The Brier - An Ice Alternative 2015

[Mr Dee]

 

Changes for this year's Brier - a pre-qualification round involving P.E.I., the Yukon, and Nova Scotia. Only 1 winner advances to the regular round.

This allows a Team Canada slot for the 1st time.

IMO, this was overdue.

 

For Curling fans, this is the best avenue for watching games at the top level.

The defending Olympic Gold Medal winners - the Brad Jacobs rink is the top seed. (N. Ont)

Top teams include the Brad Gushue Team, Kevin Koe Team, and Team Canada - John Morris rink (the old K. Koe team)

Not to be overlooked - Reid Curruthers, Jean-Michel Menard, and Steve Laycock.

The brier, this year will not include such notables as Jeff Stoughton and Glen Howard.

 

Play begins Sat. 27th with 2 draws.

 

 

 

 

[Noeller]

Most notable omission is the World #1 Mike McEwen, who lost the MB final to Carruthers. There's a growing voice, among those who follow curling closely, to make the Canada Cup the decider of Canada's national champion, because it actually has all the top teams in it. The Brier is no longer representative of Canada's best teams. Provinces regularly pumping out several top teams, but only one can participate, so the Brier becomes a tired notion. 

 

At any rate, I love the idea of relegation and think it's long overdue. Only the best of the best teams should be able to participate. 

 

Looking forward to watching as many games as possible this week. 17to85 and I will be there Saturday and Sunday night to cheer on Rama and the Bison Boys...

[17to85]

got tickets for a couple draws this weekend, always good times. 

[17to85]

Most notable omission is the World #1 Mike McEwen, who lost the MB final to Carruthers. 

He really should try winning the provincials sometime. 

[Noeller]

He really should try winning a watch in barefoot draws to the button.........or somesuch...........

[17to85]

and maybe not blame the ice when he loses to superior teams....

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Ontario should not have 2 teams.

[Mr Dee]

Ontario should not have 2 teams.

 

I was waiting for you to post this same message as you did in the Free Press. Nice.

I always did think that was odd for Ontario to have 2 teams when there were Western Provinces (Alberta and Manitoba) who had at least 2 teams who were consistently better.

 

There's a growing voice, among those who follow curling closely, to make the Canada Cup the decider of Canada's national champion, because it actually has all the top teams in it. The Brier is no longer representative of Canada's best teams. Provinces regularly pumping out several top teams, but only one can participate, so the Brier becomes a tired notion. 

 

 

I still would like the Provincial reps to be included but there should be an avenue where "Canada Cup" teams could win their way into the Brier to compete.

To me, it's good to have the Yukon, PEI and Nova Scotia "earn" their spot.

[17to85]

 

Ontario should not have 2 teams.

 

I was waiting for you to post this same message as you did in the Free Press. Nice.

I always did think that was odd for Ontario to have 2 teams when there were Western Provinces (Alberta and Manitoba) who had at least 2 teams who were consistently better.

 

the reason for that is travel time. Back in the old days northern ontario was just too remote to compete with southern ontario. 

[Noeller]

I would just personally like to see our national champion crowned from among the 10 best teams in the country. There can still be a tournament for all provinces and territories winners, but it doesn't decide the national champion...

[FrostyWinnipeg]

I would just personally like to see our national champion crowned from among the 10 best teams in the country. There can still be a tournament for all provinces and territories winners, but it doesn't decide the national champion...

I'm kinda happy the way it is cept for that N. Ontario thing. Provincials still put out the best team in the province 9 times out of 10.

 

The other thing that has bugged me lately are the years we have the Olympics. It's like a giant * in the results as the Oly teams do not participate in their provincials and thus do not participate in the Canadian or Worlds. Yeah you won but you didn't have to play arguably the best team.

 

Change the schedule or format if you have to so that they can play. Give them a guaranteed spot in the Canadians as Team Oly.

 

One more rant - do not put the Scottie's final up against the Oscars!

 

RIP Jeff Stoughton

[17to85]

 

One more rant - do not put the Scottie's final up against the Oscars!

 

why? If there's anything worthwhile at the oscars it shows up on youtube the next day, watch the curling any day over a hollywood circle jerk

[17to85]

I would just personally like to see our national champion crowned from among the 10 best teams in the country. There can still be a tournament for all provinces and territories winners, but it doesn't decide the national champion...

We've discussed this before but I just really do like seeing a national championship where every corner of the country has some representation. Everyone has to go through their provincial qualifications so the team that comes out of each province will have to best the top competition there. 

 

You really do come across as a butt hurt Mike Mcewen fan who is upset cause he has a bad case of choking when the provincials role around. 

[Noeller]

It's not about Mike, it's about all the teams sitting at home because the disparity in provinces is so great. It's not okay to have a national championship that doesn't feature all the best teams in it. We all know the beat teams are the ones who tour full time on the WCT. The national championship should feature the top 10 (or however many) Canadian teams on the order of merit. Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario should all have multiple entries. Hell, Manitoba could have sent 5 teams this year that would be better than the bottom half of the Brier.

Again, this just comes back to the fact that, as a fan, I just wanna see Best On Best. I have zero patience for guys in rubber boots and a slip on slider that have never seen arena ice....

[17to85]

but technically all the best teams were represented when you look at it from the perspective that the provincials are an extension of the national championships. 

[Noeller]

Now you're just being obtuse. You and I both know a one-off tourney is not the decider of "best". And again, I'm a history guy and love the tradition of the Brier. I'm just saying it's no longer the right way to determine our national Rep. Keep the Brier and it's grand tradition, but it's no longer the proper way to determine the national champion.

Actually what might be a great idea for the future is give the Brier champ a ticket to the Canada Cup, and then that bonspiel decides Canada's best.

[iso_55]

The bad thing about a province having to qualify for the Brier & not making  it is that the game won't grow where there is no Brier representation. The Brier is  bigger than the World Championships. It gets huge media attention in this country as well as huge TV ratings for TSN. With Nova Scotia out with a population of about a million there goes the interest for anyone to get into curling in that province. I think it's short sighted decision & misses the big picture. This is not going to help grow curling in that province. But that's just me & how I feel about it.

I got into curling many, many years ago because I saw Don Duguid win two Brier championships back to back in 70 & 71 on CBC. Churchill High School had a Monday afternoon curling club at the Fort Rouge CC that I joined in October of 71 when I was in grade 10. If I hadn't seen Duguid on tv wearing the provincial buffalo on his back I doubt that I'd ever had curled. So, I think not having every province represented is a mistake. 

[Noeller]

Completely not to do with this thread at all, but Kerry Burtnyk winning in 1995 changed everything for me. I was always a curling fan, but I became hardcore after that win. I still suck, but I play every chance I get, and watch every WCT/CCA event I can....

[iso_55]

Completely not to do with this thread at all, but Kerry Burtnyk winning in 1995 changed everything for me. I was always a curling fan, but I became hardcore after that win. I still suck, but I play every chance I get, and watch every WCT/CCA event I can....

I'd still be playing if it wasn't for arthritis in my left knee & right foot which makes setting up in the hack & sliding out impossible. I used to take great pride in my delivery & practiced for many hours over many years to perfect it but I was never satisfied. Because of 4 surgeries to my left knee, I switched from the tuck delivery to the flat foot. With the help of Ray Turnbull it took me about 3 or 4 months to feel comfortable with my new delivery but it was never the same.  After the switch I became a much better hitter but  going from the tuck to the flat foot caused my draw weight to be inconsistent. I wasn't as good with my draws using the flat foot as as I was with the tuck which was hugely frustrating at times. Hence I dropped down to lead from third when I played.

I always went out whenever I could to throw rocks at Fort Rouge before I moved to Alberta. I'm sure if it was today switching from one delivery to another with the coaching that is available compared to thirty some years it would have made a tremendous difference with my ability to draw. But in the late 70's & 80's there was no coaching. Any thing you did to tweak or change your game you did on your own. Or you asked one of the well known curlers to help out.

I remember asking Billy Walsh Jr to help me with my slide & to tell me what I could do to improve. So, I went out & threw rocks while he sat upstairs watching by the glass in the bar at Fort Rouge while sipping a drink for about 20 minutes. Today is so different from back then. Is Curl Canada still around? 

I haven't thrown a rock in years now but I still watch the game although I have to say that because I no longer curl I'm not as interested in the game as I used to be. 

[Noeller]

Ya the CCA just changed their name to Curling Canada to be in line with other national sports organizations. Still do tons of teaching seminars. Great new program called Rocks And Rings that sends curlers to the schools with an indoor program that gives young kids the basic idea and hopefully encourages them to try out the real thing. Kaitlyn Lawes and Reid Carruthers have been doing Sask/MB/NW Ont over the last several years as a part time job with the CCA...

[iso_55]

Noeller, I don't want to sound like the old guy saying he walked ten miles to school one way twice a day everyday but kids today don't realize how good they have it with the access to junior development programs & coaching. If only they had this back in my day. I think it's great.

[17to85]

Noeller, I don't want to sound like the old guy saying he walked ten miles to school one way twice a day everyday but kids today don't realize how good they have it with the access to junior development programs & coaching. If only they had this back in my day. I think it's great.

but back in your day it seems like there was more curling going on and it was easier to get involved with anyway. It just seems to me that even at the club level it's gotten too competitive to be easily accessible to newer players. It really killed the mens league and bonspiel in the town I grew up in. guys tried to put in stacked teams to win and you took away from the overall field. 

[Mr Dee]

I'm done with men's league curling and since moving to Kelowna we haven't done any curling until this past winter.

The Kelowna Curling Club had this amazing deal to get curlers back into the rink on Sundays. From 11am to 5pm anybody/group can contact the club and get a sheet of ice for 2 hours - also get curling shoes, broom, sliders - and a burger, fries and a sleeve of beer - all for $20 per person.

Needless to say it has re-kindled my interest in the game.

There is only one CC here but it has 12 sheets of ice. Lots of room for casual curlers. It's also the practice facility for the BC rep. - the Jim Cotter rink.

Unfortunately or fortunately, golf season has now started, Feb. 20th, and our group has taken our cursing over to the links.

I really hope they have this deal again next year.

[Rich]

I actually watched curling on TV long before I started playing. Started playing in my early 30's and still do today.

We dont play in a highly competitive league, and once the game is done honestly don't care if we had won or lost. But it is a nice way to get you out on a regular basis during the cold months, throw some rocks, drink a few beers, and catch up with friends.

[iso_55]

 

Noeller, I don't want to sound like the old guy saying he walked ten miles to school one way twice a day everyday but kids today don't realize how good they have it with the access to junior development programs & coaching. If only they had this back in my day. I think it's great.

but back in your day it seems like there was more curling going on and it was easier to get involved with anyway. It just seems to me that even at the club level it's gotten too competitive to be easily accessible to newer players. It really killed the mens league and bonspiel in the town I grew up in. guys tried to put in stacked teams to win and you took away from the overall field. 

 

I just know that when I started we had the "Schoolboy Bonspiel". We had something like 500 rinks playing all over the city back in the mid 70's. Then it changed to the Junior Men's Bonspiel. It started Dec.26th & went to Dec.30th something like that. The last year I was in that bonspiel we lost to Dale Duguid's rink in the semi final of the Free Press event. (They were the most dominant junior team in Manitoba at that time so to hang in there & play well against them even in a loss was cool). I know the numbers are waay down from when I played in that bonspiel to maybe a third of what it was 40 years ago. 

The age for juniors back then was 21 & not 18. And it was in the high schools. Then the CCA took it out of the schools & put it into the curling clubs in the late 70's & lowered the age to 18. I still remember being in university & playing in all night bonspiels when I was 21. There was one all nighter at the St. Vital & there was this young teen skipping his own rink. His name was Jeff Stoughton & if he was 16 back then I'd be surprised.

It was a lot of fun & being over 18 we could go to the bar & have a drink after the game. Socializing upstairs after the game was a huge reason why the older junior curlers liked all nighters.

I always thought those 2 moves by the CCA killed it for junior curling in Canada. At Churchill High School I was on one of 3 teams that curled in the junior bonspiel circuit in the city. And we were all friends but we had a healthy rivalry going all the time. Lots of talking going on all the time during the season. I really don't think I'd have got involves if curling wasn't in CHS at the time. It seems like the social aspect of junior curling is long gone. I don't think the all nighters are played anymore.