Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
When I left home, the forecast was for warmer weather (like 40F) about Tuesday. Since then, they've moved that back and moved that back and moved that back. Radio forecast this morning says warmer weather on the weekend. (Single digits C = about 40s F.) We shall see. Kudos to the rental car which has started up like a trooper every time.
Today was the last day of the regular round-robin play, and I saw some very exciting games which came down to the last rock and then had to be won with stellar shooting. Gotta love it. Well, maybe you don't, but I do!
More on the quirkiness of curling and curling fans:
Canadians are very polite, except when they are blocking aisles completely obliviously.
Can you imagine American athletes consulting on what the next play should be like this:
"Would you ever want to...?"
"I don't hate it."
"What if we could ever...?"
"Whatever you like; what do you like?"
These are standard phrases in the discussions the curlers have with each other when strategizing, so much so, that when there is a very rare emphatic declaration, the audience laughs.
Example:
"Would you ever want to use the outturn here?"
"No."
"What's wrong with the runback?"
"I don't like it."
These assertions stand out because they are so very rare!
I finally got my explanation of why the five-rock rule makes such a difference to strategy. No one I asked could explain it--they could just tell me what the rule is, which I already knew. (No one can knock out of play any rock outside the house between the T-Line and the Hog Line until 5 rocks have been played.) The old rule was four rocks. What I didn't get was why that one extra rock should make such a difference. Basically, it gives the team with hammer more power to shape the end, because they are now the ones who get to decide whether to move a guard out or not. Gibberish? You can read all about it here.
Tomorrow is the first day of the championship round. Top four teams from each of the two pools play each other in another round robin. IF there is a tie, there will be a tie-breaker in the morning, and the championship round starts in the afternoon. At the moment, it doesn't look like a tiebreaker will be necessary, so I can stay in, pack, and change hotels without skipping a round! Will definitely be attending all matches here on out--another morning draw possible if a tiebreaker is needed after the championship round; otherwise, two draws a day through the gold medal match on Sunday.
Next report from Comfort Inn next door.
2025-05-23