Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

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

#256

Post by Deuce »

Yeah - the Gushue team hasn't looked like their normal selves. They only managed to barely squeak out wins over a couple of teams that they normally would beat convincingly.
But then they rose to the occasion vs. Bottcher. Maybe they really wanted to beat their former longtime teammate...

The Horgan team is doing well, perhaps somewhat surprisingly. Moulding is Skipping the team and throwing Third rocks, so I don't quite understand why Horgan is listed as the Skip.

Carruthers and McEwen were a bad team. Nobody took charge - perhaps because they are good friends, and both were reluctant to take the leadership role. It's good for both of them that they split up.
The Carruthers team had Jason Gunnlaugson at Third until about a month and a half ago - so they've had to adjust their chemistry and hierarchy to the change in the lineup.

TSN showed the Dunstone team in 2 out of the 3 televised games today. They're the new Homan team!
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)

#257

Post by ptmcmahon »

Oh right, forgot about Gunnlaugson. That would be a big loss for them.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#258

Post by ptmcmahon »

Carruthers stays alive and beats NS to make each 3-3. They are two behind Horgan though - but Horgan plays NS and Dunstone so two losses and the last spot could still be in play.

Dunstone and Koe tonight - both 6-0 so winner will get first.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#259

Post by ptmcmahon »

Dunstone is well on his way to first. Leads Horgan 5-1 after 4 and has hammer, needing a win to finish first.

Perhaps more interesting, Kevin Koe (who will get 2nd based on other game) is trailing Jamie Koe 4-3 after 4. Jamie has never won head to head against him. I'm hoping we switch to that game soon :)

Last spot in B pool still not clinched - if Quebec win tonight and Ontario lose will force a tiebreaker for spot three. Guhsue gets first with a win tonight - otherwise Bottcher gets it. Still waiting for the Brush Brothers to face off.

If things go as currently are could have an interesting matchup tomorrow with Horgan/Moulding vs Bottcher. Although last year it didn't amount to too much, but much more on the line tomorrow, as it will be an elimination match.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#260

Post by Deuce »

Ontario (McEwen) pulled out another last rock win today over Alberta (Koe), with 2 in the 10th, just as they did last night over Sturmay.
But right now, they're no match for Gushue thus far (8-2 Gushue after 5).

Earlier today, Bottcher took care of former teammate Moulding and Northern Ontario pretty routinely.
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)

#261

Post by ptmcmahon »

I was trying to avoid the games so I could watch tonight... but I was at the one place where curling could be spoiled...at a curling tournament (under 11 provincials) with son. :)

But his last game finished right before that McEwen shot so I did watch it with a ton of other curling fans who were all very happy to see Koe lose. We had the two gold medal Canada Games teams who were the "special guests" at tonight's tournament (NS swept the gold :) ) and the parents had lots of opinions about the players. McEwen is apparently a nice guy who always gets kids out on the ice with him at Grand Slams. And Koe is "a weirdo who sits in the corner of the bar and drinks alone."
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#262

Post by Deuce »

ptmcmahon wrote: Sat Mar 11, 2023 3:22 am I was trying to avoid the games so I could watch tonight... but I was at the one place where curling could be spoiled...at a curling tournament (under 11 provincials) with son. :)

But his last game finished right before that McEwen shot so I did watch it with a ton of other curling fans who were all very happy to see Koe lose. We had the two gold medal Canada Games teams who were the "special guests" at tonight's tournament (NS swept the gold :) ) and the parents had lots of opinions about the players. McEwen is apparently a nice guy who always gets kids out on the ice with him at Grand Slams. And Koe is "a weirdo who sits in the corner of the bar and drinks alone."
^ :lol:
Yes, I've heard good things about McEwen, too.
I've also heard not so good things about Ryan Fry... so I don't know how I feel about that team.

Many people are commenting on the terrible chemistry that Ontario team has - and I've definitely seen examples of that this week. But I've also seen them having some laughs together.
It is a strange team - Fry is the ultimate cast off - he's been with more teams than any other elite level curler I can think of (Adam Casey is a close second)... Brett Laing is, like his wife, on his 10th or 11th life... McEwen is playing out of Ontario for the first time as the 'import', and it's always going to be difficult when the Skip is the import, as he wasn't practicing with the others on the team, and so doesn't know their releases and tendencies as well as he should as Skip... and Joey Haret is the coach's son.
A strange mix, indeed.

I hope you and your son had a blast today - I love seeing kids curl. It's thought of as an 'adult game' - but I love it when kids catch the bug!
And I hope that you and I will be discussing your son's play in the Brier here on this discussion board in 10 years!
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)

#263

Post by ptmcmahon »

They started 0-2 with two last rock losses… although they’re using “light rocks” which just don’t have much play. In his regular weekly games (which is under 13) they use real rocks and he just makes so many more shots there.

Then again the NS team that won Canada games gold said they finished 22nd out of 24th at their first provincials :)

Dunstone into 1-2 with a nice shot to win it. And we’ll finally get the Brush Brothers matchup too.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#264

Post by Scoob »

The Dunstone in the 10th with his last shot getting the win over Bottcher was impressive.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#265

Post by ptmcmahon »

Oh man is son's team cursed at provincials. 0-5 and all of them last rock losses, including one in extra ends. Twice they had winning point before last rock too and other team made the shot to get it. Even a team that had one point in their first three games suddenly found their A game and beat them 4-3 :)

Son did make a lot of shots in the last two games so none of them are too upset, although he said if they don't win one of their two games tomorrow he is "retiring." :) In the game above they were down 4-1 without, he first made a double to sit 2, then got a draw in for third by an inch... and the other team took out with last rock.

Timing was good as their last game was same time as McEwen-Bottcher, so I am up to date for now!
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#266

Post by Deuce »

ptmcmahon wrote: Sat Mar 11, 2023 11:55 pm Oh man is son's team cursed at provincials. 0-5 and all of them last rock losses, including one in extra ends. Twice they had winning point before last rock too and other team made the shot to get it. Even a team that had one point in their first three games suddenly found their A game and beat them 4-3 :)

Son did make a lot of shots in the last two games so none of them are too upset, although he said if they don't win one of their two games tomorrow he is "retiring." :) In the game above they were down 4-1 without, he first made a double to sit 2, then got a draw in for third by an inch... and the other team took out with last rock.

Timing was good as their last game was same time as McEwen-Bottcher, so I am up to date for now!
Regarding your son... They're not called losses, they're called 'learning experiences'!
But really, curling is such a cat and mouse game of strategy that we all learn from our losses, no matter how old or young we are, or how much or little experience we have.

The seats look pretty full at the Brier, which is good - especially when it's not being played in the western provinces.
I would have liked to see McEwen win today - even with Fry - just because they're such a 'misfit' kind of team.
Time for Dunstone - Gushue now... Going to try to watch that and a couple of tennis matches at the same time - ugh...
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)

#267

Post by Deuce »

The Dunstone - Bottcher game this afternoon was exciting and enjoyable to watch even though the curling was not always up to the standard we expect from these guys.
Dunstone made a perfect angle-raise at one point late in the game that basically saved the game for them.
In the 10th, Dunstone threw a great draw on his last, but about 3/4 of the Button was available for Bottcher. He threw it 10 feet light, though.
I'm happy.
Dunstone - Gushue in the Final tonight.
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)

#268

Post by Scoob »

Dunstone has been having some good success in the 10th recently. The final should be a good one.
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Re: Curling! (the sport, not your hair)

#269

Post by Deuce »

Not surprisingly, it was a great final. Dunstone has matured, and he didn't crack under the pressure.
The key end was the 8th, when Gushue scored a very big 3. Dunstone made a great hit & roll, but Ryan stopped sweeping on the roll, and so it didn't roll on top of Gushue's rock, and Gushue had enough room to tap it for 3. They were trading 1s up to that point.
Dunstone came back with a good 2 in the 9th.

In the 10th, B.J. and Dunstone made two almost perfect back-to-back freezes to shot rock on the Button - there was maybe 4 or 5 inches between Gushue's shot rock and the Manitoba rocks. But Nicholls, and then Gushue picked both of them out without touching their own. Both times, they could only see about 1/4 of the Manitoba rock, and got by the guard by about 1/2 an inch - two fantastic shots.
Dunstone tapped shot rock on his last, and Manitoba were lying 2 - but they were both only in the 8 foot. Gushue had an easy draw to win it, which he made.
Great game.
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)

#270

Post by ptmcmahon »

I'm pretty good at picking the losing finalist in these aren't I? (By picking them to win) :)

Yes, was a very good game, especially for a couple shots that didn't go according to plan and they adjusted well.

Hard to believe only a few years ago we were wondering if time was running out for Gushue and if he would ever win a Brier final. Especially the three years Nichols was playing with Stoughton. And now they have five.
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