Stoughton's Spin

Anyone notice the sweepers, after sweeping a rock, return to the delivery end of the sheet down the side of the ice, and what are they doing??? cleaning the ends of their brushes with their hands, right onto the ice!!...and they wonder where the debris comes from???

CBC.ca's coverage of the men's worlds on their website was lame. At the end of the games being broadcast, they did not even make an effort to give an update on the other games being played.

I submit to curling fans out there that the quality of CBC's TV coverage of the Brier final was every bit as painful to endure as the quality of the game itself. And that's a whole aspect of the Brier (and Scotties) coverage that should be addressed going forward. All week, TSN's Vic, Linda and Ray (and Cathy) give interesting insightful colourful coverage of the round robin games. Then, as the event is coming to a climax, CBC takes over and fans are saddled with the most dull, dreary uninspiring coverage imaginable.

Who asked why CurlTV wasn't broadcasting games? The fact is that CBC has been restricting CurlTV from broadcasting. Go figure.... CBC does a lousy job and have the nerve to make sure there isn't an alternative.

We curling fans deserve better.

I have been reading through these postings by others, and I have to laugh at all of the derogatory remarks that have been made about Glen Howard's supposed 'unsportsmanlike' comments. Perhaps some people need to watch sports such as basketball to see what true self-aggrandisement looks like. As for 'Johnny Mo', I watched the game last night on cbcsports.ca, and there were at least two instances during which John used profane language. Today, he disagreed vehemently on a shot selection made by Kevin Martin, and he is known for being foul-tempered. I recall him breaking a broom over his knee during a tournament last year. If people want to villanize someone in this sport, I can't think of a better candidate than John Morris.

Hey Brian from Calgary, you can watch live games on the CBC.ca site.

I quite agree! Such a disappointing final after a week of fabulous curling. Being from Ontario, I'm sorry that Glen didn't win but when it comes down to the nitty gritty you have to make the shots when it counts. Glen is such a great Ambassador for the game and all round nice guy. Fingers crossed for next year.

I agree with almost everything Stoughon said. I was so disappointed in Glen Howard at this entire Brier...I overheard him say in the match with Gushue "Looks like another steal to me", Then he blames John Morris for the picks because of his knees. Why can't he just admit that his team didn't curl their best. Everyone could see that! I often hear about the gentlemenly part of the game....Maybe someone should remind Glen Howard of this and when he is wearing a mike to tone down his remarks. Kevin Martin on the other hand was the best players all week and deserved to win...even he admited he stole one from Saskatchewan. Gentlemanly...yes! I predict,like Stoughton, that Martin will bring home the title!

I've been following team Alberta through the Brier, and am really excited about watching round robin games at the worlds. Guess what? No coverage anywhere until the playoffs, even on curltv. What's up?

What a thrill to be able to watch the curling on the computer. Shame on you who have been so negative to Glen after one comment that maybe he didn't think first about. The Howards have given us years of top curling enjoyment and always represented our country as first class gentlemen.
As for the air ducts, could they not be turned on prior to the event to clean them?
Good luck to the Martin team at the worlds, way to go John, you finally got there!

I'm going to complain about the bad ice one more time, because I'm tired of people complaining about the complaints. It was pretty obvious the ice was not up to par, and I don't think high caliber players like Martin and Howard would complain for no reason. They've had bad games before and rarely do they blame it on ice conditions. There were picks in this game, dirt and dust on the ice, and they had every right to complain. Both wanted a good show for the audience, and this wasn't the case. Would you expect a figure skater to skate on crumbling, pock holed ice? No. Yet, when it's a curling event and the ice is not up to par, we shrug and blame the players who are complaining about ice conditions of not doing their best.
If you don't have good ice conditions, how do you expect to play to the best of your abilities. You may say it's all in strategy and being a good shot maker, ice reader, etc., but then one might ask, why do we put such emphasis on having good ice (ice makers, ice readers, technical ice reading equipment, etc.)if it's not that important. Martin and Howard are both amazing players with great teams. They both deserved a better sheet of ice than that.

I too feel the best team came through! Martin has always shown good sportsmanship! We all have our moments...Martin has! Wayyyy to go Martin! Its common knowledge that when things start getting rough there is always bickering! They have to blame somebody/ something for the problem... Why not the obvious.(ice) I was hoping to see Stoughton at the brier. I am a bigggg fan of his. He makes curling so much fun to watch! Maybe next time. The best to Martin and his team!

One must wonder what a great final it could have been, If Jeff Stoughton and team, would have made it to the show!!!

I too was disappointed with the final but it wasn't completely their fault. There definitely was a pick or two, but you're right both teams played lousy.

Hmmmm, seems like the Page system worked to a tee, pardon the pun. 13-0 team wins it all, second place team loses 3, two to the winner. I noticed that on the sponsor credits the Ontario team was "Russ Howard" Fitting, I guess, as during the 5th end break, sure sounded like Russ to me. Also, I noticed that the "picks" seemed to happen mid sheet, and since Johhny Mo only slides about 3 feet past the hog when he collapses, the conspiracy theory of flat ice is weak.
Go K-Mart! Bring it home ALBERTA!

I like watching curling and have curled myself.But all the whining about ice conditions is so annoying, even from the commentators. The ice conditions are the same for both teams.Curling is a winter sport, proud to be an Olympic sport so do you hear the skiers complaining about snow conditions all the time? Surprise, surprise ice conditions can change durng a curling event or in a game.Curling is a sport so be a good sport about it!

I feel the best team came out in the end. Certainly Alberta was the best team all week and they have a very good chance at the worlds. I was not happy with Glen Howard in the pregame interview when he said that the best two teams in the world were playing and so it should be a good game. They might be the best two teams in the world but it is not his place to say it! I have lost a lot of respect for Glen after that comment and all his wining about the ice.

I was not disappointed in the final at all! I was rooting for the Alberta foursome all along and when the "whiner" Howard started after the 5th end, I wanted Martin to kick @#SS so bad it was pathetic. Johnny has been curling like that for years, and gee, it didn't affect any other game except the final, GIVE ME A BREAK! The two teams have played each other throughout the year and where was Howard whining then???? GROW UP HOWARD... ADMIT YOU DIDN'T PLAY YOUR BEST!!! SUCK IT UP!!!! Anyway, way to go Alberta... I know you will do great at the Worlds. All the relatives will be watching and cheering from Regina, Sk. BRING IT ON HOME BOYS!!! WE LOVE YA

Way to call it like it is Jeff - the 5th end break with Howard complaining about Morris was comical. Richard Hart (Howard's 3rd) is also in the habit of putting his knees on the ice. All Howard does is complain when he is losing - it get tiring, he should have a little class. Howard could take a lesson from SK's skip Pat Simmons - now he is a class act.

It is unfortunate when rocks do pick up debris. Maybe the entire ice surface should be fully cleaned by arena staff after every end? Dust/debris is extremely hard to avoid. As for changing ice conditions, no ice is ever going to be perfect all of the time, so live with it. I always find it funny when players blame the ice. Both teams are playing on the same ice - no team has an advantage. Top-notch curlers find ways to adapt to these changing ice conditions. That is what separates first-class curlers from whiners.

The battle of the best was more disappointing than anything else. I was looking forward to lots of rocks, great shot after great shot - the "Anything you can do I can do better" attitude from these two incredible teams.

I was in Hamilton when Martin won his first Brier - he was the hit machine then, he'd get up a point or 2 and play the next 9 ends by peeling everything in sight. When the new 3 and 4 rock rules came into play, he transformed into the best at that game also.

As far as the 'picks' and the 'debris': enough already. Play the game. I don't hear baseball infielders complain when the bad hop is caused a pebble...

I agree with Jeff that it's up to the players that are on the ice to do thier job of keeping the ice clean. They use that"pick" excuse to much when things don't go the way they planed.

Thanks for telling it like it is Jeff. I really don't see how the ice could have changed that drastically for that one game! Even if it did, you have the two supposed best teams in the world playing on it. Surely it shouldn't have take the whole game to figure the ice out.

Even the best teams and individuals have off-days or allow the pressure to get to them. At least Kevin Martin can admit when he and his team don't play well. Glen Howard really came off as a whiner - pointing his finger at anyone or anything but himself or his team. Honestly - are John Morris' pants made out of felt?!? How much debris can his knees really leave on the ice? Further, how does this debris only affect opponent rocks?

It just would have been nice if Howard would have shown a little class and admitted it wasn't his or his team's best day.

I very much enjoy watching the game and I am not an expert by any means. I am sure Mr. Stoughton's analysis of the Brier is probably accurate. That said...I wonder how his son and teammates feel about his comments. Shame on you Jeff!!!

One of the most disappointing finals I can remember watching. I am glad Martin won because of Howard's whining after the 5th end about Morris' knee being on the ice when his team was doing it as well.

If everyone is so worried about the tiny carpet fibres getting onto the ice surface - why do they continue to surround the sheets with carpet? Treat it like an arena and use rubber mating - clean your footwear before you get out to the playing area. Only clean footwear allowed near the ice. Time penalties for leaving knee and hand prints on the ice. I suspect the threat of running out of time in a critical game because you left your hand on the ice too long would surely discourage those habits.

Hey Stoughton, you didn't mention why the Head ice technician Hans Wuthrich,turned on the air exchanger.This was the problem, NOT the curlers.

I missed the game yesterday, so I can't comment as to what happened. That being said, I've often noticed (especially in club games) that a lot of picks happen within a few feet of the hog line. Right where people like to lean a knee (or a hand) on the ice when they watch their rock.

Stand up after your delivery. If you want good ice, don't melt it!

Ya..I thought the game was some what boring and wonky in comparison to Fri. & Sat. semis. No big shots;missed opportunities;missed calculations etc. But with only two teams on the ice Martin came out the winner with a winning 4 ft. draw. Congratulations to Team Alberta! We know you'll be at your best at the Worlds.
Jayne

Sorry Jeff...it was a good game, not perfect shot making but still entertaining. Both teams had the same problems with ice and maybe performance but that can happen from time to time. I watched both teams play in Kamloops a few weeks ago, neither won but great fun to watch.

It's funny how the Morris was able to curl in the range of 88% on the same debris filled ice that Martin was on. While I do agree that there was debris on the ice, I don't think it was a big a factor in the game as the mental mistakes that Jeff pointed out, or the trrowing mistakes. It certainly seemed to me that Martin and howard were having trouble hitting the broom on some shots.

There was an "ice suprise" in yesterday's final. The ice was clearly softer, rocks ran straighter than in round robin, and it noticably changed in some key spots during the second half of the game. On those conditions, putting your hands and knee prints everywhere is as bad as throwing straw all over the ice, so I'm not suprised by the number of misses at all. I tell juniors never complain about ice conditions - "you're not playing against the ice, you're playing against your opponent".

So kudos to the Martin four. Ontario's downfall was allowing Alberta to have hammer in the even ends.

There's a good reason why most curling clubs have glass walls between the observation area and the ice sheets: maintaining levelness and pebbling is technically so exacting and finicky that only the players should be out there.

Ironically it was the presence of so many spectators at the Brier (normally a measure of success) that diminished the reason for attending: extra ventilation had to be turned on to compensate for all those warm bodies. Climate control quality has to be improved drastically before there is another big curling event with a live audience.

What's the solution? Set up glass walls between the spectators and the ice? Or forget spectator-sport curling and hold all events without audiences? The quality of play would be so much better for the TV audience.

I was surprised to hear that turning on the extra ventilation resulted in debris on the ice.

How come nobody there had heard of duct cleaning??

What about HEPA filtration of the air circulation system??

In the absence of glass walls and separate ventilation, high-stakes curling must have all of these methodologies in place to ensure the quality of play that absolutely depends on ice surface quality. You cannot treat the ice sheets for a curling tournament like those for a hockey game; the technical standards have to be much higher.

After, the pick on Friday, all teams were throwned off their game, the players must of had a guilt feeling. ALl players were feeling for Simmons.

Pick? Come on! What ever happened to "clean it"? If there is a problem with debris, which seemed to be the case all week, then keep it clean.

That's one reason God made brooms.

Good teams do not make excuses-
-One needs an excuse after --Bad ice -Bad air-Ice maker Hans did not clean the airducts -Amature or immature.
Morris had debris sprinkled on the ice-..
Bad judgement --and huge pressure to win caused Howard and team to lose-
Howard had figured out all the perks he would get after he won.
Good game Alta. and Good luck

Totally agree with Jeff about the final game, lackluster at best. And I was disappointed in the Saskatchewan team, when the skip appreciates that his teammates are a big part of bringing his skip rocks home, the Sask team will be in the final game for the trophy. All in all, it was a very enjoyable week of curling.

Agree Jeff, I saw every draw and the final was one of the least exiting. Not boring,just less exiting.
The other thing that will stick in my mind with this Brier is Pat Simmons's bad luck. I sure hope he's back next year.
No losses at the Worlds? Probably.

Don

Well, get ready to loose it Jeff. The debris ice was a factor. It is proof to show that even if you are the best players in the world - there are some factors that are just beyond your control.

Off the top of my head I can think of 3 shots that could have been key to the game that were ruined by picking.

That being said... it is unfortunately apart of the game. You cannot plan on a rock to pick.