#PowerRankings W14

#BetweenTheSheets: Spooktacular Weekend in North Bay

The GSOC Hall of Champions welcomes new additions

It was a double dose of history this weekend in North Bay, Ontario. Or should we say #HIStory and #HERstory was made.

Tracy Fleury and Matt Dunstone etched their names into the Grand Slam of Curling record books, claiming the season-opening major, The Masters.

For one it was a home town celebration in front of close family and friends. For the other it was a boyhood dream come true.

The Hall of Champions has two fresh new faces and the sport is better off because of it.

#MastersGSOC Preview

#BetweenTheSheets: Welcome To The Masters
The season's first major FINALLY hits the house

Slam season is here,

the rings will be dyed green,

are you excited?

FINALLY!

The rocks have come back to your television screen.

This is week 14 on tour rock heads. 14! And we are only getting our first slam of the season now. WTF?!?

But patience is also a virtue so with calm anticipation comes the big payoff.

Welcome to The Masters.

#PowerRankings W13

#BetweenTheSheets: Penultimate Days To The Masters

Teams made final preparations for the opening major of the season

The countdown is on.

The days, hours, minutes and seconds are quickly ticking away until curling returns to national television for another season.

Having attended the #CCAutumnGold Classic over Thanksgiving weekend in Calgary, many fans were salivating for the chance to see curling on their tv sets again.

The rock heads were talking about the upcoming Grand Slam of Curling season. Being in Calgary, fans were already getting excited for the year-end slam, The Champions Cup, being in nearby Olds, Alberta. Fans want to see their favourite teams and the best teams in the world finally get the #gsoc season started.

#Curling S1920 W13

#BetweenTheSheets: The Tour Challenge Field Is Finalized

Did the #PowerRankings match the invite list?

The opening Grand Slam of Curling event has not hit the ice yet and already we are talking about the second #GSOC event. Feels a bit weird, no?

Well the Tour Challenge invites went out and the field for the Tier I and Tier II was officially announced earlier this week. For 62 men's and women's teams around the globe there was a lot to be thankful for on Thanksgiving Monday (yes I know it was a Canadian holiday only, just go with it).

The Tour Challenge may not be considered a slam "major" but it does carry a lot of importance. It is the only slam event with a Tier II component, where the winner of the Tier II earns a direct spot into a future slam event.

As well, extra pressure on some Tier I teams as the Canada Cup CTRS cut-off date is the Monday following the championship final. For those teams hoping to snag the final spot in Leduc, this is their last chance to move up the rankings....or hold on to the final spot for two teams.

But the question remains: Did the rankings get the invites right?

#PowerRankings W12

#BetweenTheSheets: Return of the #IceBubbleWatch

And a new #1 on the mountain....thanks to Snowmageddon?

A few weeks ago the blog brought back the (in)famous #IceBubbleWatch to discuss the upcoming Canada Cup in Leduc, AB at the beginning of December.

The field of 14 has 12 confirmed teams with the final men's and women's team to be determined based on the Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) as of November 11.

We looked at the #IceBubbleWatch three weeks ago. We are four weeks away from the cut-off point. We have a full slate of #ROCKtober games to be played, including TWO #gsoc events with one being a major.

Now seems like the perfect time to take a glimpse into the Ice Bubble and see if any team has made significant progress towards the final Canada Cup spot. Has a team emerged as the overwhelming leader? Has a team or teams put themelve(s) onto the Bubble Watch? Or has a team or teams played their way out of contention?

It may be a bit cloudy with chances of a snow storm in the near future but lets take a updated look at the #IceBubbleWatch.

#Curling S1920 W12

#BetweenTheSheets: Time To Give Thanks

What are YOU thankful for this holiday season?

Happy Turkey Weekend rock heads!

This weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada. Technically Thanksgiving is Monday but why not celebrate all weekend right? We all have A LOT to be thankful for.

Last year in this very blog space I wrote about what I was most thankful for. All of those comments can be carried over to this year for the same reason. If you want a refresher, check it out HERE.

But what are you thankful for?

#PowerRankings W11

#BetweenTheSheets: ROCK-tober Brings The Hits

The busiest month on the curling calendar has arrived

Did you know October is the unofficial curling month on the curling calendar? It is true.

There are more World Curling Tour events taking place in the month of October than any other month of the year. You want to see A curling event on any given weekend in the month? How about MANY curling events every weekend?

This is the month where teams are officially in the full swing of the season. Sliders have been warmed. Rocks have been thrown. September (and August now) really feel like the build-up months to how hectic and busy October is.

Welcome to ROCK-tober!

#Curling S1920 W11

#BetweenTheSheets: Defend, Defend, Defend

Pressure is on. Can teams defend the points earned a year ago?

The point system and ranking debate rages on rock heads. More "elite" curlers are discussing the hot topic. More journalists are now writing about it. More athletes are being interviewed and being more forthcoming with their opinion and thoughts.

And #TwineTime is over here going, "Where was all this 3 years ago?!?" This blog has been making the same comments, drawing attention to the same inequalities and issues for 3 years. Frankly it is about time this topic hits the ice. The current system does not work. Point. Blank. Period.

But rather than continue making the same talking points over and over and over again, lets focus on another aspect of the #TourTier system often overlooked. The #DefendTheIce position.

#PowerRankings W10

#BetweenTheSheets: Remember Those Days In September

Enjoying a quiet curling weekend...with official winter curling weather

How did you celebrate the last weekend of September rock heads? Enjoy a nice walk outside? Take in the beautiful colours of Autumn? All the orange and yellow mixed in with a hint of green still. September usually brings some great pictures of Fall trees across our great country.

Unless you live in Calgary or most of Southern Alberta this year. Then you get the photo above. As IG user mayyy-who captured this weekend, Calgary turned into a city covered in a white blanket. Snow arrived. And it arrived. And arrived. And arrived. ALL weekend! It started late Friday/early Saturday and did not stop until Monday. Sure the temperatures were not horrible all weekend but did we really need non-stop snow all weekend?

As Canada's own Deborah Cox serenaded us with the words "I remember that day in September..." when curling's winter weather arrived WAY earlier than we were ready for. Sounds like another hit right?

On the plus side, what better excuse to stay inside, cuddle up on the couch and track some curling at events taking place around the world.