#BetweenTheSheets: Ready to Crown the Kingston Kings?
Who emerges above the rest for a Brier 2020 curling coronation?
A new Curling Queen was crowned last weekend in Moose Jaw when Kerri Einarson won her first Scotties title. The Curling Canada coronation street leads to Kingston, Ontario this weekend with the opening of the 2020 Tim Hortons Brier.
Will we see a new king take his spot on the ice throne? Or will a past champion reclaim the crown? And never underestimate the current King of the Ice, looking to #DefendTheIce and keep the Team Canada jacket.
We will have a Game of Thrones type of competition over the next week. Each team led by the patriarch of their homeland. Each homeland looking to defeat their opposition and park their sliders next to the coveted ice throne.
Cue the music.....
No, no, not the TSN music, although that is iconic and I do get a smile on my face every time I hear it followed by Vic's smooth voice.
But this time I want the Game of Thrones music playing. I want the full Game of Thrones opening sequence with an added element of curling. Bring on images of a moose, a buffalo, the splashing waves on the B.C. coast compared to the force winds in Nova Scotia. Bring on the coldness of the North Wall. And the flipping of the wild card.
Are you not entertained?
In true GOT fashion, before the battles begin we need a ton of exposition story line. Who are the top contenders? Who is rising up as a surprise threat to the throne? And can those currently sitting in the ruling position stay there?
Welcome to the #TwineTime #Brier2020 Preview! Worth noting, the rankings seen below are based on the current #PowerRankings using the blog system and not the current CTRS ranking.
2020 Tim Hortons Brier
Kingston, ONT
2019 Champion: Alberta (Team K. Koe)
Format: 16 teams with 2 pool of 8. Top 4 in each advance to the Championship Pool. Top 4 advance to the Page Playoff.
#TeamWildcard
Format: Team McEwen (#9) vs. Team Howard (#19)
An expected participant and, for lack of a better term, a wildcard entry will square off for the final spot among those competing for the crown. Both have been to the big ice before. Glenn Howard has won it. Reid Carruthers has won it.
We have not seen Howard on the Brier ice since 2017 so you can imagine the home province fans will be cheering loud for his foursome to survive this play-in game. Howard has put together a solid, if not surprising at times, season. They have reached the QF at 3 slam events (Masters, Tour Challenge, Canadian Open), proving they can contend with and knock off the best teams on tour.
For McEwen, they have quietly made the climb back up the rankings buoyed by a SF finish at the Canadian Open and QF showing at Tour Challenge and The National alongside a tour title in Uiseong. But consistency continues to plague this team. They can look like contenders one week and struggle the next. Look at the Manitoba final. Gunner in complete control, McEwen struggling to make anything. They turn it around and start pressing and get back into the game only to falter at the end. Up. Down. Up. Down. Not to mention the increasing criticism of this team having one too many cooks in the kitchen, a critique this blog has made on this team since their inception. What gives in this game?
If Howard sticks to his game plan and can toss Mikey and the boys off balance from the get go, they will win this game. They need to get the crowd involved early and feed off their support.
McEwen needs to stay calm, relaxed and the team dynamic needs to remain focused on the end result rather than which player can talk the most and talk the loudest. If each guy focuses on their role and makes their shot, the home crowd will be silenced quick and McCarruthers will find themselves back in the Brier field.
I think the crowd will provide the difference maker. McEwen will be cheered for of course but they will enter the game in the villain role with Howard being the GOAT. Fans want to see Howard at the Brier. The organizing committee want to see Howard at the Brier. They will get their wish.
#TeamWildcard: Team Howard def. Team McEwen
Pool B
3 straight slam wins. #1 on the #PowerRankings. Is there any reason not to name Team Jacobs as the #Fav in this field? 2020 will mark Jacobs' sixth straight Brier appearance and 12th overall. But since their 2013 Brier win and 2014 Olympic gold performance, the Brier ice has not been kind to this time. They have suffered more heartbreak losses than victory cellys. A silver in 2015 and bronze medal wins in 2016 and 2019 may look good on the resume but fall short on Jacobs expectations. This team has looked driven all season, aiming to peak in time for this exact moment. They want the crown. They want the throne back. They are ready to win the Game of Thrones challenge.
2. #ABStrong (Team Bottcher, #2)
Third time's a charm right? Well if the old saying is true pencil in Team Bottcher for the championship win March 8. Bottcher has suffered back-to-back final losses, representing Team Alberta (2018) and Team Wildcard (2019). The team is back as AB champs and looking to finally close the deal on a Brier title. The team has put up strong results, reaching SF and QF results at slam events and the SF at the Canada Cup....remember the shoe?!
Could a bit of karma luck be on their side? Val Sweeting, a fellow Albertan who suffered simultaneous finals losses, finally won the title in Moose Jaw. Bottcher follow suite in Kingston? The only downside here? Tough to see the #1 and #2 ranked teams in the same pool right off the top.
3. #TheRock (Team Gushue, #8)
The Goo is back. And are we really surprised? Brad Gushue will be making his 14th consecutive Brier appearance this year and may be seeking redemption and revenge for last year. After winning gold in 2017 and 2018, 2019 saw the reign come to an end after being dumped by Team Bottcher in the PPG 3vs4 game 7-2. The Goo wants his crown back and is ready to go through the team who beat him last year and "The Other Brad". Who does Gushue get Sunday night? The Bottch!
Gushue may not be coming into the Brier with the same attention as the past two years but they should be considered a strong #Fav to reclaim the title. The team reached back-to-back SF results at the past two slams (National, Canadian Open) and reached the final of the first two slams (Masters, Tour Challenge). Anything short of a podium finish will be a huge disappointment.
4. #BuffaloHunt (Team Gunnlaugson, #17)
Our top rookie team in the field could be considered a dark horse playoff threat. Weird to say Jason Gunnlaugson will be making his Brier debut this year but alas here we are. Now Gunner has been here before, kind of. He lost the wildcard game in 2018 to provincial rival Mike McEwen. This year he knocked off McEwen to punch his first ticket to the big ice.
Gunner is going to be fun to watch. He has a very strategic curling mind and is not afraid to go all-in each end. And boy can he play the upweight hits and takeouts. This blog has a #GunnerRunback section during the season for a reason! The team has put together a solid season, winning 3 tour events and reaching another final. Tough to classify them as #TeamUpset given the ranking, results and Adam Casey playing in his 4th Brier. But, in this field, this is probably the closest upset team we will see battling for a legit playoff spot.
Gunner's run could come down to how he performs opening weekend. He gets both Brad's right off the top with Quebec squeezed in between. A 1-2 record is not do or die but it could hit the confidence a bit. If the team can pull off an "upset" victory and sit 2-1 heading into Monday, I would be very scared of just how far this team really could go.
5. #TeamBluenose (Team Murphy, #34)
Speaking of #TeamUpset, Jamie Murphy and his Nova Scotia champions could put a major scare in those teams ranked above. Murphy has Brier experience with 2020 being his 4th trip here. Remember 2018 when the team surprised a few people in reaching the Championship Pool? It could happen again if teams are not careful. We learned at the Scotties what happens when you underestimate teams from Atlantic Canada.
The team has reached a few finals this season and looked good winning the NS Tankard. They also have a light opening weekend, drawing NL and QC. The light schedule to start works in their advantage. If they can sit at least 1-1, get a few rocks under the slider and some time reading the arena ice, they could make for dangerous opposition on Moving Day.
6. #Labelleprovince (Team Bedard, #134)
Who saw this coming? Quick, who predicted Team Bedard representing Quebec at this year's Brier? Not seeing a lot of hands in the air here.
Bedard was the #TeamUpset at the Quebec Tankard and will wear the moniker again in Kingston. What should we expect from this team? Honestly, who knows? They are the #NextGen team in the field, fresh off a provincial junior championship in 2018.
The biggest event we saw them compete at was in Charlevoix where they reached the QF. They have the unknown factor favouring them. Their opposition probably have not seen them play. Fans have probably not seen them play. 2 to 3 wins would be considered a good result...and is very possible.
Also have to give a special shout out to second Emile Asselin here. Throughout the provincial championship (including the team photo) Asselin was seen wearing an Oregon Ducks hat. Being a proud alum, how could I not cheer the guy on reppin' my Ducks?! He won't be able to wear the hat on the ice at the Brier but hopefully there are a few shots of him showing the Ducks love while in The Patch.
7. #TheIslanders (Team Cochrane, NA)
From Canadian senior champion to World senior champion to PEI men's champion and Brier participant. Again, raise your hand if you saw this coming?
We all know how weird this is. Cochrane winning senior titles flying the Ontario flag only to jump a few provinces over and win the PEI men's title. What is more interesting is how much flack Lori Eddy took for playing out of Nunavut at the Scotties this year. Will Cochrane take similar flack from media, fans and competitors? It is within the rules so....what can you say or do?
8. #TeamArctic (Team Higgs, NA)
See above with Bryan Cochrane? Hello Jake Higgs! It has been a few hot minutes since we saw Higgs competing on Canadian ice. Remember he has spent the past few seasons as a coach with USA Curling, including coaching the Hamilton's at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Higgs returned to his playing ways in 2018 forming the team in Iqaluit and will make his Brier debut this year as #TeamActic champions.
What to expect? Who knows? Higgs has been to Canadian championships before, reaching the mixed final in 2009. Eddy made #HERstory with their performance in Moose Jaw. The result could provide positive motivation for Team Higgs in Kingston who will look to write their own #HIStory by picking up Nunavut's first-ever Brier win.
#W2W4
At first glance this pool seems to be the perfect definition of the current curling landscape in Canada. We have the 4 Tier I teams competing with 4 Tier II teams. Ok sure an argument could be made a few teams would actually be considered Tier III but lets not nitpick.
Will this pool fall along the typical division line with the Big Four dominating and easily advancing to the Championship Pool? If so, how will they devour one another in a fight to advance but stay under 2 losses? This pool could be the stereotypical pool with a standard 7-0, 6-1, 5-2, 4-3, 3-4, 2-5, 1-6, 0-7 finish.
Projected Standings: 1. #FearTheMoose 2. #TheRock 3. #ABStrong 4. #BuffaloHunt 5. #TeamBluenose 6. #Labelleprovince 7. #TheIslanders 8. #TeamArctic
Pool A
The current Kings of Curling, owners of the Ice Throne and rulers of all sheets. Team Koe is back to #DefendTheIce and continue their reign over the Canadian curling kingdom. But the team has struggled a bit this season, failing to win an event. They did reach the Canada Cup final but were outcurled in the loss. Plus they failed to qualify in their last event, the Canadian Open. Are they coming into Kingston vulnerable? You can never count on Kevin Koe, who can make game saving and championship winning shots at any time. But the team has looked, dare we say, average at times this season. Look at their record: 31-21. By name alone they are contenders but the stats show they are also limping into the arena a bit. What gives?
2. #CurlON (Team Epping, #7)
Speaking of that Canada Cup final, look who shows up in the same pool as the defending champs? The very team who knocked them off for that title and clinched the first Roar of the Rings spot. Team Epping is going to be a threat here. Epping has been to one Brier (2018) and landed on the podium, winning bronze. Kind of weird to think this will be only his second Brier appearance. The wildcard factor for this team will be new addition Ryan Fry. He has won this event. He has been here a ton of times. He could be the leader to help guide this team to the top. And don't forget about their 5th man, John Morris. He has some experience here too remember. Oh and a bit of home ice advantage too. Do not be surprised to see Team Epping playing for another big title closing weekend. Imagine an Epping vs. Jacobs final. All-Ontario battle. Fry vs. his former team. Talk about a possible Red Wedding moment.
3. #TeamGreen (Team Dunstone, #15)
Enter the green enigma team known as #DunnyIsMoney. What should we expect from this team in Kingston? Honestly, no idea. The team won The Masters early in the season. Then they couldn't buy a win, losing 12 straight. Then they arrive on home province ice at the Canadian Open, look better than ever, yet still fail to qualify. Then they go to the SK Tankard, look good early, stumble slightly and regroup to take out main rival #TeamMnM Muyres in the final. This is the grinder team of the event. Will they go undefeated? Nope (nobody will). Will they pick up some big wins? Yup. Will they pick up some head scratching losses? Probably. Will they be able to grind their way into the Championship Pool and make some noise? We sure hope so. Remember all of these guys have been here before. Experience matters. If they play like they did at the first slam of the season and the most recent slam, they are playoff contenders. If they get in their head a bit, it could be a short week. Worth noting, this team is also playing for a Players' Championship spot. They need to reach the Championship Pool to stay eligible. Imagine a slam champion early in the season not playing in the most prestigious slam of the same season? Of course that says more about our shitty points system too...but lets not go down that road again.
4. #TeamWildcard (TBD, #9/#19)
See above preview. The wildcard team automatically earns the #3 seed in the field of course but, in actuality, should be seeded 3rd or 4th in this pool. Whomever emerges from the Friday game will have the advantage of having a competitive game under their slider and having already played a game with their back against the wall. Wildcard teams are always dangerous. The schedule was kind as well, playing only two games opening weekend against Saskatchewan and Yukon. The winner easily could be sitting 2-0 or at least 1-1 come Monday morning's game against NWT.
5. #TeamPacific (Team Laycock, #36)
The Top 4 may get most of the attention in this pool but I would be very weary of British Columbia. The back-end combo of Steve Laycock and Jim Cotter will be very dangerous and equally as capable of knocking off every team in this pool and punching a ticket to the Championship Pool with a 6-1 or 5-2 record (again, nobody goes undefeated at this Brier!). Both Laycock and Cotter will be making their 9th Brier appearances. Cotter has played in a final (2014). Laycock has won a bronze (2015). Cotter is always dangerous at the Brier, if not for the fact many teams do not see him during the World Curling Tour season. He generally plays events closer to home and in his home province. While teams are familiar with the names and what he and the team can do, not having those regular games against the team could be a secret advantage for B.C. in this field. Expect this team to make a push for the Championship Pool.
6. #TeamAcadia (Team Grattan, #50)
The #TeamUpset of the stacked Pool of Death will come from New Brunswick and Jimmy "The Kid" Grattan. One of the blog's favourite teams to cheer for, Grattan is back at the Brier after missing last year and making his 13 appearance overall. Similar to the argument for fellow Jimmy competitor Cotter, Grattan sticks close to home during the season. We often see him play events in his home province, sometimes Nova Scotia and Quebec. But rarely more West than Quebec. This team does have some momentum right now though and comes to Kingston with some confidence. They won their final tour event at the end of 2019 and won the NB Tankard, culminating in an impressive 13-2 record for their past two events. They will be underdogs of course but personal confidence can go a far way and the mental side of the sport can be a swing factor in close games.
7. #PurplePower (Team Scoffin, #213)
Thomas Scoffin is back at the Brier after making his debut in 2018. The team went 1-6 in Regina and Scoffin will be looking for a better finish in his sophomore appearance. This team competed in two #wct events this season, both in Alberta. While they failed to qualify in both, they were competitive and overall own a 5-5 record for the year. Look, we know it will not be easy to beat his previous record. It may be tough to replicate it even given how strong this pool is, loaded with talent and experience. But we can also give some credit where credit is due to Scoffin. He is an Arctic Winter Games champion (2008). He represented Canada at the World Youth Olympics (2012). And he has competed in 7 Canadian Junior Curling Championships, actually T4th on career wins with John Morris.
8. #PolarPower (Team J. Koe, #236)
You can place money on two things: Jamie Koe will be a crowd favourite and Jamie Koe will be in The Patch. These are a given for any Brier Koe participates. I have been to a few Briers now and Koe is always great with the fans, whether on ice after games or in The Patch later in the evening. And Koe is a great guy overall. He loves the Brier. This will mark his 14th appearance. He loves being here. And he loves to compete. Sure he may be a huge underdog but so what? Every dog has its day. An added bonus for fans is the Koe vs Koe brother battle on Sunday afternoon. Lets hope TSN gives us this game as the feature. Earlier in the week is was International Polar Bear Day. Maybe Sunday could become Polar Power Day.
#W2W4
Pool A was labelled the Pool of Death at the Scotties. Pool A earned that same moniker for the Brier. This is a stacked pool full of experience and championship calibre. 5 of these teams are legit Championship Pool contenders. A 6th has made deep runs in the past and could wave the #TeamUpset flag. While a 7th has fan favourite momentum which could prove to be a wildcard factor. This is not going to be an easy pool.
The big watch will be who beats whom. With carrying over the records into the Championship Pool, teams need to be careful of when they take those losses and who they take them against. I do not foresee a team going 7-0 here. But I can see two teams going 6-1 and a third going 5-2. I would also place money on seeing a TB in this pool. While Pool A might go down the predictable standard standings, this pool could see more of a shake-up.
What we know for sure is one good team will be going home early. We saw it at the Scotties with Team Alberta. Who will be the "Team Alberta" at the Brier?
Projected Standings: 1. #TeamCanada 2. #CurlON 3. #TeamGreen 4. #TeamWildcard 5. #Team Pacific 6. #TeamAcadia 7. #PolarPower 8. #PurplePower
Championship Pool Qualifiers: Northern Ontario, Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Wildcard
Page Playoff Qualifiers: Northern Ontario, Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario
#Brier2020 Bronze Medal: #TeamCanada (Team K. Koe)
#Brier2020 Championship: Northern Ontario #FearTheMoose (Team Jacobs) def. Newfoundland and Labrador #TheRock (Team Gushue)
What say you rock heads? Who do you think with wear the curling crown at the end of a grueling tournament. Will we see a surprise victor, similar to Bran taking the throne at the end of the series (**Spoiler**)? Who will become our main casualty, ala the Queen of Dragons? And could one team survive initial death through early losses and a TB but come back to life and make a late push for the crown, akin to Mr. Snow?
What are your predictions? Chime in on social media and/or the comments below and remember to tag your favourite teams. Worth mentioning, the blog was fairly accurate with the Scotties picks, correctly naming 6 of the 8 Championship Pool teams, all 4 PPG teams and all 3 podium finishes (in different orders mind you). Not too shabby.
Cue the music....
#StayTuned
Similar to the Scotties, the blog will return at the beginning of the week to pull out Big Red and reveal the #Brier2020 midterm report card.
For those teams competing in Kingston, good luck and good curling. Remember...we are watching!
And do not forget the World Wheelchair Curling Championships hit the ice this weekend in Switzerland. China will be looking to #DefendTheIce while Canada will try to avoid the shocking result of last year when they were relegated to the B-division. Stay up to date on #WWhCC2020 results at the World Curling Federation event page HERE. Be weary of #TeamUpset Slovakia, who surprised many last year with their playoff run. And remember nations start earning Paralympic qualification points this year.
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