 second reset, play repeat

Baseball: Pitch, 10 seconds Pitch repeat.

Curling: Throw, 15 seconds for the rock to get down to the circle area, break to set up the next shot, repeat.

Good point. Next up: Chess.

[Cowperson]

Curling is the one winter sport that seems to gather a rather bizarre cult interest in unexpected places every time it's at the Olympics . . . . . . in 2002 it was the rage, I believe, in Great Britain.

As the article notes, it's an everyman's sport and every person can envision themselves without much exaggeration as an Olympic hero . . . . . and if you're not doing that you can certainly get sucked in by the rather braniac strategic qualities of an average game.

I admit it's been on my tv in my office in the last few days.

Meanwhile, in the Toronto Star a day or two ago, an article talking about rowdy curling fans upsetting etiquette.

http://olympics.thestar.com/2010/art...ling-etiquette

Cowperson

[mykalberta]

For me, I like watching it. Its a perfect sport for TV.

Also its a perfect sport for gambling, especially each end prop bets - at least with my group of friends.

[Rerun]

Curling is one of those sports that when you watch it, you think...... how tough can this sport be to play!? Kind of like shuffleboard on ice.

And then you play it and you find out its a lot tougher than it looks.... and I'm just talking about the physical aspect.... The strategy involved in the game is a whole other story.

[Ice]

Every Olympics I watch curling and love it. This year, I decided to try it. Last weekend I enrolled in a "Learning to Curl" clinic. March 7th, my curling journey begins...

[Pastiche]

Yes apparently interest in curling has just skyrocketed in vancouver with tons of younger people trying to get into curling lessons and leagues. I think that's just great and evident of how the olympics can be good for a sport. Take note women's hockey haters.

[linecook]

Hi Guys,

1st post but long time reader.

I highly recommend that everyone who's been interested in trying curling to give it a shot. I'm just in my second year of curling at age 31 and am totally hooked. It's an easy game to pick up, a great way to meet people and the beer is cheap! Unfortunatley it seems to be a dying sport, at least out in Chestermere. The mens and womens bonspiels were cancelled and there's only a handful of young teams. Hopefully some gold in curling will spark some new interest.

[Barnes]

SF 49ers Vernon Davis is the Honorary Capitan of the US team.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...vis/index.html

[You Need a Thneed]

I don't think there is any other sport in either the Summer or Winter Olympics that involves as much strategy as curling.

[doozwimp]

During the Salt Lake City Olympics, back when i was a young lad, i got really big into curling. Im another example of this phenomenon.