#Brier2020 Midterm Grades

#BetweenTheSheets: Report Card Time

Handing out the midterm grades for Brier 2020

What a Brier thus far!!

There has been something for everyone. From awe-inspiring shots to strange but true close finishes to extra end heroics to #TeamUpset results. The 2020 Tim Hortons Brier really has come through. Props to the 16 teams competing. We wanted a show and you are giving us life.

The talk heading into Kingston was the strength of the field. Could this be one of the strongest and most experienced fields we have ever seen? It surely ranks up there.

But there is also the lingering question of whether expectations were set too high with this caliber of field. Were expectations setting fans up for disappointment? Could the 16 teams live up to the hype?

So far I think rock heads would agree you can remove those doubts now. We have been witness to a show...and we are only coming to the conclusion of the opening act.

While the action, drama and excitement have been there, when we dive deep into the field how are the teams REALLY doing? Welcome back the midterm grades and the Brier report card.

Which teams are making the grade and which are in danger of being sent home early with a failure to proceed?

The opening of the midterm report card at major events was started a few seasons ago with the blog. It was brought back in Moose Jaw for #STOH2020. ICYMI, check out the posting HERE. How do they grades look now, post-event?

As the blog did then, so we do again. Tuesday is Moving Day. Teams are jostling for important wins hoping to keep Championship Pool dreams alive heading into Wednesday.

Wednesday is the dreaded Elimination Day. For those teams below receiving average to below average grades, Moving Day is your opportunity to right the ship. Failure to do so could result in...well...a failing grade for the event.

For those teams with above average to exemplary grades, just keep doing what you are doing. Don't worry about those behind you. Focus on what is working and keep looking ahead. You are well on your way to passing Brier 2020.

And if you want to compare the pre-event projections to the midterm event grades, look back at the #Brier2020 Preview post HERE.

Big red came out in Moose Jaw. Big red stays out for Kingston. The envelope please...

#Brier2020 Midterm Report Card

A

#ABStrong - Team Bottcher is undefeated heading into Moving Day. Sitting 4-0 they know, worst case, they have a TB spot locked up. They are one win away from securing the Championship Pool spot. And their final three games are against NS/QC/PEI. In the preview I felt this pool would produce the standard RR results with one team going 7-0. Hello Team Alberta! Bottcher is living up to his "Silent Assassin" nickname thus far. He dominated Northern Ontario in the opener. He was in control against Nunavut and Manitoba. And he played a smart game against Newfoundland. In fact he curled 100% through 10 ends and throwing 19 shots en route to the victory. Against Team Gushue! And in all 4 games he never looked like he would not prevail. The telling sign of a champion. The team has lost two straight Brier finals. This is the Season of Redemption. If they continue to play like they have been thus far, pencil them into a third straight final now, where they might get there biggest test of the entire event. Can they finally win the big one?

B

Atlantic Canada - Do not look now but all four provinces off the Atlantic Ocean are still in contention for the Championship Pool. Not often we see that at the Brier. #TheRock (Team Gushue) continue to look like the main contenders we expected, sitting 4-1 with games vs. QC and PEI remaining. They should advance to the Championship Pool with a 6-1 record, prime spot for a playoff berth already. But what about the other three provinces? #TeamAcadia (Team Grattan) became #TeamUpset of the event knocking off previously undefeated Ontario Monday night and following it up with a big win over BC Tuesday morning to sit 3-2. They draw NWT and WC in their final two games. Depending how Moving Day results go, the game vs. WC could be a de facto promotion/elimination game. #TeamBluenose (Team Murphy) may be the best 3-1 team nobody is talking about. They have quietly won the games they should and are one win away from at least a TB, if not direct qualification. They end with AB/NOnt/MB however. This is the time for them to truly put up or shut up as the old saying goes. And what about #TheIslanders (Team Cochrane)? PEI sure gave MB a run Tuesday morning, looking in complete control for the W until Gunner makes the Shot of the Brier (thus far) in the double runback-double takeout to score 3 and steal the win. PEI dropped to 2-3 with the loss but do not underestimate the former world senior champs. They like rocks in play. They like being aggressive and could catch AB/NL off guard in those final two games. Collectively Atlantic Canada has produced some great results and showcased some outstanding curling thus far. All 4 still have Championship Pool aspirations. And isn't that exactly why we love the Brier and each province/territory having representation? Anyone can beat anyone at this Brier.

B = Buffalo - Speaking about Jason Gunnlaugson and his #BuffaloHunt team, they earn this grade based on the game saving shot from Gunner Tuesday morning to steal that W against PEI. Had they lost that game this team would be sitting in the C or D grade. Could that one shot be the Brier saver for the team? Had they lost they would be sitting 2-3 and on a two-game losing streak heading into final games vs. NU/NS. Now, worst case scenario, they go 4-3 and are in the TB vs. NS for the final Championship Pool spot. The stolen win gives them life and the regain control of their own fate. And remember this is a rookie team for the most part. Gunner is making his first Brier appearance. Nerves are there. Excitement is there. What we love about Gunner is he is an emotional guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve. When you watch him play you feel like he is taking you on the emotional rollercoaster ride with him....and you love every up and down motion. Gunner is a personality the sport needs and wants. He is animated and active. He is knowledgeable. He has the ability. But he also gives back off the ice and remains humble. If you are trying to introduce the sport to someone during the Brier, turn on a Gunner game. The rookie team has looked great at times and head scratching at others. But they are right in the thick of it now and a bit of confidence can go a far way.

C

#TeamGreen - What should we expect from Team Dunstone and Saskatchewan for the rest of this event? Who knows? Yes they are sitting 3-1 and in good position to advance to the Championship Pool heading into Moving Day games vs. Ontario and Canada but the wins have not come easy. The team has looked like the Masters champs at times (hello did you see the Dunny shot FTW to score 4 vs BC?!?!). But they have also looked like the team who went on a 12 game losing streak after the slam win. Dr. Jekyll calling Mr. Hyde? Consistency game to game, even end to end, has not been as precise as I think the team would like. They looked lackadaisical in the opening loss to WC then needed a big #StealPants in 10 to beat NB and the #DunnyIsMoney shot in 10 to beat BC. Nice end result. Tough way to get there. The record looks good on paper but the team will need to pull up those socks to really make a run. We know they can do it. They know they can do it. But can they put all the pieces together and make it happen? I think the C grade is very accurate. They can go up....but they can also slip down here.

D

#PurplePower - You gotta feel for Yukon. Honestly they have not played bad this week. As a team they are curling 77% for the week with only a -2 (being outcurled by 5% or more yields a minus). For comparison New Brunswick, sitting at 3-2, is also curling 77% and -2. Yukon gave up the #StealPants of 2 in 10 to NB in their opener to lose 8-9. The 4 spot they gave up to WC was the difference in that 6-10 loss, similar against Ontario. In fact, vs. Ontario, Yukon was down 7-6 playing 9 before giving up 3 for handshakes. They had hammer down 1 vs. rival NWT and gave up a steal in 10 to take the loss. They are not getting "blown out" or "dominated" like many expected here. And, fun stat for you, this team scores 2 with hammer more than any other score. Most teams have a majority of their score with hammer being a single. Not Yukon. With hammer they have scored a deuce 9 times compared to the single 5 times. They like rocks in play. The downside of course is they have yielded 8 stolen ends against, hurting them in some of these close games. They are 0-5 but could be 2-3 right now.

F

#FearTheMoose - Ok this is really hard to write. Team Jacobs is the blog pick to win the Brier. And, honestly, I am still sticking with the Jacobs team as my pick. I have faith in this team. Remember when they stumbled at the Olympics at the beginning and then went on a roll to win gold? It can still happen folks. BUT....the teacher needs to be honest and objective too. The results thus far have not been good. The team enters Moving Day sitting at 1-3, one loss away from possible elimination. The weird thing is the team numbers are not that bad either. All the players sit among the top five for their position. The end results just are not coming. So you might say, "well isn't this grade a bit unfair? A lower grade compared to winless Yukon?" Fair question. But this grade has an added stipulation on expectations and resume. This team won 3 #gsoc events coming into the Brier. They have won before. They were considered not only a contender but a #Fav by many (not just this blog). And the results thus far have been the complete opposite. Fair? Perhaps not. Accurate though based on results? Yup. But still holding hope on you boys pulling through....

WTF Schedule - Seriously. What. The. F**k?? Why did Curling Canada decide to mess with the schedule this season for the Scotties and Brier. Have you noticed how messed up it is? Just look at Monday's draw schedule. Explain why NS/QC/PEI/NU/BC/SK/NWT/WC played the morning draw and afternoon draw? Back-to-back draws. Same 8 teams. In a 16 team field. WTF? BC/PEI/NWT/NU returned to the ice Tuesday morning. They played 3 games within 4 draws. Meanwhile, in that same time span, CAN/ON/AB/NOnt played 1 game. WTF? Look I get the idea of putting two games from each pool on the ice each draw. It is trying to eliminate the critique from past years where teams said they were disappointed not getting to see the teams from the opposing pool. But this is the solution? This was the same scheduling used at the Scotties and raised some eyebrows there. Why can we not just have Monday see 8 teams play two draws and 8 teams play one draw and then reverse it for Tuesday? Seems pretty simple. I even spoke to a player who made the comment, "One of the stupidest schedules I've ever seen. By a mile. It makes zero sense to have teams play back to back when it is so easily avoidable." Point. Blank. Period.

Hon. Mention

Measuring Up - The hot debate thus far at the Brier involved the measurement fiasco. Opening Sunday night draw. Manitoba vs. Northern Ontario. Both teams 1-1 looking to end opening weekend on the right side of the .500 line. Manitoba up 4-2 and the break. NOnt scores 3 in 6 to lead 5-4. We go blank, blank, blank setting up 10th end dramatics. Gunner, with hammer, easily scores the single to tie in 10 but we need the measurement to see if the second game-winning point is there or if we head to an extra. Around the horn we go. Not once. Not twice. But three times a charm. Not one official but two officials. From Marc Kennedy's face, instantly becoming the meme of the Brier thus far, to the reactions from the crowd, this moment stood out. The measurement would go to Manitoba, taking the "upset" win. The big story wasn't the Manitoba win though but rather the official spinning the measurement stick around the house at a rapid pace, causing the Kennedy face to emerge. And Kennedy asking for the second official to conduct another measure. At the end of the day, was anyone really in the wrong here? Sure the first official could have been more delicate but the result is what it was. Was it a close measure? Of course. But all three measures produced the same end result. Manitoba stone FTW. At slam/tour events curlers themselves measure. At Scotties/Brier/World Championships an independent official conducts the measure. This is where the debate was sparked. Who should do the measure and what tool should be used? Some are asking for the laser to be used but it runs its own risk of inaccuracy. Some want the curlers to measure but is that the most fair and objective? The measuring stick is still the most accurate tool available. And the use of a third-party official is the most objective. Could both use some tinkering to become more reliable? Sure. And maybe that will be the end product from the Great Measure Debate. Until then, lets the discussion rage on I suppose.


Ok rock heads. Sound off. Agree? Disagree? Who would you have assigned the grades to? Share your thoughts via SM and/or the comment section and continue the #MidtermGrades conversation.

Worth noting, the last team receiving the "A" grade went on to win the championship. Did the blog just provide the golden good luck charm for Team Bottcher?

Keep those eyes on the results as Moving Day comes to a close and Elimination Day approaches. Which teams will rise to the occasion and which will falter? And could we see a few more #TeamUpset results along the way?

#StayTuned

The blog will return post-Brier with some parting shots and updated #PowerRankings.

Also, remember the World Wheelchair Curling Championships are underway in Switzerland. China, defending world and Olympic champions, lead the way with Sweden while Canada, Norway, Latvia and Russia are right behind in the playoff hunt.

Oh those Latvians. What a great #TeamUpset story from #WWhCC2020. Who takes home world wheelchair gold? Keep track of all the action on the World Curling Federation site HERE.