The Masters Preview

 #BetweenTheSheets: WFG Masters Preview

The #GSOC changes continue...

"The more things change, the more they are the same."

The 1849 quote from French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr could be applied to the Grand Slam of Curling.

Changes continue to come from the new ownership group.

But do the changes produce new results?

For Team Homan and Team Mouat, Karr's quote rings true. Bring on technical or format changes and we will just continue to win and win and win.

The question being asked now is, "Are these the RIGHT changes?"

Only time will tell...

FINAL Power Rankings 2024

 #BetweenTheSheets: FINAL 2024 Power Rankings

Who ends the year atop the mountain?

"Fall seven times, stand up eight."

- Japanese Proverb

A perfect mindset to have heading into a new year.

And one that can resonate with athletes from any sport.

Sport is never perfect. Not every game of every season is going to go your way.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But it is how you respond to the tough times that truly can define your real success.

Curlers are no different.

Sometimes they fall, literally and figuratively, in the sport.

For some curling teams (and nations), perhaps the start of the 2024/25 season has not been as ideal as one would have hoped heading into the season.

With the calendar switching over to 2025, considered this your reset moment.

Reset the mind. Reset the body. Reset the results.

For each fall, you stand up.

But this is also a reminder for those teams (and nation) who have found great success this season.

A fall may still be coming. Nothing is perfect. And when, not if, you fall, remember to get right back up.

For us non-athlete people, this proverb holds true as well.

Perhaps you had a great year. Perhaps it was a horrible year. And perhaps it was mediocre.

We can all agree is was not perfect. We all probably fell a few times, maybe more than seven times.

But we are still standing. And lets continue to stand going into 2025.

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.

National Preview

#BetweenTheSheets: The National Preview

The European (Dis-)Advantage?

Are the curling schedule gods plotting against Europe?

If curling were the game of Risk, Europe would be surrounded and at a massive disadvantage right now.

Only a mere days removed from the conclusion of the 2024 European Curling Championships in Finland, the next #GSOC event of the season is taking place in St. John's, NL.

And for 3 women's teams and 6 men's teams, this could be the most difficult event of the season.

Jetlag. What is that?

We have no time for jetlag. We have a slam to compete in.

It's a cruel, cruel winter.

Power Rankings - W18

 #BetweenTheSheets: Power Rankings - Week 18

World Championship Fields Set + Olympic Qualification Update

It has been a hot minute since the #TwineTime blog connected with the curling community.

And A LOT has happened over the past few weeks.

Pan Continental Curling Championships wrapped up in Lacombe with NEW champions crowned.

A #gsoc event took place...with familiar winners standing tall.

And the European Curling Championships concluded this past weekend in Finland with one #DefendTheIce moment followed by the ultimate #TeamUpset celebration.

Plus there may have been a personal vacation trip to Paris 😉

What does it all mean?

Well the 2025 world championship fields have now been set. We at least know the nations heading to Korea (women) and Canada (men).

We also can do a deep dive into what those fields look like towards the 2026 Winter Olympic qualification process.

Plus the #PowerRankings mountain has been watching...and watching...and watching over the past few weeks. The mountain is ready for an update!

There is PLENTY of curling to talk about rock heads.

We better slide out of the hack and get this blog started with our opening rocks.