Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

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Deuce Canada
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#91

Post by Deuce »

Jeez... I hadn't heard anything about that, either - so thanks for posting it. I guess the reason I didn't see anything about it is because I've been rather focussed on the COVID-19 circumstance of late.

It's shocking in one sense, as I always felt that their team had pretty much the best chemistry of all the teams over the past 4 years or so - and the Bottcher/Moulding relationship was a large part of that.
But there is also the element that many people had been calling for Bottcher to replace Moulding. The large majority of these people are incapable of recognizing chemistry, and wanted Moulding out simply because he doesn't fit the mould (:D) of today's slim, fit curler.

It will certainly be interesting to see if Darren gets a decent gig soon.
As for who'll replace him on the Bottcher team... how about Kevin coming out of retirement to play with his son? He'd have to skip, of course... and it sure would get a lot of attention.

This article shows that there are definitely some hard feelings. To me, it says that either the chemistry the team seemed to have was phony, or that the team was extremely close, and that's why there is so much harsh resentment now...

https://www.sportsnet.ca/curling/articl ... dismissal/

.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#92

Post by ptmcmahon »

Yeah I couldn't find any info about who would be the fourth.

From the sounds of it Bottcher seems to be pretty "controlling" so don't see him giving up skipping...can't see him agreeing to have Kevin join team.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#93

Post by ptmcmahon »

Scotties is a go for next weekend. Going to be very different looking this year.

Miskew will be skipping Homan's team since she will be in Beijing. Lots of controversy there as first Homan's team was awarded the Ontario spot due to provincials being cancelled - but then they said if Homan went to Olympics the team wouldn't be given a spot. Instead a third wild card was added and all of a sudden they are in. See how well they do without skipper - don't think they'll be back in finals for fourth year in a row.

A few interesting new teams will be there too. Arsenault is back - but now skipping a BC team. Carey is there as a wild card too, but I couldn't tell you who she is curling with unless I looked. Hard not to consider Einerason the favorite to three peat. After their disappointing finish at Olympic trials I think I'll be cheering for Fleury to win it.

And Moulding is now part of James Grattan's team in New Brunswick. If they qualify for Brier and get to play Bottcher, make sure to keep an eye out for that game :)
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#94

Post by Deuce »

I don't care what happens with Homan's team. They used to be my favourite team - until their display of extremely poor sportsmanship at the last Olympics. Since then, I always hope they lose.
Some provinces had their provincial playdowns, while others chose their Scotties representative based on points, avoiding the playdowns because of the infamous virus.

Chelsea is ubiquitous, it seems. She's just always around, playing with different collections of players.
Chelsea and her dad Dan come across as rather gruff and sour - but a few years ago, I knew a guy who was a driver for the Scotties, and he said that Chelsea and her dad were the nicest of the bunch, insisting that he go into a restaurant to eat with them, etc.

As for Moulding... if they're going to keep the stupid import rule, they should at least limit it to neighbouring provinces. A guy from Alberta pretending to represent New Brunswick is just very wrong.
R.I.P. Amal...

“The opposite of courage is not cowardice - it’s conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.”- Jim Hightower
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#95

Post by ptmcmahon »

Say I'm going to cheer for Fleury... and she gets Covid :) Not sure how long she'll be out for yet.

Tsn has aprediction article up:

TSN Predctions

Four people are picking Einerson, two picking Fleury, and one picking Walker. Sounds about right. I don't know much about Mackenzie Zacharias's Manitoba team, but she seems to be the common "dark horse" pick so could be one to watch.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#96

Post by Deuce »

I like Laura Walker - she just seems like a genuinely nice person. That said, I don't think her natural position is as Skip. I see her much more as a natural Third - she is more valuable there, I believe.
I'd love to see her team win this - but I really don't think they have much of a legitimate chance.

In the past, testing positive for COVID-19 would mean that a player is out for the duration. But with isolation times being reduced (which I don't think is necessarily a good thing overall), a given player who tests positive could conceivably return in time to be a factor.

It's going to take me a few days to get up to speed with everything, as I'm quite busy with other things right now...
R.I.P. Amal...

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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#97

Post by ptmcmahon »

Still two undefeated teams .. Einerson (no surprise) and Crawford… that one a much bigger surprise. She’s been close to making playoffs a lot of years, maybe this year she breaks through. Have barely gotten to watch any yet, only (tried to) finish men’s AO final tonight.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#98

Post by Deuce »

Yes, Crawford is definitely a surprise. She's there basically every year, but never a true contender.

I've watched a few games thus far when I could...
Cary's team doesn't seem to be clicking. Not surprising, really, as she's never with one team for long enough to build a strong chemistry.
The Quebec team isn't the 'cinderella story' this year, as they were a year ago. They're not getting much attention this year - sort of middle of the pack thus far.

Kerry Galusha (Kevin Koe's sister) is doing well with her team this week. That's a surprise, as well. She's skipping the games, but not throwing 4th stones. I think she may be throwing lead rocks. I don't know if that's because of injury, or if it's simply what the team decided was the strongest line-up.

Fleury's team is doing all right with Selena Njegoven skipping. I think her sister is playing Third - Selena's usual position. They beat their old skip Carey yesterday...
R.I.P. Amal...

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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#99

Post by ptmcmahon »

Galusha is sort of like Crawford... she often gets close to the playoffs but never quite makes it. Would be a nice story if she or Crawford finally had a bit of a breakthrough, even if they don't make final.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#100

Post by Deuce »

Deuce wrote: Wed Feb 02, 2022 7:41 am Kerry Galusha (Kevin Koe's sister) is doing well with her team this week. That's a surprise, as well. She's skipping the games, but not throwing 4th stones. I think she may be throwing lead rocks. I don't know if that's because of injury, or if it's simply what the team decided was the strongest line-up.
^ Apparently, it's both - Galusha injured her back at last year's Scotties, and hasn't recovered fully. They had a few different lineup scenarios for this year's Scotties, based on the condition of Galusha's back. They began with her throwing lead rocks, and are sticking with it because it's working...
https://www.tsn.ca/kerry-galusha-scotti ... -1.1753600
ptmcmahon wrote: Wed Feb 02, 2022 12:26 pm Galusha is sort of like Crawford... she often gets close to the playoffs but never quite makes it. Would be a nice story if she or Crawford finally had a bit of a breakthrough, even if they don't make final.
Crawford vs. Galusha in the Final!
That would certainly turn the curling world on its collective head...
R.I.P. Amal...

“The opposite of courage is not cowardice - it’s conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.”- Jim Hightower
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#101

Post by Fastbackss »

I just learned that the rocks have heat sensors to determine if release in time. Good to know
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#102

Post by Deuce »

Fastbackss wrote: Thu Feb 03, 2022 2:49 am I just learned that the rocks have heat sensors to determine if release in time. Good to know
Yes - and sometimes they even function properly. :)

Since they began using them, many games have been interrupted/delayed because these sensors malfunctioned in one way or another. Another case of being in such a rush to show off 'technology' that they unleashed it long before it was perfected.
They used to have an official at the Hog Line who would simply watch to see if the players released the rocks in time. When the sensors malfunction, they revert to this method.
Often, the simple solutions are the most efficient.

Crawford has officially made it into the playoff round - as has Njegoven. They've played so well this week that I wonder if they're secretly hoping Fleury doesn't return for the playoffs.
Of course, the Einarson team is also in, winning all of their games thus far.
R.I.P. Amal...

“The opposite of courage is not cowardice - it’s conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.”- Jim Hightower
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#103

Post by ptmcmahon »

Fleury played earlier today. I'm sure no one on the team was hoping she wouldn't return for playoffs - they already were the number 1 ranked team in the world :)

Some young blood possibly qualifying from the other pool as well - Zacharias (Manitoba) and Black (NS :) ) are one win away from making it. Even if they don't they can only be caught by Galsuha....so guaranteed two new playoff teams from that group. Black's team was the team formerly skipped by Arsenault so they do have some experience here.

It should be an exciting playoffs... even if I haven't really figured out how it works yet. No offense to the Einerason team but will be cheering for almost anyone else to win, especially our local girls.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#104

Post by skatingfan »

Zacharias and Manitoba just put up a five in the 2nd end against Canada. Einarson's last rock came up short of the house, and Manitoba had straight forward open hit for the five.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#105

Post by Deuce »

... and now that game is 7-7 in the 9th.
It's nice to score 5 - but the tendency is to let up after that. And if you're a young team... and if your 5 is early in the game... and if it's against the defending champions - watch out.

It's like winning a set 6-0 against one of the big three... you realize too late that it takes more than one set to win a match.
R.I.P. Amal...

“The opposite of courage is not cowardice - it’s conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.”- Jim Hightower
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