Episode 25: Worlds Recap, Rock League & Pod Team-up!

Join us as we return from a brief podcasting hiatus to discuss all the hot-button curling topics in the past few weeks!

- Mens & Women's Worlds

- Rock League

- Team Shake-ups

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:20

Hog Like Violation.

SPEAKER_03 0:26

Hello, hello, patrons. It's Master's Week, so we'll call people call every all of you patrons. Welcome back for to the Hog Like Violation. We had a bit of a hiatus. There's been a lot of curling going on. Everyone's busy. I'm joined by Daniel this evening. Ryan is having some beverages on a beach, and King is still working his ass off. So we're here to just give our thoughts on some recent uh curling things dating back to uh women's worlds. Because I guess the last pod we did was the Briar uh Briar Recap. And then we can we're gonna talk about some Rock League and men's worlds, and of course it's that time of year, so tis the season to the team changes. Um if you didn't hear, we announced a special team uh joining the podcast back together, so that's great. Um we're very, very excited about that. So without further ado, Danny, do you have any opening thoughts, takes, queries? What's what's on your head? What's in your head? What's uh what's Danny saying?

SPEAKER_02 1:39

Oh, just all in all, very excited as Joel just reciprocated at the end of that statement. Obviously, the pod boys are back together. Um, but yeah, I mean, just a really exciting time in general. Um, it's cool um to have an exciting path for next year. Um, I'm sure also a lot of teams. There's a couple interesting new team formats that are probably feeling the same that we are. Um, just looking forward to next season already when we're not even really done this season. Well, we pretty much are, but we just just clueing up. Um so yeah, it was a couple great world championships. Um, really impressive, some really impressive performances at the women's worlds, um, and also at the men's um with a huge bounce back by team Nicodine. Um, and I think Nicodine's parlaying that into a really strong performance at Rock League because I watched some of his game today and he was lights out. He's giving John Schuster the business. So yeah, like Joel said, it's just just me and Kratzy today. Larry's up uh in Bahama Mama, Bahama Mama, come on, pretty mama, my and then King, yeah, yeah. We know King King works, so um, I guess we'll have to get him on at some point, maybe as a guest. Maybe as a guest, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:59

Yeah, we we miss King a lot. He's busting his ass. Um that that time of year in the financial world, so um I'm sure he's having lots of fun. Um probably not as much as Vic, though. Uh Vic Roder announcing his retirement uh this week. Now he's living up the retired life, must be nice. Um, I guess it must be nice after 50 some odd years in the business. Um I don't know. You have any thoughts on Vic? Let's just start there. I think it's been like what a hell of a career, hey.

SPEAKER_02 3:34

Oh, yeah. I mean, when you're thinking about Canadian curling um and watching games on TV like we all have growing up, but you think of Vic Router, or as some like referred to him as Victory Router. Just a great voice for the game. And one of the most impressive things that I found of Vic is the way that he adapted over the years with his knowledge of the game. I felt like he really picked up like a strong understanding of the game of curling. I mean, after doing it for so many years, but even like when he's like near the end of his professional career, like you just see some of the questions that he'd throw at Russ, Kathy, Joanne Courtney, um, a few others. It's really insightful. Um, and to go along with the voice, just special to listen to. So he will certainly be missed. Um, and I wonder if we can find the next victory writer. Wonder who that'll be. So interesting to think about.

SPEAKER_03 4:25

Yeah, it's almost like one of those things, Vic. Like, just like how stoic he is and like his presence in the TV, it just like reminds me of like a Jim Nance type character who's just like so professional all the time. And to your point about him being very knowledgeable of the game, like the game has changed so much in those 40 years, and in the in the later half of his career, or even just in the last decade or two, thinking about how more the game has changed over that period than say earlier on. And I think some of those questions that he was able to throw over to Russ, particularly, kind of stumped them a lot of the time, like as of late, anyway. Because I mean, Vic knows his stuff again, like you don't watch and commentate and talk about curling that much that you don't pick up a few things or a lot of things in this case. So Vic is like, I don't know, it's gonna be interesting to see who they get because Vic is it's a one-of-one type situation, and um I don't even want to say that oh, there's big shoes to fill. I feel like it's just like you gotta start fresh with with a new group, and whatever that looks like is great. Um so excited to see it's the new era all of a sudden.

SPEAKER_02 5:44

I think we've said in the past, like this is just this is just in general, like Vic retiring now, this is coming into a new area of Canadian curling. Um, with the recent retirement of Brad Gushu, Vic Router, um, and I'm sure retirings of Mark Kennedy, Brad Jacobs coming up. Uh I don't know if they're playing the whole quad, like and Ben Hebert, like there could be a lot of moves even next year, um, that that just signal a uh a new shift in the game of curling, even even Kevin Coey. Um, so it'll be very interesting. Uh yeah, you can't, like you said, you can't have somebody who can fill Vic's shoes, somebody that just needs to trailblaze their own way um and find their way into the game of curling as a modernized as a gross to a larger audience. So that'll be fun. Um, and I mean if we keep ripping this podcast, who knows? One of us might end up back there. Make the final. That was pretty good. That was pretty good. You're you already additioning?

SPEAKER_03 6:45

Oh, absolutely. Yeah, I've had about eight auditions already in three days since since it happened. Um they're still not gonna give you the job in auditions. Definitely not. I'm worth about zero dollars. So just fine. But speaking of changing landscape, and first off, all the best to Vic uh in his retirement, and I hope he's not a stranger to the game. Hopefully he's he's around and you know, you get to get to see him a bit, but if not, all the best. Um, like you said, speaking of changing landscapes, curling had a awesome new and exciting kind of venture start today. Um, the new Rock League, professional curling league, salaries of some kind that are getting paid to athletes to play the game we all love. So that is exciting. Um action started today. My favorite team that we that I'm on record as saying is my favorite team and will be cheering for. And I just say that for the sake of saying it, but I'm really excited about this Alpine team. Uh Elena Petts is quite the player, along with all of the players that are on the team. Um, but they had a very disappointing uh defeat to Brad Jacobs and the Shield curling club today. Uh kind of in a comeback victory from Brad and Co. So Cup and Co. But tomorrow's a new day, the sun comes up, so Team Shield is gonna be looking to bounce back, and hopefully they do. Uh, but there's gonna be like there's gonna be some of these teams that are gonna have disappointing weeks. Um, but all of the players are good. But this is it, this is what we're doing. It's the best on best. So this is uh pretty cool in a new format.

SPEAKER_02 8:30

Yeah, what I was gonna say is that that women's team uh for Alpine is insanely good. You have Sophia Scharback, one of the best leads in the women's game. You have Emma Miskew, Selena Gaffner, who was like first team all-star at the world, as like mostly all team Schwaller was. Um, and then you have Elena Pets. Like, how is that team? I mean, they did actually they lost. I don't know. I don't know what I'm saying. They lost eight to four. So yeah, I guess I guess Marley Powers and Co. Um, we were sleeping on them a bit. That's that's that's a great win against that stack team, but I'm sure first games together, it's like first games in Rock League. That's a huge adjustment. Like, I don't think anything of this format or magnitude has been done before. It's just very unique and interesting. I'm sure as it goes on, we'll they'll find more consistency in the teams and stuff. But shout out, shout out to them for making curling, trying to make curling a little bit more exciting and a more appealing or appeal to a greater audience. So it's it's really cool. I know you watched some of the games today, Joel. I didn't really. I I went back and watched some of the Typhoon um Typhoon versus Frontier, but do you have any thoughts on some of the games you watched today?

SPEAKER_03 9:49

Yeah, it's a very interesting format. Um just because each individual sheet is not by itself dictating the outcome of the whole draw, because your your team is competing on each of the sheets, and your points four count in the overall tiebreaker because it's just there's no draw for hammer, it's just the uh like a coin flip. So it does throw a sense in like there's no conceding you play all the ends because you know, if you if you're down by five, but you get four in the last end, even though you lose, you're still helping the team in some way, um, which I think is very, very interesting. Um, of course, seven ends because they want it to fit in a two-hour time frame on TV. Um, and that was the one way to do it. I assume I don't know how much Hammer plays into that, given the fact that they only get like 23 minutes of thinking time, it's like three and a half minutes per end or whatever it works out to be. It's like just not a lot of time. So I'm I'm assuming there's gonna be a lot of decision making that's happening very quickly, and whoever the skip happens to be, because the lineups are changing each game, however, the GMs and the teams want to configure that. So there's it's gonna be hard to get some standard processes in place um about how they want to play the game because everything's happening so fast, and the seven ends obviously throws a wrench in there. But these are the best of the world, and when you've got someone like Cliffy or Eve Muirhead or Chris Sfa, whoever so and so GM Carter Rycroft, you're gonna it's gonna be good. Like they'll they'll have they'll have a game plan, but things are happening so fast, you're just gonna have to trust that skip and go with kind of what they're seeing, really, at that for the most part.

SPEAKER_02 11:34

And and I think that's that's kind of what they went for, obviously, with the the quicker time frame and stuff, just more chaos. More chaos in general is just better for the game of curling, as you can see as the way curling's evolved throughout the years. Like it's it's entertaining stuff, and uh having even the what if you're on the button in the seventh end, you get like bonus point. Yeah, if if you're covering the pin in the last end, it's worth two points. Yeah, that's I guess you can't really strategize that. I guess maybe you'd hope that actually you'd probably just hope you have a draw to the button for the win or for points, and you can just get two.

SPEAKER_03 12:11

Yeah, there was um someone made a comment today in one of the panels. I'm not sure if it was John Morris or someone anyway. They made a comment about that the if a team is down by one with hammer, they might guard the button. Right? Even though they have hammer. So just to protect that that pinhole for that extra point potentially. Um it's gonna make for some great curling, and I'm really uh intrigued by the rest of the week. There are games. Well, I really should it is a game because it's a draw, that's a game, one team versus the other. Uh the mixed double seems pretty interesting so far. Um, and they've introduced a new uh no-tick rule for any guard in play, which I think is great because um right now, like now that the centerline tick is no longer available if you're on the center line, these corner guard ticks, like these teams when they're up by two, up by three, they're just making these corner guard ticks no issue. So I love that they put a rule in place you can't move a guard for the first five rocks. It's gonna be a lot of chaos, and that's what they're going for. But it's gonna be very exciting and curling. And you've got a lot of dynamic skips that are comfortable throwing big weight shots, you know, and some interesting angles and stuff. Like, give me a Cupsy out turn angle raise all day of the week. Like, anytime you can line that up, like let's go. Let's go. Like these last rock throwers are just insane.

SPEAKER_02 13:32

Well, I'm also loving the pairings of the thirds and the skips as well. Um, like you were saying with uh Robin Bryden and Bruce Mallett. Like, I mean, I mean, obviously, not much different. I mean, Grant Hardy's pretty freaking good as well, but just seeing like that little swap in that position to see how they navigate as a back end now, as opposed to Grant and Bruce. That'll be really interesting. And uh yeah, just just cool. I feel like after they've curled against each other for so long, it's probably kind of a weird feeling for them to be playing again against with each other. Um, so really cool kind of getting the curlers all also outside of their comfort zone, which just leaves a better product on the ice.

SPEAKER_03 14:14

Uh, is there any kind of matchup? And when I say matchup, I just mean like these new team combinations, like you mentioned the back end combos or anything. Is there anything, anyone that sticks out that you find really really interesting? Like I've got a couple, I feel like like just these names together is pretty cool.

SPEAKER_02 14:30

Um, yeah, you start off with yours. What do you what do you what's uh pairs?

SPEAKER_03 14:35

Well, they didn't do it today. Well, by itself, it's kind of interesting. They did Joel Rotornes with Mark Miskodowitz. Um, but I think of probably an even more interesting one is uh Oscar Erickson was playing the doubles today, but I would assume like if he slot into the four-person game, then he would be playing third. And I think like a situation with him and Rotornes is like pretty darn cool to think about. Um like sweeping tandems of Colin Huffman and Danny Casper is kind of a funny one. Um that's kind of like out there, but like also they've got all the best skips, and then you had Corey Dropkin who's like not a is pretty decent sweeper in his own right, but he was over on the doubles today. So like I think like the possibilities of stuff like, and again, let's continue with Frontier is like John Schuster and Grant Hardy, you know, like that's like just an that's an epic match of the players. Um and like what like contrasting views, but also like let's do it. This is so cool just to see all these combos. It feels it feels like feels like a continental cup, but like a little more serious. Like, I was happy with the serious level that these players gave today, too.

SPEAKER_02 15:48

I was a I was a bit surprised by that as well. And one other like kind of a random pairing is like Bobby Lamy Nicodean. I don't know. I found that was kind of fun. I don't know why. And then you also have Anton Hood lead vising, which is like the obvious move because you're not gonna take Bobby Lamy off the brush. That'd be that'd be that'd be silly.

SPEAKER_03 16:08

That that typhoon team is just interesting up the board, men's and women's, like just across the board, across the sheets. It's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 16:16

It's just fun. Yun and soul, like Minji Kim, Yoshida, and Anno Haseborg. I don't know if you'll find a team that has more fun on the ice surface than that team.

unknown 16:26

I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

Yeah, they're good too.

SPEAKER_02 16:28

Yeah, no, they're really freaking good, and that's probably why like Yoshida, like notoriously notorious, or whatever you want to say, is like the happiest curler you'll probably ever see. Like, same with that whole Fujisawa team. But I was just watching some of that game today, and like they were just commenting on how like she just could not stop smiling the whole time, and that's definitely infectious in that team as well. And uh also kind of a fun, also back end duo was Tab Peterson and Stefania Constantini. Yes, that's a pretty back end. Stefania Stefania's really good. Like, she, I'm not saying like she's not on a bad Italian team, like they're solid, but like I think out of all like the last rock throwers, she could be up there. Like, she makes a lot of curling shots. She might be like the breakout star of this whole thing.

SPEAKER_03 17:19

If I'm gonna I kind of agree because when you unleash a player like that, and that's kind of their slogan this week, is like unleash curling, no free ads. But I think when you put a player like that in an environment with the caliber of players that they're playing with, you could only spark something that's gonna be good. And you know, again, not to do no disrespect to the Italian program, but these are the very, very best players in the world, and Stefania definitely belongs in there, and these players that she's being able to play with, like Sarah Wilkes, like these Americ other American players, like this is like some serious curling going on.

SPEAKER_02 18:00

Oh, yeah. And and we know Rock League, they're serious about their curling. So it's gonna be some seriously fun curling uh that's gonna be taking place over the next the next few days. Um, yeah, any anything else you wanted to add about Rock League, Joel? Any any other points or anything you wanted to touch on?

SPEAKER_03 18:21

I'm just intrigued to see how it goes. Like, I heard they're gonna be changing up some of the formats of like like they had like four-person men's and women's and doubles today, but I heard there's gonna be some like four-person mixed or something maybe thrown in in some like skins or like other formats. So, like, I think that like changing it up uh is very interesting, and like I said, it gives that um uh Continental Cup kind of rider cup vibe, but also it's you have six teams, and I love that it's gonna be a full round robin this week, and you're gonna get to see all the teams and who comes out on the top for this like first season. But I'm just so intrigued by uh the matchups and what's gonna come out of this. Like it seems very serious to me today, and like it easily couldn't have been, you know what I mean? Like they have bars on the ice, which I think is pretty cool, you know.

SPEAKER_02 19:09

Yeah, no, it's uh you said the bar on the ice, didn't you? Yeah, yeah, that's awesome. I love that. Just it adds a bit of casualness or more fun for the fans. Well, like there's competitive, like serious professional curling going on. Um yeah, I I find it's gonna be it's just tough to know what comes of it, to be honest, because we haven't really seen anything like this before. I hope it blows up. Like I could definitely see that happening. Um so yeah, we'll we'll see. There's definitely some exciting teams that are formed that could lead to some crazy shots, you know, and and some crazy curling games, probably just a ton of like high-scoring ends.

SPEAKER_03 19:54

Absolutely, yeah. I um yeah, we're all looking forward to it. I hope everything goes well because so far, so good in my books. Um uh, but we will move on to another topic here. I feel like we can move into some championship season curling. Uh, we had the men's and women's world championships in that other in the other order, though. Women's was first in Calgary. I had a front row seat to that, luckily, um, to watch that there for work. And the curling was pretty outstanding. And I gotta say, there were like you said, Danny, in the opening, there were a lot of great um breakout stories there. Not only the most notable, obviously Zenia Schwaller champion of the event, uh, at 23. And two, two of them are at 23 and two of them are 22 years old. Pretty darn crazy uh that they're able to do that at that age and are like number five in the world right now, and whatever, and just like basically a staple in the slam at 22. Um, but also other notable names like Turkey making a playoff appearance, um, and just some other ones that we'll get into as well. Uh, but do you have any opening thoughts on the women's uh world championship?

SPEAKER_02 21:08

No, I'd like a lot of what you said. A lot of it's kind of what it fed uh going into that world championship with some of the top teams not being there, like like Pets, Hasselborg, Homan. Um, you got to see the depth in some of the countries I usually don't get to see in the world, so which was really neat. Um, yeah, of course, that Swiss team was just absolutely unbelievable. Like they were first team all-star at second, third, and skip. And then the lead was second to Carly Burgess, who had a great week, was like 94%. Um, exceptional week for her, and good week for the Carrie Anderson as well. Like that as it was a little bit of a lighter field, it's still not easy to make the final in a world championship. Sucked, she couldn't pull out the gold medal. Uh, we were all rooting for her for sure, but she ran into a juggernaut. Like that Swiss team was really tough to beat. And it just what really encountered. I think encapsulates the whole event. Was that last shot that Xenia made? Like that run pick sort of thing. And just like basically carrying nothing. That was like an insanely good curling shot. Just just silliness and the way they manage rocks and everything. Like they're a really good sweeping team, too. I know uh their front end are both really tall. I mean, they've got to be around six foot. Like all the leverage they can post. Yeah. Yeah, they're they're tall. Like that team is no joke. Like, they're gonna be tough for a while. And I'm sure Lena Pets is looking in the rearview mirror pretty hard after that performance, like she would. Um yeah, I also thought I'd touch on a little bit of a sweetheart of the event, and I know she's been in our good graces for a while, is Dilsat Yieldies had a phenomenal week and made the playoffs at 7 and 5. What a showing. What a showing. Did you uh any thoughts on the week Dilset had? Because I know she's a pod favorite.

SPEAKER_03 22:59

Yeah, they had, I was probably their biggest fan in the entire world that week. They start off 4-0, and after after like five draws, they're at like number one on the table tie with Canada at 4-0. Like, that's huge. Take a picture of that. Uh then they kind of had a little slippage and finished um three and five after that, but scrapped out a tight game. Um uh, I believe it was against it was China or Italy, and those were the teams that were just out of the playoff picture. And Turkey was like, if they win, they're in, but if they lose, they're out. So they were able to win that last game after, I guess, two and five since the four and oh start, which is just tough. Um, but then having a winning record at 7-5 and qualifying. And honestly, like if they're back in the playoffs, I don't see them. I I could definitely see them going farther in the playoffs now that they have that experience. Because right away, TSN threw them on TV. Um, and it was just one of those like first moment ever type situations. And they had a decent game, but it wasn't gonna be their day that day. Um, but what a great week. They were like, there's good things to come. Like it's unfortunate they kind of peaked right now after the Olympics are over instead of like in December during the qualification event. But you know, that's gonna lead great. You got your team into um the playoffs the first time and guaranteeing your spot into next year's championship. Uh so hey, very impressive performance by Dill Sat. Give me her put her in the Rock League at some point, you know? Fire me up, free agent.

SPEAKER_02 24:36

Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. Like Dil Sat's a really good player. She was making a ton of shots for that team.

SPEAKER_03 24:46

So there's been they've had great showings at this before. I think this was her fourth one with pretty much the same team, and they were like five and seven twice before this. Like, they know what they're doing. Like, I mean, difference between seven and five and five and seven is not much, and they were able to get over the hump this time, but like they're beating they were beating like teams, like teams that missed the playoffs at this is um Madeline DuPont, we're at the Olympics, Faye Henderson, like three Scottish championships in a row. Uh Italy, you know, Constantini, gold medalist, and China, Rui Wang, bronze medalist at this event last year. You know, like these are teams that like they're putting the screws to, not even just beating, um, and just being able to pull out these victories. So it's great, great to see.

SPEAKER_02 25:31

Oh, yeah. It was, I mean, sure, it was a pleasure for you to watch that. Like, there's a really tight event, um, especially in that battle for the playoffs. There's only a couple games separating every team. Um, and it was also cool to see Rano out of her first world as well. That was her first world, yeah. That was really good, too. Yeah, bronze metal beating Fujisawa in the bronze middle game. That was cool. Um, they're a team that um had a little bit of like had their struggles at points, but like every team did, and also you get the the rookie jitters as well. But I don't know, like Isabella's stats didn't turn out the best. I think she was 76% on the week, but I feel like she's a player that makes the big shot, so she'll win you games, even though in the percentage she might be a bit down the leaderboard a bit. But yeah, that was a really intriguing event, and I enjoyed watching it.

SPEAKER_03 26:25

I thought it was spectacular, actually. Yeah, it was really it was somewhat evident. It was evident what the best team was. Xenia lost her first game just because it was her first game, you know. First game of World Championship, it's a lot, and you just drop one, and that's not a big deal. And then they won, what, 13 in a row after that? So it was obvious that they were the best team there for sure. Um, Perry Anderson was playing some of the best curling that they played of this quad by far. Um, and then uh Fujizawa, veteran of this event and has lots of experience, was right there too. And Canada and Japan played in the last round robin game for that bye to the semifinal. Kerry pulled up in that game, she had a great game. Uh but really Kerry could have had the first seed in this event, definitely 100%. She lost to Xenia in the extra end. Xenia puts it right on the lid. She had to hit a piece of the button, and she did. And then again, in the last end of the final, another great game that could have gone either way. I think if Anderson could have started with Hammer, might have had a much better opportunity to do that because it's just tough with Xenia and their abilities. So I think now that uh Kerry has that kind of experience from this week and is right there, this new team excites me a bit too. Like adding Jocelyn is huge, and I have no issues with Shannon and Carly moving up. You know, they've both proven themselves more times that they can play either of those positions very well. Um, so I think it's gonna be looking good for Carey going forward, but what a performance by Switzerland.

SPEAKER_02 28:07

Yeah, no, absolutely. Just dominant. And I was really impressed with their hidden ability. Like you said, it's Shane Carrie did start off the game with hammer in the file. Um, if they could pick up a quick deuce against you, it's almost nighttime after that. Like they they can hit the lights out, it's tough to create offense against them. So yeah, they had the right strategy during the event. They're just playing shots that they're comfortable with and just worked out in their favor. Yeah. Anything else you wanted to add on to that event drill? Do you want to head over to the men's worlds?

SPEAKER_03 28:39

Well, I guess what I'll talk about is kind of kind of loops that one in too, is they're changing the uh format of this event, so this does affect the women's in the men's worlds. Currently, there's 13 teams and they play a full round robin against each other. I mean, what a grind of an event. 12 round robin games is just a juggernaut event. And then now they're moving it to 18 teams uh into two pools. It's the same format as the Briar, essentially. Is you the Briar playoffs is a little more elaborate, I would say, without getting into details. Uh, but the they're just gonna have two pools of nine and the top three go to the playoffs. So very thin margins for error in that. Um we've seen in the Briar um last year with John Eppen going six and two and missing the playoffs. It's tough when it's a double knockout event after nine games, but only three make it. So every really as soon as you're on one loss, you gotta feel like you're on the face. And that's tough. That's a tough feeling if you drop your first one somehow. But then it goes two pools, top three into uh quarterfinals, semifinal, same as this. And the number one team out of each pool gets a bye to the semifinal. So obviously gonna have to be at least that one loss minimum or maximum, sorry, and then probably only zero losses to get that bye. So gonna be an interesting event. I like that it lets a lot of teams in uh that wouldn't have the opportunity to qualify for a worlds. You're gonna see a lot of new faces. Um and I hope you know you're gonna see some blowouts as I've seen some comments around social media about this. It is what it is what it is. I mean, they're only having to play six ends at the worlds in the round robin, so it's not like you've got to be out there for eight like at a Briar or Scotty's, but um hopefully that just encourages federations to invest more money into their programs, and that's only a good thing for high-level curling. So maybe we can get some more talent, more Rock League teams. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:37

Well, it's all just to grow the game, so it's pretty obvious why the World Curling Federation is doing it. Um, the 6N thing is huge, though. Some of the teams you you aren't gonna want to play a full age, especially if the score is getting like too far out of hand, but it'll probably be a little bit difficult for a few years with the format just in terms of some some of the lower seeded teens and competitiveness and stuff like that. But that's kind of the pill you kind of have to swallow in order to try to grow the game. And hopefully in a few years, like we have if you could have like nine competitive or semi-competitive teams in each pool, that's a win. That's a win for curling. So I I have no problems with it.

SPEAKER_03 31:13

Yeah, I and honestly, I think this this new format will help with the schedule as well. Like, there's a lot of situations you saw Enerson and Dunstone having to go through this where they're playing the night and the morning, well, the morning and the night um uh to play. That's just a lot of in a lot of days in a row you have to do that that uh format of play with night and morning, and it just it takes a toll after a while. So now if you go back to a Briar format where you're playing every other draw, I think that'll help with the endurance throughout the event as well. And it's three less round robin games, which I think can't hurt at this point in time.

SPEAKER_01 31:52

No, not at all.

SPEAKER_03 31:54

Yeah, so anyway, men's worlds, Ogden, Utah, seemed like a fun event at the location of the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. Um that was pretty cool to be back in that building for an event. Uh champion there, Nicodine, ever heard of him. Eight-time champion now, which is just so crazy. The only all the only other people that have more than four is the three guys that he's playing with. Um, so that's kind of crazy. But uh let's talk about Nicodine. What are your thoughts on Nicodine after this?

SPEAKER_02 32:34

Oh, just absurd. I think just the men to resolve after such a poor performance at the Olympics and all the controversy and all that hoopla. Um, just to come out and just be absolutely dialed in. Like he was not missing shots, and like you're still gonna beat Ross White and Matt Dunstone. I mean, it is their first worlds, um, but obviously there are no sluts. They both went 10-2 and tied Adan in the Rand Robin. Um, and those are teams, like especially this year, that he struggled against uh in like the slams and stuff. Like they've had much more successful seasons than Adan. Um so don't think he was a favorite going in, but with that much experience, and I feel like he was he was the most comfortable player on the ice um every game he played. Just just knew what to do. The stage was definitely not too big for him. He's he's been there plenty of times, ever heard of him. Uh, but eight world championships is just insane. Like, I I know like he's there every year and and all that stuff. But like Brad Goosha's won a ton of Briars, and what does he have to show for one gold medal? Like, it's crazy. It's insane. Like, it's not easy. Like, once you get there, you still have to win the event against like the top teams in the world from all across the globe, and like the field keeps on getting stronger with with how much in Europe the game's grown, and even in Asia. So, yeah, it's it's crazy. I mean, really, really impressive. Happy to see a Dean win again. I mean, everybody loves the Canadian. Um and just yeah, dominant performance that was really cool to see.

SPEAKER_03 34:12

I think one topic I'd like us to chat about here is I don't know what it is with the Canadian teams. It seems like, just from my lens, and I'm just watching through the screen, there just seems to be a little more chaos within whatever group is there. I don't know what it is. Like, there seems to be like a higher sense of urgency. Obviously, the stakes are pretty high. It's a world championship. But I feel like there's just a little bit more chaos going on in the ice, and teams like they seem a little bit out of their usual rhythm, or I don't know, the usual rhythm that you see in a TSM broadcast. Now, is that a little bit different? I don't know, but um, it just seems like that to me. And obviously, there's some kind of struggle here because like again, kudos to Nicodine. He is my GOAT in terms of who I think is the best curler ever. It's I mean, you can say what you want, but I'm gonna I will argue that point. Um, I think it's for him with eight, like it's hard for me not to get away from that. But I think he just it's his Briar in terms of like, oh, Brad Guju's been to the Briar 23 times, Nicodine's been to the world's at least 15, probably more. I don't know the exact number. But it's for him, it's very comfortable there, you know, after going that many times. But you know, Canada, even after Guju went, he won his first one, and then he won like four silvers after that. So obviously, I feel like the vibe just changed. I don't know what it is. Again, it might just be somehow the way they do their broadcast, it just makes it like for me to see that, but there just seems to be some chaos within like whatever group is there.

SPEAKER_02 35:48

Well, there's there's something going on. I mean, the last Canadian team to win a man's world was Brad in 2017. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 35:56

It's the longest streak ever. Uh, it's eight years now, and that's the longest the previous was seven.

SPEAKER_02 36:00

So it's I mean, granted, they have six silver medals since then. So it's not like they're not there, they're there in the final, they just can't win.

SPEAKER_03 36:12

Could ask the could ask the question why that is, because yeah, a lot of those, I mean, five of those were were one guy, four of them were one guy, you know. Yeah, right now.

SPEAKER_02 36:21

What's say about Dunstone? I mean, his first worlds and everything. Even with the record, do you find they just didn't look that comfortable? I I I don't know. Like they they were obviously very good. I mean, they went 10 and 2. Like, that's that's really good. Um, beat Ross White. Feels like those games were like they were getting outplayed in most of those games, but there were certain moments where they had their chance and he made good on it. So I don't know, a bit chaotic would would be the right word that I would use as well. It just didn't feel totally under control. Um, and and I would go back to like the game against Schuster. I think Schuster beat him in like six end or something, just totally obliterated them. And I don't know, I don't know. But I mean the silver medal is really impressive, regardless. It'd be Ross weight to get to the final. So good performance by them, but like we've got to have a Canadian team break through at some point because it's not gonna get any easier as we go, it's only gonna get tougher, and and I don't know what the answer to that is. Uh I I don't know what it boils down to. Um, they're all playing in the same events as all those European teams are playing. Like, I I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 37:35

Do you yeah, I I don't know. Like overall, team to team, I don't know if it's it's probably not the same reason. I feel like today, if you break down a little bit of the game you mentioned of not being fully comfortable, I kind of agree with that. I think someone like Ryan Herndon wasn't playing like he was a it was like for me, look, I'm looking at the statistics now, he was 92 for the week. I feel like usually he's 94, you know. That 2% adds up over the week. I feel like there was a lot, I was every time I watched there was freezes being missed all the time, and then he kind of lays an egg in the uh in the last game with an 81. So, like for me, that's just not really gonna do it. Um and when you've got a guy like Christopher Sundrin, who you're playing against, was at 95.5 for the week. Like, that's just insane. So that's just someone making every shot against you. And I feel like in the front end they got killed a little bit. Colton Lott proving that he's the best curler Canada has at the moment, I believe. Um so that's he's thrown the rock really well. And I mean, Dunstone was Dunstone. I think there's some uncharacteristic things going on there. Um, but one thing that's always an issue at a world event, and you know, we might play a Bragg Guju clip at the end of this potentially. Um the world somehow produces a um a lot of challenging conditions, to say the very least. I don't know what it is. Whenever there's it's not uh a curling Canada event, the conditions are interesting. And it seemed to be changing all the time, and I know they sharpened the rocks halfway through, and then it all of a sudden was 13-8. Like, I don't know, something something was going on halfway through, and I don't know if it's our team just need to learn to play better on these changing surfaces. You take Jacobs, for example, this year, he got it done in Italy, so it has it's I'm not taking anything away from him, I'm just using them as the example of their schedule. They only play arena events, you know, and all of those arena events are in Canada, so you're getting pretty much the same ice or very familiar, you know. Currently, Canada to slam ice is a bit different, I would say, but it's consistent throughout those events that you go to, and then you go to some world event where the ice makers, whoever, not that they're not good ice makers, it's just different. And you know, you get some challenging conditions that aren't as consistent as you would see at a Canadian event. Because as we know, if the ice conditions aren't consistent at a Canadian event, someone's hearing about it, so they try to keep it very good and they do, but at these world events, you know, things are changing all the time.

SPEAKER_02 40:19

That's probably a reason there. Um, even though, like, I'd say the great uh the plethora of uh European teams are also playing on those same conditions throughout the winter. Um, I don't know, like some of those European tournaments that they play. I don't know how good the ICER is in those events. I don't know if you have an idea of that, but I know some of them are played in curling clubs, so and I know Ross and them when they won the Scottish Worlds, uh, that was held in the curling club as well. So maybe they're a little bit more in tune to playing in competitive events in not the most ideal situations. But like we said, I mean, they're still silvering every year, so they're there, they're in the final. I don't know, maybe when the stakes get higher, they're it just it bothers them a little bit more. I don't know. I mean, we will play the Brad Club later on, and I don't blame him for that clip because that ice was oh my god.

SPEAKER_03 41:14

Well, there was falls on that ice, so that was an issue. Yeah, there's also again Nicodine must be somewhat accustomed to playing on this. You don't win eight of these and however many Euros. Um I think he's got like 11 or 12 euro finals, so it's like you're playing on this these conditions, obviously, you know how to get it done. And I would say that goes, that's you could say that's true for how well Tier and Zoni was doing and does at World Events 2. The Tier and Zoni Pets team, like when you're getting under those types of conditions, those teams seem to have a lot of success. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 41:54

Oh, that's true. Uh it's interesting to think about. Um, was there any team when we go back to the world for a sec? Was there any team that uh really impressed you or anything, or any surprises? I feel like it was uh kind of how you would chalk it up, um, probably at the beginning of the week, but any teams that like impressed you or anything, even if the record wasn't that great, or yeah, it was pretty cut and dry event in terms of the standings.

SPEAKER_03 42:19

I mean, unlike the women's when it came down to the last draw to see what the call the teams qualifying. This one, the last two games around last two days of round robin, pardon me, it was already decided the six teams. They were just playing for seeding within the six. So there wasn't really a lot of drama near the end. Um, I think I'll still talk about Adine for a second. He, I mean, what a bounce back after a two-and-seven Olympics randomly. Um Ross White starting 0-2 and then rattling off 10 round robin games in a row. I feel like there's a lot of good to say about all these playoff teams. Stefano Spiller in his first appearance as Skip from Italy, world junior champion, um going 8-4 after. Like I saw I watched the game against Canada, it was like the second game of the event. Uh, they didn't look good, didn't look great, but then they went on a run after that. And I mean, it's still Mozanor um and the other big fella. So Armand. Armand. So, I mean, it's gonna be a good team. Um, but I think a team that could have done better, uh Lucas Kalima was a disappointment. I know you'll probably get into them a bit, but that's that was a disappointment for sure. And randomly Magnus Ramsfeld gets a skip at the end because the other skip of the team was just apparently so bad he moved up through the lineup, down through the lineup, and then alternate all of a sudden at the end. Yeah, yeah. It was the last round Robin game, and he was alternate and right uh uh Magnus was just skipping. So crazy. Yeah. I wanted to see more out of Kalima though.

unknown 44:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:02

Yeah, a team that I would have definitely liked to see more of is Muscatowicz, eh? Four and eight is insanely disappointing for that team.

SPEAKER_03 44:10

Tough week, tough year for them, really. They didn't haven't had haven't had a great year, but four and eight.

SPEAKER_02 44:15

Four and eight. Like they're a much more talented team than Klima. Like, no offense to Klima. But like they're like Benny Cap, Muscatowicz is a great player. Their front end can really sweep. Like, yeah, that's a team that should be competing for the playoffs in this event. I mean, they won the Euro.

SPEAKER_03 44:31

Nowhere close. Four games out.

SPEAKER_02 44:33

No, no. That's probably the biggest disappointment that I think of the week. That's just not good enough. Um, yeah, tough overall year for them. They're still really young. Uh, they can bounce back. I don't know if they're gonna tinker with their team or anything. I don't know if you've heard anything about that, but I'd say they'll probably run it back for another quad.

SPEAKER_03 44:53

I don't see why not. I mean, it's definitely the best four players Germany has, so yeah. Oh 6'10 Todd Sag. Yeah, I think he can keep making his videos. I think I like his videos, I will say. I will give it to him. Yeah, they're great. I think he can do that.

SPEAKER_02 45:10

It's pretty sick. Yeah, no, but yeah, you you gotta stick with that team. That they have a lot more potential, they can give a lot more than they did this week. Um, and also a little shout out to Conrad Steitch. Two wins. Yeah, big. And they beat Muscatowicz, I think like 11 to 2 in one game or something. Yeah, it was they absolutely destroyed them. Yeah. Conrad's good though. Yeah. I like the Beanie too. The beanie's a nice touch.

SPEAKER_03 45:39

They'll be back in that extended format for sure.

SPEAKER_02 45:41

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 45:42

Like they're building right there now.

SPEAKER_02 45:44

So I how old are they? Can't be too old.

SPEAKER_03 45:48

I don't think no, they're probably, I don't know, early 30s, probably, I would think. But they're seem to be building something there, so good for them. I think um judging Fang Fei from China was a good performance. Um, Jiang Mingju not there, probably similar to a Retornaz situation. Um, just didn't bother playing this one because it's the end of a cycle, and why not? Fei uh won the world juniors as a skip, so I assume was probably like most of the regular team, but maybe brought in one of his other junior guys from previous. Who knows? But six and six is a pretty good performance.

SPEAKER_02 46:28

Yeah, it worked a skip for sure. It's a Jew hurt his knee or something, but I mean it could just he had a long year. I don't think he's that young either. It's Jew in his 40s. Yeah, he he's 40, he's in his 40s, yeah. So it could just be that, yeah. Yeah, so and I noticed on the sliding, he gets his knee in a funny position sometimes, so not saying he's probably used to it at this point, but um, yeah, Fay is a good player, like that'll be a guy to watch out for um in China for well in the world too. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 46:59

Um might as well touch chat on the like the last couple of relevant teams there. Um hostly, great week. I really I texted you guys in the group before the week. I was like, I really wanted a hosely week, and we got one. Um definitely could have gone farther into the playoffs as well. I think it was just they've never played an event that long before, um, and probably weren't quite as sharp at the end as they were near the beginning, but great week in 9-3. And John Schuster getting it done again, like great for him with a couple guys retiring, um, making the bronze medal game. Uh, so that was great. Chris Plies was playing pretty well that week, so it's good for them.

SPEAKER_02 47:40

Chris Plies is so good. Retiring, too. I know, I'm very disappointed in that. I mean, good for Chris getting the retirement, but he's a hell of a player. Like, he does not. He really is. Yeah. But yeah, Johnny Schuster felt like he was on his game as well. Um, and that was a great win for them in the in the playoff against uh Hosley as well, because that Hosley team was playing really well. Other all their team members were up near the top of the stats as well. Um, I like that team. They're uh I think on the men's side they're similar similar to a Schwaller, Zenia, I think a bit. Play really they play it straight up. They they they let you know what they're gonna do. They kind of play it a bit on the conservative side. Um, not like a crazy amount, but like they they can get themselves out of trouble pretty easily early in the end with the upweight ability that they have. So yeah, that's that's an interesting team, um, and one we'll be seeing for a while for sure.

SPEAKER_03 48:39

Yeah, all right. So um we could touch on uh, I guess that clues up the men's worlds, touch on the Canadian Juniors for last week. I was there with Team Atherton, a little disappointing week, um, but great games all around. We lost three extra end games. We played a double extra end game and lost without hammer. Somehow we they switched it to eight ends this year, and we ended up still playing a 10-end game at a junior. Oh, Nick Solsky would be so mad that you guys played a 10-end game. So mad. So mad. Buddy unfortunately hit and rolled out, uh, but then in the ninth, but he made a nice draw tap in in the tenth to win. So it was a good game. And um congrat but congratulations to Team Quebec women, team 410. We saw them at the Scotties with a respectable performance. Uh, and now they're off to a world championship, which is great. They stole two in the last end to win, down one. So crazy week. Um and on the men's side was uh team Evan McDougal, Team Ontario. Uh Evan was um one of the coaches working in my group at Trillium last week. Great guy, they're gonna do fantastic at the worlds. Um, we'll be cheering. Uh, don't know where the worlds are yet, but I guess we'll know when we know.

SPEAKER_02 50:00

Yeah, I didn't didn't know a lot about the McDougal team going in, but I mean rookie skip at a national and he wins it.

SPEAKER_03 50:07

Yeah, seems like he just made a lot of good shots. He was the best skip all week, and that's gonna bode well for you in juniors last year.

SPEAKER_02 50:15

Yeah. At a win yin event, and also, like we're talking about Epping uh from the Briar last year. Uh our our friends from the the Remax Center, Team Simon Perry, finishes six and two and doesn't even get into the playoffs. Just the way it goes sometimes. That that hurts. That really sucked for them. I was pretty upset about that. Um, but that's what happens at nationals sometimes. You just get a tough bounce and you're out, which which is very unfortunate because six and two you think should be good enough to get you to the playoffs. Six and two is a really good record, especially with how tough their pool was. Just tough. But that's that's the way it goes sometimes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 50:53

Yeah, yeah. I felt for them that was that was tough. Like said, that epping that it's just a devastating situation, and um team Perry works as hard as anyone. So um, but anyway, they will graduate juniors after a volunteous career. Um lot of medals, national champions. Um really like boosted Danielle Jr. curling over the last number of years. Very solid team.

SPEAKER_02 51:26

Yeah, absolutely. And then and you would know that as well. You're the one who kind of got them going at the start. So that's it's gotta be cool seeing all their success as well. They're good kids, so that won't be the end for them either. I mean, they're gonna do a lot of good things in the future, I'm sure of too.

SPEAKER_03 51:41

Except hopefully, we're gonna win the tanker next year, ideally. But it's gonna be probably some great battles against them for sure.

SPEAKER_02 51:49

Yeah, I mean, that's well, yeah. I mean, they're made the tankered final this year. They're they're a team that we've gotta play our absolute best against because they're no slouch. Like that that team is very good. We played them in the tanker this year and they they gave us the business a bit. Uh they were not missing a lot of shots. Son was on his game. So yeah, I also echo what you said. Yeah, it'd be nice. Be nice to get done against them, but but we'll see. We'll see.

SPEAKER_03 52:16

See. We're still in the 2025-26 season, somehow. I'm ready for golf. Golf courses are opening here uh a week from Saturday or something. Um, weather's getting nice, there's no snow. St. John's probably sucks. My mom told me Labor City got 25 centimeters of snow last night. Oh, Natalie, no.

SPEAKER_02 52:39

That's just tough. Underground under snow. We got a bunch of snow in here. It's been raining all day, though, which we like. We like the rain. Not in the summer at all. Um, yeah, I don't know. It's kind of you're kind of lucky that you're gonna be getting in this in the swing of things shortly. Um, there's just nothing better than the curling and then the golf stack. Redwing curling ends, you're playing golf. Really doesn't get that much better.

SPEAKER_03 53:09

It just doesn't might grab some simulator uh time over the next bit. Uh, we'll see. I don't see why not. I got nothing else to do other than working on what I mean. Uh so looking forward to that. I'm excited to be playing with you, Danny. And like I've said to you, um I'm happy to be uh using hardline brooms next year.

SPEAKER_02 53:31

Yes, yes. Also, shout out to Asrum. They were they were a great sponsor with her two years, but but also we haven't used hardline in a while now, and uh very excited, no free ads, very excited to be using hardline and and seeing how that feels now because I haven't really swept for the hardline broom in like two years now, so that should be really and of course getting the podcast boys back together. Um, me, Ryan, Joel, and I guess Aaron not on the podcast. Maybe we'll have to get him on at some point, I'm sure we will. Um, my my trusty lead for the last I don't even know, five, six years. Aaron's been great, great team player, like one of the best teammates that I've ever played with. Um, and uh Joel's played with them as well. They went to a national and UAT together, so he knows a bit of it now. But yeah, really excited for for what we can do, but it starts now. Um, we just got to work, and and results don't happen without work. So started to get to work, and it's it's pretty easy to get to work when when you're playing with a bunch of your best buddies, so that you care about. So it'll be fun.

SPEAKER_03 54:39

Yeah, true to that. Yeah, yeah. Um, okay, well, we will be back at some point. Um, we're gonna start at sometime after the currently season is over, probably Rock League. I know there's some other doubles events, but we may start going down to once every other week or once a month situation. We'll see how it goes over the summertime. Uh, but we will be doing some special um segments, different ideas, talking points that we just don't have time for during the season when there's a lot of events going on. Um and in the summertime, there's still a lot of team changes to come, you know. Dunstone's got some stuff going on. Hopefully, I hope he can find a fourth player. There's a guy, Nickel, buddy, um, that's there. He's not on a team, so we'll see. I hope that uh hope that all goes well for all the teams that are still looking for teams. The women's side of things is very intriguing. There's a lot of players in the wind. Um just because, well, there hasn't been much movement yet. The first domino fell carrying Val, and now a few things are moving, but we'll see.

SPEAKER_02 55:49

It's just, I don't know, it's there's a lot of drama curling, like when it's hitting the offseason, there's always drama. It's it's fun to keep track of. Um, happy that there's no more drama for us. That's nice. I I just like to sit back and watch all the the rest of it unfold because that's always exciting. But yeah, a couple new teams that have already formed that are pretty exciting, I think, on both sides as well. Um, like your reference with Val going over with T McMillan, um, and like we talked about Carrie. Um, and then some moves on the men's side. So should be exciting. Um, obviously, very excited for next season. Um, long way to go now. We can enjoy our golf and uh and have some fun, you know. Get in the gym, you know.

SPEAKER_03 56:35

Yeah, looking looking forward to it very much so. Yeah, one one last note. Um, I was very happy to see that Jones A and Kelly Knapp's team is staying together. Um, great to see Jonesy still on a team and playing on a good team. So we'll be following Jonesy again next year.

SPEAKER_02 56:54

Yeah, and hopefully, you know, Jonesy will be up against it playing against Clutter and McEwen, but whoever's gonna hold down Jonesy. You never know what they did before. They've did it twice. They've they've been to two Briars as a team now. Jonesy's been to three. So you and Jonesy are tied in Briar appearances.

SPEAKER_03 57:11

I know. I gotta I gotta get ahead of him. But he can join me at four if he wants, though. That'd be kind of sick. Saskatchewan Briar with Jonesy. Hopefully we play them. Yeah, hopefully we get there, then we'll play.

SPEAKER_02 57:22

Yeah, hopefully we get that opportunity. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But yes, yeah, it would ideally in a perfect world. That's that's why we made this team. Um is not just to not go to the Briar. So start with some good curling next season, building up, playing in some events that I'm sure we'll be highlighting for you guys when we get that all finalized and stuff like that. But yeah, it's just a lot of excitement um going so far in the end of March and April. What have thought?

SPEAKER_03 57:52

Anyway, so we will sign it off from there. Um thanks for listening. Um, I feel like we've covered a lot tonight, so I think we're uh I think we're good to go. Uh, we'll be back probably soon because there is a rock league and there's still a lot of things going on, so we might be back next week or the week after. And like I said, we're changing our schedule going into the summer. But uh again, looking forward to uh just the upcoming week with the curling in the rock league and that finishing out. Um any final thoughts, Danny?

SPEAKER_02 58:25

No, I echo everything you said. There's a lot of exciting things going on, although the 25-26 season is almost concluded at this point. Um, it's been a great year. Um happy we got this podcast together at the start of this season. It's gone swimmingly, and um let's keep it going. Let's keep it going. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 58:46

All right, so we'll talk to you soon. Go ahead, everyone. Wilhelm Ness.

SPEAKER_00 58:55

Um that's an understatement. Um probably, well, not probably, it definitely was the worst dice I've ever thrown on in a in a national or an international championship. And um, you know, as a Canadian that has to work so hard to get here, you feel a little bit cheated when you come and uh have to play on that. I think uh between us and Nicholas, it really was a point toss because you know we uh we missed the top shots out there.

SPEAKER_05 59:17

Both of us hardline violations.