Power Rankings - W19

#BetweenTheSheets: Power Rankings - Week 19

The Boooo Birds flocked to the ice in St. John's

The birds were out in Newfoundland over the week.

And we are not talking about the birds hovering over the ocean and flying overhead.

No, we are talking about the birds more commonly found in sports arenas.

The Boooo Birds 🐦🐦

If you have ever attended a football game or hockey game or soccer match, you know the #BooooBird sound.

You may have even been a Boooo Bird yourself.

But this weekend at the Kioti National in St. John's, the curling community saw the Boooo Birds hover over the Mary Brown Centre.

Welcome to the new age of curling folks.

And yes, Boooo does need 4 "o"'s to correctly capture the sound.

The curling community was torn over the sound of Boooo Birds taking over the #GSOC ice this past week.

Brad Jacobs was on the receiving end of the loudest chorus of Boooo Bird serenading.

As expected when playing Brad Gushue on his home ice. And defeating him.

But can we really place blame on the spectators here?

Jacobs was egging on the crowd and feeding into the energy. And this is not new to Jacobs either. Remember that 2013/2014 curling season. Remember the fist pumps and "Fuck Yeah" comments after good shots.

And remember how the curling community rebelled against the "bad boys" of Canadian curling for awhile?

AND remember how they ended up winning an Olympic gold medal to help take the heat off their backs?

Oh yes, the Boooo Bird saga is not new to curling. The birds have just been hiding in the rafters for a few years waiting to come out and play again.

What about Team McEwen? Remember when Colton Flasch came out donning the Saskatchewan flag before their game against home fav Gushue? 

Flasch was egging on the crowd as well. And he knew it. And he loved it.

So what is the real problem here?

Is it because these were Golden Boy Brad Gushue opponents and the Canadian curling community has become infatuated with Mr. Gushue where he can do no wrong and his opposition must get used to being labelled the "villain" in their games?

Is it because the home crowd was so one-sided and vocal of their support for their home boy, who has put NL on the curling map and has been a great ambassador for the sport in his home province?

Or is it just because the curling culture is not used to this type of behaviour and is unsure how to respond?

Perhaps it is a culmination of all of the above?!?!

Did we see Team Gushue receive Boooo Bird treatment in the Brier final last year in Regina against the home province finalists, Team McEwen? Nope!

But if it would have happened, would we be equally upset over it? Who knows. Hopefully the answer is "No".

The culture shift in curling is going to happen. Traditionalists who tell of a time when curling was a "gentlemen's sport" of sportsmanship and community are becoming a smaller voice around the arena.

The sport can still hold true to elements of the past and traditionalism but it also needs to grow with the times and demographic.

Plus, the curlers themselves didn't seem to mind it. As said above, Jacobs embraced it and loved it.

Other top athletes like Anna Hasselborg and Rachel Homan made similar supportive comments.

Of course how any of these elite athletes will respond when the Boooo Birds target them is yet to be seen. But Jacobs handled it and embraced the villain role.

And maybe that is what we need to see more of in curling.

Other sports have it. NFL has the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. And now a bit of the Kansas City Chiefs. MLB has the New York Yankees. NHL has the Boston Bruins or Toronto Maple Leafs or New York Rangers. NBA has the Boston Celtics or Los Angeles Lakers or Golden State Warriors.

Are there die hard fans of these teams? Of course.

Are there die hard fans rooting against these teams? Hell yeah!

Maybe this is what curling needs to. And while Jacobs embraced the villain role in NL, what if Gushue was the villain role at a different slam? Could that happen? Imagine....

Maybe Kerri Einarson needs to embrace a villain role in taking down the popular Team Homan? Or Team Hasselborg embrace the villain role in taking down Team Tirinzoni?

Fans getting super engaged in the sport and in the draws they attend should not be looked down upon as a negative. It should be celebrated as a positive. It is engagement. It in investment in the sport and athletes. And not everyone can be loved. The sports world needs hero's and villain's.

Of course lets preface this with saying there is still a line of respect to be had. Bringing out the Boooo Birds at a game is ok but lets refrain from the hyper-negative comments we often hear at hockey and football games. We still want our arena's to feel safe for players and fans. Shouting loud obscenities, rude personal attacks, racial/homophobic slurs and other negative comments still have no seat in our curling community arena.

Point. Blank. Period.

But to get upset over a few Boooo Birds flying above? Come on....

If you want to get upset over something, how about the ridiculousness of the "hat cam" or the growing lack of specific event marketing at each slam?

We have seen every sport attempt the "hat cam" and it has yet to take off as a success.

NFL. NHL. Even WWE. All tried. All failed.

We don't have to re-invent the wheel for new ideas to market the sport but why pick up failed ideas from other sports and think it will be different? They fail for a reason. It is a bad idea and doesn't work.

What about the lack of identity for each slam?

They are just melding into one another now. None of them are standing out as individual events.

What makes The Masters different from The National? Why is the Canadian Open special compared to the other slams?

At least under the old #GSOC system, the rings and marketing colours were different. It wasn't a big difference maker but it was something.

Now? Honestly, what is the difference other than the title sponsor and name of the event?

Look at the 4 majors in tennis. The formats are all the same but the environments and marketing of the 4 slams is VERY different.

Heck, each slam has their own targeted merchandise even.

Go to a #GSOC event just to buy generic #GSOC merchandise you can get at any Grand Slam of Curling event? Oh yay...how special and fun and memorable. In a few years you will barely remember which slam you attended other than knowing you went to a slam.

If we REALLY want to complain about something, it isn't the Boooo Birds and the evolving atmosphere of our curling community.

It is the failure of gimmicks to try and please a crowd and the lack of real identity and marketing in the sport and its top events.

Now there is an argument I can get behind.

But the Boooo Birds? Invite them back into the arena for the next event. And the next event. And the one after that.

Hockey players, football players, soccer players, basketball players, tennis players....they all deal with it.

It is time for curlers to deal with it as well. Besides, how many of these curlers attend other sporting events and bring out the Boooo Birds themselves? We know a majority do.

Lets embrace some character in the sport. Lets embrace a sport with hero's and villain's. Lets embrace cheering for our team and being against their opposition.

Change is coming. Lets embrace the culture shift.

But with respect.

Did the Boooo Birds fly over to the Power Rankings mountain to leave their mark as well? How did the #gsoc results shake up the Top 10?

#ButFirst, in fine blog tradition, here is a quick recap of what happened on the ice over the weekend:

#TheRunback

🥌 Kioti National (Men) - Team Mouat (SCO) def. Team Jacobs (AB): Bruce Mouat may have suffered his 1st loss on #gsoc ice this week, losing to USA's Team Shuster in the RR, but it would be the only loss of the week. The Scottish lads once again proved to be the best of the best, rebounding from their Euro final loss the previous week and capturing their 3rd straight slam championship. After posting a 3-1 RR record to qualify for the playoffs, Mouat's path to the final included a revenge win over Shuster (QF) and a victory over previously undefeated Team McEwen (SF). For Jacobs, they entered the final with a perfect 6-0 record. After posting a 4-0 RR record, their path to the final included playoffs wins over Team Gushue (QF) and Team Whyte (SF).

🥌 Kioti National (Women) - Team Homan (ON) def. Team Hasselborg (SWE): Another slam, another perfect week, another slam title. All in a regular work week for Team Homan. They picked up their second straight slam title, this time going a perfect 7-0 on the week. Homan was 4-0 in the RR and scored playoff wins over Team Yoshimura (QF) and Team E. Kim (SF). Awaiting them in the final was another undefeated team, Team Hasselborg. Similar to their opposition, Hasselborg also went 4-0 in the RR and secured playoff wins over Team Black (QF) and Team Einarson (SF).

🥌 AB Curling Series Team Event 2 (Men) - Team Jacques (AB) def. Team Vavrek (AB): The championship final would be a RR rematch between the top teams qualifying out of Pool C over the weekend. In the RR, Vavrek bested Jacques en route to a perfect 3-0 RR record while handing Jacques their only RR defeat. With the loss, Jacques would need to take the long road to the final, picking up playoffs wins over Team J .Koe (QF) and Team Sinnett (SF). For Vavrek, the victory over Jacques in the final RR draw earned them a bye to the SF, where they would defeat Team Adams to make the final. Jacques would earn revenge in the final though, erasing their earlier loss and picking up the tour title.

🥌 AB Curling Series Team Event 2 (Women) - Team Gray-Withers (AB) def. Team Thevenot (SK): It would be a battle of the undefeated in the championship final in Beaumont, AB. Both Gray-Withers and Thevenot qualified for the playoffs with perfect 3-0 RR records and received byes to the SF round. In the SF, Gray-Withers would defeat Team Kaufman while Thevenot would knock off Team Galusha.

🥌 Abbotsford Curling Classic (W) - Team Huerlimann (SUI) def. Team Kitazawa (JPN): The championship final would come down to a battle between the B-qualifier and #CSideGrind survivor. Switzerland's Huerlimann lost their opening game of the event but would never lose again en route to a B-qualifier spot and eventual tour title holder. Japan's Kitazawa lost the A-qualifier and B-SF (vs. Huerlimann) before finally reaching the playoff bracket with a C-qualifier win. In the 4-team playoffs, Huerlimann defeated C-qualifier Team Ryan in the SF while Kitazawa earned revenge for the earlier A-qualifier loss in defeating Team Reese-Hansen.

🥌 Abbotsford Curling Classic (M) - Team Abe (JPN) def. Team Richard (BC): A final featuring two teams who took very different paths to the championship final. For Japan's Abe, they were a perfect 3-0 early to qualify for the playoffs via the A-side. Richard would lose A and B-side SF games before finding the #CSideGrind pathway into the playoffs. In the playoffs, Abe would defeat C-qualifier Team Deane (QF) and B-qualifier Team Pierce (SF) to reach the final. Richard's path to the final included playoffs wins over B-qualifier Team Kolomaya (QF) and fellow C-qualifier Team de Jong (SF). 

🥌 MCT Showdown (W) - Team Kang (KOR) def. Team B. Peterson (MB): The top teams after the RR, both going 4-0, faced off in the championship final in Stonewall, MB. Korea's Kang knocked off Manitoba's Peterson last week at the DEKALB Superspiel and would emerge victorious once again, this time to claim the championship and go back-to-back in Manitoba. Kang's path to the final included a SF win over Team McLeod while Peterson picked up a SF victory over Team Martin.

🥌 MCT Showdown (M) - Team Calvert (MB) def. Team Walter (MB): Following in the slide path of Korea's Team Kang, Team Calvert would also accomplish the Manitoba Double this past weekend in picking up the tour title win to follow up their DEKALB victory the weekend prior. Both finalists entered the championship match with undefeated records as both qualified for the playoffs via the A-side. As A-qualifiers, both earned playoff byes to the SF round as well. In the SF, Calvert would defeat B-side qualifier Team Grassie while Walter would knock off C-qualifier Team Peters.

🥌 Sask Curling Tour - Yorkton (M) - Team Knapp (SK) def. Team Carss (SK): In Yorkton, we saw another tour final contested between two teams who entered the final with identical undefeated records. Both Team Knapp and Team Carss qualified for the playoffs with perfect 3-0 RR records, topping their respective pools. Knapp's path to the final included playoff wins over Team Thomas (QF) and Team Springer (SF). Carss' playoff path had victories over Team Heidt (QF) and Team Fedak (SF).

The blog did not have full previews for all the tour events this past weekend. However, there were previews and #TwineTimePredictions for the #GSOC:

🥌 Kioti National (W) - 6 of 8 qualifiers, including the champions (Homan)

🥌 Kioti National (M) - 7 of 8 qualifiers, including a finalist (Mouat)

A pretty solid week of slam predictions, no? Correctly naming 13 of 16 playoff qualifiers, two finalists and one champion is a good result overall.

Ok, maybe the blog is finding its predictions footing once again.

Lets climb curling's most talked about mountain ⛰

Remember, the parenthesis number behind each team is where they were ranked in last Power Rankings post.

#PowerRankings

MEN

1. Team Mouat (2)

Last Week: Kioti National - Champion

The Golden Slam is still possible as Team Mouat picked up their 3rd consecutive slam title.

They have 1 loss overall on slam ice, suffered this past week against Team Shuster. Of course they went out and avenged the loss in the QF.

This team is firing on all cylinders right now and is almost robotic in their style of play.

Can anyone stop them on slam ice this season?

2. Team McEwen (5)

Last Week: Kioti National - SF

A solid week of curling in St. John's for the Sasky champions. 

They entered the playoffs undefeated, knocked off the Euro champions in the QF and took their only loss against the team who won it all...and is the only team to win this season.

Plus they embraced a bit of the villain card. 

3. Team Muskatewitz (1)

Last Week: Kioti National - QF

How do you follow up a massive European championship win?

You head to Canada to compete in your first Tier I #GSOC event and make the playoffs of course.

Chalk up an impressive Tier I debut for the Germans, surviving an early morning TB and giving undefeated McEwen all they could handle in the playoffs.

Plus they won over some new fans this week too.

And maybe their opposition finally learned how to spell Marc's last name? LOL

4. Team Whyte (10)

Last Week: Kioti National - SF

They may not have reached the final in St. John's but they did toss the QF monkey off their backs.

The "other Scots" continue to knock on the slam door. Eventually it will open up for them, right? 

RIGHT??

5. Team Jacobs (HM)

Last Week: Kioti National - Finalist

Now this is the Team Jacobs we have been waiting to see. Dominating game play in a RR. Winning each time on the ice. Making finals.

Is this the event where at the end of the season they look back and say this final appearance turned their season around and made them a future Canadian champion?

And, as mentioned above, we love Brad Jacobs embracing the villain role on enemy ice.

6. Team Gushue (3)

Last Week: Kioti National - QF

Did the home ice pressure get to Team Gushue this past week in NL? Perhaps.

They did not look their best and JUST squeaked into the playoffs with a 2-2 RR record, barely avoiding the TB.

Are the Canadian champions now looking more vulnerable than ever before?

7. Team Epping (6)

Last Week: Did Not Compete (DNC)

They may not have been competing on the slam ice this past weekend but the mountain is not ready to punish them.

Remember, they did reach the playoffs at the last slam and won a tour event last time they stepped on the ice.

They are playing at a Top 10 level right now and the mountain continues to recognize the consistent results.

8. Team Calvert (HM)

Last Week: MCT Showdown - Champions

Speaking about consistency, how about Manitoba's Team Calvert?

Back-to-back title wins on Manitoba home ice has this team trending in the right direction heading into the holiday season.

Team Epping played their way into a slam. Team Muskatewitz did as well. Could Team Calvert be next?

9. Team Hoesli (9)

Last Week: Kioti National - TB

Another slam, another 2-2 RR record, another missed playoff bracket.

But at least this time they reached the TB game. And losing to the reigning Euro champions is not a bad loss.

They are on the cusp of a breakthrough folks. And they knocked off Team Gushue on his home ice just to reach the TB game.

Keep your eyes on the young Swiss still....the breakthrough moment is not coming, it is already here.

10. Team Shuster (NR)

Last Week: Kioti National - QF

It is time the mountain gives some love to USA's Team Shuster.

A few weeks ago they knocked off Canada's Team Gushue to win PCCC bronze.

This past week they handed Scotland's Team Mouat their first (and to date only) loss on slam ice.

And they reached the playoff bracket at a slam for the first time since 2019.

Have we entered the Shuster Resurgence Era?

Honourable Mention: Team Abe, Team Retornaz, Team Dunstone, Team Schwaller, Team Ramsfjell

WOMEN

1. Team Homan (1)

Last Week: Kioti National - Champion

The Homan Empire continues to reign supreme over the galaxy.

But it was not easy in St. John's. They easily could have lost any of their playoff games. Team Yoshimura and Team E. Kim put together a strong gameplan to take down the Empire and came close.

The Swedish Vikings mounted a charge as well in the final.

BUT, great teams are defined but not only their wins but their resiliency in close games. Homan can dominate you while also being nearly impossible to deliver a knock out punch.

And Rachel Homan won the Grand Slam of Karaoke title as well. Oh yes, she can rap!

Make it a Double Double weekend of title belts for the Empire.

2. Team Hasselborg (4)

Last Week: Kioti National - Finalist

Back-to-back weeks of major curling events with back-to-back final appearances.

Team Hasselborg can look at this in two ways: (1) Disappointment with coming close twice and falling in the finals OR (2) The resurgence is on and the Swede's are back!

One has to think they will select Option 2 and build on the momentum and confidence.

Could they be the biggest challenge to Team Homan now?

3. Team E. Kim (3)

Last Week: Kioti National - SF

So very, very close. Team Kim was playing a near perfect gameplan against The Homan Empire in the SF before it spiraled out of control in the end and Homan took the victory.

But for the majority of the game, it really looked like Kim would pull off the victory.

This team is on fire right now and looking to be one of the best in the world.

Now imagine if the Korean championships were held during the season instead of before in June??

4. Team Black (8)

Last Week: Kioti National - QF

How did the Tour Challenge Tier II champions perform on Tier I ice?

They survived a TB against the defending champions and pushed the eventual finalists in the QF.

The mountain rewards consistency remember and this team has been heating up the ice leading into the slam and continued to do so as a #TeamUpset flag bearer.

Very impressive!!

5. Team Tirinzoni (2)

Last Week: Kioti National - TB

The Euro champions perhaps fell victim to what the blog was fearful of heading into this event, jet lag and emotional overcapacity.

Tirinzoni still put together a solid week of curling and did reach a TB round, coming close to the playoff bracket. But they were outcurled in the TB vs. Team Ha and were sent packing early at yet another slam this season.

Always a top contender but the consistency is starting to raise questions.

6. Team Fujisawa (7)

Last Week: Kioti National - QF

Make it another slam QF appearance for Japan's Team Fujisawa.

Consistency wise, they continue to prove they are an Elite Eight team in the world.

But they continue to slip up in the playoffs. This team is way too good to only have 1 slam final (albeit a championship victory) under their sliders.

7. Team Gim (5)

Last Week: Kioti National - TB

Another slam, another missed playoff appearance. But they did at least reach the TB round and stayed in the hunt.

As the defending champions, they also competed this week with 3 players as the Seol sisters were tending to family back home in Korea.

#FamilyFirst

8. Team Ha (9)

Last Week: Kioti National - QF

How about this #GSOC resume?

Tour Challenge Tier II SF

Canadian Open SF

National QF

There is consistency for you. Korea is one of the deepest countries for women's curling.

And we haven't even mentioned the up and comers....

9. Team Skrlik (6)

Last Week: DNC

Non-slam teams can still crack the Top 10 remember. And Team Skrlik has been doing it for most of the season.

Consistency, consistency, consistency.

When they step on the ice, regardless of the event and competition, they are winning games and making playoff appearances.

Do not sleep on this team rock heads.

T10. Team Kang (NR)

Last Week: MCT Showdown - Champions

Here comes another Korean team, ready to challenge the best in the world and leave their mark on the ice.

Team Kang has now won back-to-back tour titles in Manitoba. They are on a 13-match winning streak and are 14-1 in their last 2 events.

And look at the trajectory of their world ranking this season:

End September - #80

End October - #52

End November (Current) - #37

Start taking notice folks.

T10. Team Einarson (10)

Last Week: Kioti National - SF

The mountain does not usually like having ties, especially at the final #10 spot.

BUT how can the Power Rankings not give credit where credit is due to Team Einarson on making another deep slam playoff run...and again doing so with a #SuperSpare.

Brittany Tran held her own with the former Canadian champions and looked right at home on slam ice.

And Team Einarson continues to show they remain one of the biggest threats to Team Homan in Canada.

Honourable Mention: Team Yoshimura, Team Morrison, Team Wang, Team B. Peterson, Team Heurlimann

#StayTuned

There is a very important international event taking place NOW in Scotland: The World Mixed Doubles Qualification Event.

This event will determine the final 4 teams to qualify for the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Fredericton, New Brunswick from April 26 - May 3, 2025.

PLUS, those 4 qualifiers will solidify a spot for their nation in the mixed doubles Olympic qualifier.

Keep your eyes on teams from Turkey, Poland, Spain and New Zealand.

And watch out for duos from Guyana, Hong Kong, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Latvia and Belgium.

Stay up to date with all the results HERE.

And enjoy the week rock heads!