#STOH2021 Parting Rocks

 #BetweenTheSheets: 8 Parting Rocks

Congrats to ALL competitors on bringing back curling

Photo Credit: Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press

What. A. Scotties.

We had 18 teams, a first.

We had no fans, another first.

The teams competed in an #IceBubble environment, never before seen for the sport.

The athletes who represented all the provinces/territories and the three realms of Wild Card Land created #HERstory with every slide out of the hack, rock thrown and lack of high-five after each game.

It was quite the event to watch. It must have been quite the event to participate in.

When the final rock stopped spinning, #HERstory repeated itself. Team Canada's Team Einarson emerged once again as the cream of the crop, defeating Ontario's Team Homan in the final.

Another piece of #HERstory folks. The 2021 final marked the first time we saw a repeat final, with the same two teams, from the previous year. Amazing!

In the end, the top two teams everyone expected to be there Sunday night held up their end of the bargain. They played like there were fans in the stands knowing there were MANY fans all over the world watching virtually.

Were you not entertained?

Were you not entertained ALL WEEK?

The finalists stole the show but there were MANY great stories happening around the #IceBubble.

How about just opening congrats to the 27 players who made their Scotties debut. It was not the ideal environment for a debut appearance. No fans. No family and friends in the stands. It was not easy. But, regardless of the environment around you, nobody can take the experience away from you. Congrats on reaching your first Scotties and Thank You for helping create a great event.

Welcome to another episode of "As The Rock Turns" with today's feature being the #TwineTime Parting Rocks.

#PartingRocks

🥌 #DefendTheIce - Was Team Canada feeling a slight sense of deja vu near the end of the final? They were in control throughout the game. They were outplaying their opposition. Hmmm, see 2020 final? Homan and company made the comeback in Moose Jaw to force the extra and almost "steal" the title. Sitting up 7-5 playing 9 with hammer, Einarson gave up the #StealPants of 2 to tie the game coming home. A bit of last year dramatics had to enter the back of the minds of Team Einarson. We cannot let them back into the final again this year. Lets Go! Drama in the final end was put to bed when Homan's final draw slid too far and Einarson would not have to throw her final rock to win back-to-back titles and successfully #DefendTheIce. But wow, Team Einarson really wanted to cause some heart palpitations for their family, friends and fans. Also, credit to them for having a celly without any fans cheering or noise at all in the arena. Imagine what that must feel like? It was even weird to watch. But, this maybe will be the sign the world can correct itself in 2021. Team Einarson never got the real Team Canada experience. They had to go back and defend a title. They did their part. Lets hope the world does its part and we get a World Women's Curling Championship for Team Einarson to really represent Team Canada on international ice. Congrats Team Einarson....I mean, again, Team Canada! Special shout out to Shannon Birchard for being PERFECT at the Scotties in her career. 3 appearances. 3 championships.

🥌 #CurlON - Ugh, gotta feel for Team Homan. They enter the #IceBubble hoping for redemption. They knock off their top challenger in the RR to help, eventually, clinch the bye to Sunday's final. The revenge plot is set and Team Homan was ready to change the narrative. And then it just was not meant to be. They played a good final but their opposition played a great final. They made a comeback, similar to last year. But, also similar to last year, the end result was the same. Homan/Miskew have now played in 8 Scotties. They have landed on the podium 7 times. 3 Gold. 3 Silver. 1 Bronze. But the three straight silver medals might sting more than they are being celebrated right now. Not to mention two of those three losses were in extra ends and this loss came off the hand of Homan's missed last shot. And, to be honest, the sting makes perfect sense. It cannot be easy. On the flip, props for continuing to be leaders in the sport and playing at this level of competition year in and year out. Oh, and did you know Homan is 8 months pregnant while competing this week? Yes of course you knew. How impressive is that fact alone? The only thing left to happen? Einarson vs. Homan in the final of the Olympic trials with a ticket to Beijng on the line.

🥌 #Labelleprovince - The overwhelming fan fav this past week, Quebec's Team St-Georges created a social media circus with her shot making, play calling and fun-loving attitude. The comparisons between the skipper and Elsa from Frozen or Dani from Game of Thrones flooded social media throughout the week. Considering Quebec has struggled on Scotties ice the past few years, seeing a team emerge and reach the Championship Pool is a slide in the right direction. Sure they finished 6-6 after going 0-4 in the Champ Pool but many teams struggle at this stage of the competition. Remember this a team making their Scotties debut. They turned some heads, won some fans and we hope to see them on Scotties ice once again....and next time in front of fans! Special shout out to skipper Laurie St-Georges for winning the Marj Mitchell Sportsmanship Award. No question on who was winning that award! This team lived up to their twitter handle: @CurlRockStars #Deserving

🥌 #TeamUpset - Everyone may be talking about Quebec flying the #TeamUpset flag but what about WC3's Team Peterson? Has there ever been a team finishing 5th overall in their rookie campaign and generating less buzz and discussion? This was the final team entered into the field. They had the least amount of time to prepare. And quickly, raise your hand if you thought this team would be the highest finisher among even the WC teams? Finishing 7-5 in your debut Scotties campaign is something to be VERY proud of. So why are we not seeing more love for this team and their surprise result? This team may not bring the most excitement to the game but they are grinders. They draw their opposition in, wait for the moment and then pounce. Remember, had Peterson made the shot to score 5 vs. Manitoba, Jones probably does not reach the TB and maybe Peterson would have? Oh and props to skipper Beth Peterson who is also pregnant while competing and leading her team to a coveted Top 5 finish.

🥌 #ABStrong - Props to Laura Walker and her team for earning their redemption. Last year in Moose Jaw we all heard the story of how the team wins their opening 3 games then loses the rest to miss the Champ Pool. The result was tough for the team. Walker took the early elimination personal and felt she let down her home province. But she rebounded and responded this year. Months after giving birth to her son, he brought something extra to her motivation and mental game it seems. We say #ABStrong because the team rebounded this year from 2 mid-event losses to reach the Champ Pool and land on the podium with a bronze medal after surviving an early Sunday morning TB game vs. Manitoba. But, in this case, #ABStrong is more about the mental strength shown by Walker and the team. Sports psychology is just as important, if not more so sometimes, as the physical ability of an athlete. Last year this team took the hit. This year they learned from it and regained their confidence. Congrats on the bronze medal win, wear those medals with pride because your fans and Alberta curling fans are proud of you!

🥌 #HERstory - What can we say about Jennifer Jones? Interesting Scotties to say the least. She breaks all the records. Creates #HERstory. Officially slides into #GOAT status (as if she was not already). But never really looked comfortable or the vintage Jennifer Jones we have seen in the past. Yes the two-win day against the two finalists was impressive. We know when Jones has her back against the wall is when she is her most dangerous. But the consistency and high level of play was not there throughout the week. They put their own backs against the wall on the final day of competition. So what happens now? What is next for Jones? She has won everything there is to win. She has nothing to prove. What does she do after a TB loss and early Scotties exit? What will Jones do after this Olympic cycle, especially if they are not the team to win the trials and go to the Olympics as Team Canada? We have questions?!? But, for right now, congratulations on the accomplishments and rewriting the #HERstory books this past week.

🥌 #Formatting - WTF folks?!? There seems to be a reoccurring theme here as this topic becomes a discussion point after every Scotties and/or Brier. Look I get the idea of formatting the pools based on the CTRS. But why? Why can curling not function like, say, the IIHF World Hockey Championship or IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship? Can we not just determine the pools for next year's event based on the final standings from the previous year? Because the teams change? They change for the hockey championships too and you don't hear all of you hockey/curling fans complaining then. Oh, if we wait to know the teams we can help balance the pools? Has that really ever happened? Look at this year. Pool A was considered "stacked" and the 3 teams on the podium were all from Pool A. In fact, 4 of the Top 5 were the Pool A Championship Pool qualifiers. So how is our system really working? The games have to be played. We never really can prepare or know what will happen. So why not just eliminate the discussion all together? Set the pools based on the final standings from the previous year and let it be what it will be. We will never be able to really stop one pool being "stronger" or "dominating" the Champ Pool. It might happen every year. It might not. But the argument can certainly be parked and thrown into the bumper by changing the format.

🥌 #ThankYou - Finally, on behalf of all curling fans/athletes/media/sponsors, #ThankYou to ALL the athletes who stepped into the #IceBubble this past week. We know the decision was not easy. We know there was risk. We also know your passion for the sport, bringing back curling and representing your provinces/territories was huge. We thank you all for your courage, your competition and helping bring a sense of "normalcy" back into our world. Whether jaw-dropping runbacks, tight guard draws, cross-house doubles or triples or even takeout flashes or a bit too deep draws, the shots themselves become secondary to the athletes stepping onto the ice and competing. All of the women, regardless of final placement, deserve a round of applause. You brought the sport back!

Actually we really should build a bit more on that final parting rock.

The blog also thanks Scotties for their 40 years of support and sponsorship towards women's curling. We could not continue to #growthesport without Scotties support. Thank You for 40 years and bring on 40 more.

And, of course, Thank You to TSN, Curling Canada and all the volunteers who helped make the #IceBubble happen. Everyone played a vital part in the success of this event. And everyone made the decision, even as a pandemic continues to engulf the world around us.

#StayTuned

The 2021 Tim Hortons Brier hits the same ice inside the #IceBubbe at the end of the week. The blog will return with a preview post later in the week PLUS there may be a surprise podcast interview coming up.

We only have a few days off folks. We need to take advantage and re-stock our favourite drinks and snacks. Plus there is still time to sign up for the Curling Canada Brier Pick'Em Game and CurlingZone's Fantasy Curling.

Sure hope I can do better in both games with the Brier because the struggle was real for the Scotties.

Welcome back curling!

Enjoy the few days off rockheads.