#BetweenTheSheets: Scotties Parting Rocks
Final thoughts, reactions and musings from Moose Jaw
The 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts has spun its final rock, pebbled its final sheet of ice and sold its final beer at the HeartStop Lounge. The rest is all history...or as we say #HERstory.
From heart stopping shots to breath taking moments to tears of joy (and some of sorrow), this years Scotties had a little something for every sports fan.
The Scotties in Moose Jaw also happened to be the first Scotties for the #TwineTime blog. Check off another blog bucket list item folks. Interestingly enough the 1998 Scotties (Regina) were the first curling event I ever attended live as a fan. And we have come full circle as the Scotties are one of the final major bucket list items to attend as a blogger.
As an aside, I ran into Kim Kelly leaving the arena for the final time Sunday night and had some time to chat with her. Her team, with Colleen Jones, and Team Schmirler were the two teams my grandparents and I watched and cheered for together. We also had our individual favourites as well but, collectively, we always came together wanting to see Team Jones and Team Schmirler win.
I had seen Kelly at Mosaic Place all week but she was either watching the games or chatting with fellow athletes or fans. I never wanted to interrupt her or bother her. Running into her on my final night, saying my final goodbye to the event, and sharing my thank you and appreciation for her as a player was the perfect sendoff for the blog experience. As you would expect she was gracious, polite and friendly the entire time. And I was more nervous speaking with her than I have been talking to many other curlers. Oh the memories folks...
This blog post is all about the event itself. As Sports Illustrated writer Jon Wertheim does at the conclusion of every tennis grand slam event, I though I would follow suite with my own parting shots blog post from #STOH2020.
Before we slide out of the hack with the parting shots, first lets congratulate our newest world champions. Canada's Team Zacharias and Team Gauthier took home #WJCC2020 gold medals over the weekend with championship final victories over South Korea and Switzerland respectfully.
Both teams were the class of the field at the Canadian championships and continued into the world junior championships. As an added bonus for winning the world title, both teams clinched a spot at the season-ending Champions Cup in Olds, AB at the end of April. The blog will be there....perhaps a little interview time with both is needed?
Here are the 10 ends of parting rocks from Moose Jaw.
#PartingShots
1st End: Emotions Run High
This was an emotional Scotties. And for numerous reasons. The celebration of Aly Jenkins' life. Honouring the work of Deanna Rindal, who was awarded the Joan Mead Builder Award. Nunavut's two-win result bringing out tears from skipper Lori Eddy. We saw tears from heartbreaking losses to moments of triumph. There were emotions running high for on-ice and off-ice reasons. It was an emotional event and you could see it on the faces of many athletes, umpires, volunteers and fans. Emotional high's. Emotional low's. Everyone was in their feelings in Moose Jaw and it was good to see. We are people. All of us have emotions. Let them take their course.
2nd End: HeartStop Lounge
The HeartStop Lounge was booming every night. Fans were having fun. Drinks were flowing. This is the best way to meet people...and some teams. Props to those teams who made regular appearances in the lounge throughout the week (and not just when they had to because of autograph signings or Up Close & Personal stage time). A few teams I saw on more than one occasion included Team Saskatchewan, Team Canada, Team PEI, Team NWT and Team Nunavut. Not to say the other teams were not in there as well. It is a bit dark in there so tough to see everyone all the time.
From live bands to trivia night to fun games and contests, there is always something going on at the HeartStop Lounge. You can come for a drink or to grab a bite to eat. But you will stay for the people.
3rd End: Curling Family
The action on the ice is always a great reason to check out a curling event live but what happens in between draws and walking around the venue quickly can become why you stay and why you come back again. When you attend an event you have the opportunity to meet many people. You meet from people from your own city, your own province but also other provinces and other countries. And those relationships can carry over from event to event.
Take my #CurlingFamily as an example. I had met Hans and Judy years ago, in fact they even gave Rider tickets to my brother and I to attend a game a few years ago. I had known Dee (@scottieschicken) from twitter but also met her and Grant a few years ago. I met Pat through Dee at the world championships in Lethbridge. And now, as a team, we have been together though #GSOC events to world championships to Canada Cup to Scotties and Brier's. Live events not only put you close to the action on the ice and provide the opportunity to meet your favourite athletes BUT you also meet some great curling fans who become instant friends. See you in Olds at Champions Cup fam!
4th End: Rookie Success
Many curling eyes were on B.C. and Alberta this week to see how both teams would fare in their debut Scotties appearance against a very formidable, and experienced, field. Both teams would finish with sub-.500 records. B.C. advanced to the Championship Pool (after surviving a TB) with a 4-3 record but struggled against the mighty competition going 1-3 and finishing 5-6 overall (T6th). Alberta won their opening three games and then lost their next four to just miss a TB and finish 3-4 (11th overall). But do not let those records mislead you into thinking the final result was a disappointing finish.
A young B.C. team only a few years out of juniors reached the Championship Pool and defeated well-known teams like Birt, Carey, Galusha and Arsenault (TB). Alberta may have succumbed to the Big 4 in the Group of Death but collectively curled 82% as a team, T2nd after the RR stage and better than 5 of the 8 teams who did advance. As skip Laura Walker noted in an interview and lead Nadine Scotland discussed with the blog, their opposition did play light's out against them (see 8th End below). Sometimes that is just how the sport goes.
And special props to Scotland and Ashley Klymchuk who finished 1st and 2nd in percentages at lead during the event. B.C. second Dezaray Hawes finished 3rd and Walker finished 3rd at skip. Those are solid numbers for rookie athletes on the biggest ice of them all. Lots of reasons to hold heads high post-event and I have a feeling we will be seeing these teams on this ice again in the future. Check out the #TwineTime post-game interview with B.C. vice Erin Pincott HERE.
5th End: The Slide for Inclusion
Emma Logan's story was well-documented throughout the competition. In fact it was documented once Team Arsenault won the Nova Scotia Scotties. The #TeamBluenose lead made #HERstory of her own, being the first hearing impaired competitor to step onto the Scotties ice. Not to mention competing with the love and support of a family member, skip Mary-Anne Arsenault. It was truly historic and became motivational for many athletes who came to the Scotties just to watch Logan on the ice. There were many families of young hearing impaired athletes who commented on how much Logan's participation meant to them. Logan became a mentor while becoming an athlete.
Her participation also helped further the inclusion rock this blog has been trying to throw for a few years now. Inclusion can mean many things to many people. Inclusion of gender pronouns. Inclusion on sexual orientation. Inclusion of race. Inclusion on disability. There are many areas of focus when discussing inclusion in sport. And sport, all sports actually, have to continue moving the needle forward here. Logan and her team did so this week in helping curling show its adaptability to ensure "If you can play, You can play".
6th End: #TeamArctic
Remember the almost-upset of the history of the Scotties? Wednesday February 19. 8:30 a.m. draw time. Defending champs #TeamCanada vs the biggest underdog ever #TeamArctic. The stands may not have been packed (Saskatchewan had a bye in the morning) but those in attendance experienced something many talked about for the rest of the week. When Nunavut scored 3 in 5 to take the 4-2 lead at the break, the murmur began in the crowd. People could sense something special was about to happen. A #TeamUpset of monumental effect. But could it happen?
After swapping singles in ends 6, 7 and 8, Nunavut had hammer playing 9 leading 5-4. Odds were moving towards the north side. But never count out Carey...just ask Homan in last year's final. Carey would toss on the #StealPants in 9 to tie the game and away we went to the final end in a tie game and Nunavut still with hammer. The crowd was ready.
Be honest curling fans, how many events have you been to where an entire arena stands, applauds and cheers for a simple guard? It happened in this game. Nunavut throws a lead guard and the arena sounded like Nunavut had just won the entire event. Every shot that followed from the Arctic team had a similar response. It was majestic in a way.
Of course the end result was climatic. A measure FTW siding with Team Canada to avoid the #HERstoric upset. Skip Lori Eddy was emotional after the game. But not because the team lost. Rather because of how well the team played and how much the game would mean to those watching in Nunavut. The #NextGen of the territory. The little girls watching at home or refreshing scores online who starting believing they could compete with the best....and could win. View the #TwineTime interview with Eddy after the team's #HERstoric victory over Quebec HERE.
And special props to Team Nunavut who, even after being eliminated, closed down the place almost every night. I know I was with them on a few nights when the lights came on and the HeartStop Lounge was closing down. This team was dancing the night away, enjoying meeting new fans and really embracing the entire Scotties experience.
7th End: Count 'em Up!
Are you really surprised the 7th end is highlighted by the 7-ender? New Brunswick's Andrea Crawford continues to make Scotties history. Last year she was on the losing end of the highest combined score of any single game (12-13 loss to PEI). This year she was on the right side of #HERstory when #TeamAcadia scored 7 against #BuffaloHunt Manitoba during their Tuesday RR game. The 7 scored was the largest single end scored with hammer in Scotties history. And they did it against the eventual champions.
8th End: McCarville Perfection
Worth mentioning, great to hear McCarville, Ashely Sippala and coach Rick Lang are ok after their plane crashed en route back to Thunder Bay. The plane was taking off from Dryden, ON and crashed into a snowbank trying to leave the runway. Lang received minor injuries with a hand cut due to shards from an exploded propeller piercing the fuselage. Scary scene for sure but thankfully everyone is ok.
9th End: Homan Heartbreak
You have to feel for Team Homan this week. Last year they had the epic meltdown in the final against Alberta. This year they started slow but rallied back, scoring a huge 2 in 9 and the #StealPants of 2 in 10 to force the extra. They were gaining momentum and looked like they were writing the ultimate redemption story. And then Kerri Einarson snatched it all away with a perfect final draw to seal the title. Back-to-back tough final losses. Emotions came out after the game from Joanne Courtney and Lisa Weagle, hugging their coach Marcel Rocque and friends/family. Again, as stated in the 1st End shot, let those emotions out. It is natural to feel disappointment and sadness when you come so close yet again. But also lets remember two members of this team just returned back to the ice this season from maternity leave. They won the Canada Cup and reached the Scotties final. Incredible!! And this is not the end. As their blog-appointed team hashtag stated, #CurlON Team Homan.
As an aside, props to Team Homan for staying out on the ice after the final and signing autographs and taking some pictures with fans while Team Einarson was talking with the media and before the start of the Closing Ceremonies. It must not have been easy to stay out on the ice after a tough loss but the did so like the champions they are. Props for recognizing the fans even in the toughest of moments.
10th End: NEW #TeamCanada
What better way to end the parting shots then a simple CONGRATULATIONS to our newest Team Canada: Team Einarson. The #BuffaloHunt champions from Gimli, Manitoba truly were the class of the field this week....even with giving up a 7-ender. They were consistent. They made the countless big shots from navigating tight ports with clutch draws to incredible double runbacks. The team drew up a plan and executed it to perfection game after game after game. Team Einarson, now Team Canada, will go on to represent the home nation at the #WWCC2020 in B.C. next month AND clinched a spot in the coveted 2021 Roar of the Rings Olympic Trials in Saskatoon.
Since the championship final went to an extra end, might as well have an extra end in our parting shots post right?
Extra End: Award Awareness
During the PPGs on Saturday awards are presented in between ends. The awards for First Team All-Star and Second Team All-Star along with the Marj Mitchell Sportsmanship Award were handed out. But is anyone really buying the authenticity of these awards anymore? Look, mad respect to those who won. They are all great athletes and deserving of their recognition. But how transparent and objective are these awards?
Lets look at the sportsmanship award. Team Canada lead Rachelle Brown was voted the winner by her peers. But do you know who votes on this award? The script reads "voted on by the players" but reality is only players competing in the Championship Pool get to vote on this award. Sorry Alberta. Sorry Nunavut. Sorry New Brunswick. Sorry Northwest Territories. Sorry all those players who did not advance. You do not have a say on voting for YOUR competition sportsmanship award. How is that fair? How is someone awarded the sportsmanship award by the players when all the players were not allowed to cast a vote? And why weren't they? Because they are eliminated early? Because they only play against half the field? Come on! The qualifications for sportsmanship award are gray at best. It does not only come down to your actions on the ice in front of the cameras. What about how a player acts behind the scenes? In the locker room? Interacting with other players and fans? Players pick up on all of these actions and all of these actions come into play when voting on this award. Huge miss and lack of transparency here folks. Lets hope this gets cleaned up for next year.
As for the All-Star Awards? Usually these awards are determined by stat numbers. Who curled the best. We can save the rant on how I feel about these subjectively objective game percentage stats but generally this is the benchmark for this award. Shannon Birchard, Val Sweeting and Rachel Homan were tops in their position and were voted to the First Team. Joanne Courtney, Emma Miskew and Kerri Einarson were second in their position and voted to the Second Team. As for lead, Lisa Weagle was First Team (finished 5th overall at the position) and Rachelle Brown was Second Team (T-2nd overall). What happened here? Where was top lead Ashley Klymchuk from B.C. in this? What about Alberta's Nadine Scotland, who finished tied with Brown? Something sour in the water in Moose Jaw with this vote. And who votes on this? Media? Officials? I had media accreditation and I was certainly never asked my opinion. Only select media? Certain designated people? Maybe we shouldn't be presenting the awards stating "as voted on by the media". Not that I am asking for a vote. I get my role in all of this. But be transparent at least. Reveal who is included in the All-Star voting panel.
If the #TwineTime blog did have a vote (for the record I did get to vote once for the All-Star awards at the 2017 Brier), here are the blog award winners:
L: Ashley Klymchuk (B.C.)
2: Shannon Birchard (MB)
V: Emma Miskew (ON)
S: Kerri Einarson (MB)
Second Team All-Star
L: Nadine Scotland (AB)
2: Joanne Courtney (ON)
V: Erin Pincott (BC)
S: Krista McCarville (NOnt)
Marj Mitchelle Sportsmanship Award: Lori Eddy (Skip, Team Nunavut)
What say you curling fans? What were your highlights (or lowlights) of #STOH2020? Share your thoughts on social media and/or in the comment section below.
Special shout out to EVERYONE who entered the #FantasyCurling Scotties pool. 50% of the total proceeds went directly to Kids Up Front Calgary. Thank You to those who entered. We had 11 participants resulting in a KUF donation of $110. Congratulations to AmazinglyKatie for winning the pool. The blog came in second and will be adding the winning's to the overall donation. The Lazy Handle Show and Lazy Handle Show Dad tied for 3rd.
And if you missed entering, don't worry there may be another fantasy pool coming down the ice for the world championships.
#StayTuned
Rest up quick rock heads. #Brier2020 hits the ice this weekend with the wildcard play-in game Friday night. The blog will return later in the week with a full preview and predictions.
Plus do not forget another world championship will be up for grabs over the next week. The World Wheelchair Curling Championships begin on Saturday in Switzerland.
Hope you all recharge your batteries this week. We need your energy and excitement once again for two major championships.
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