Olympic Curling

I was just a kid. After hockey practice, I would climb up onto the bleachers and if I stood on my tip toes, I could watch the curling match through the open vents between the curling rink and the hockey arena. I found it fascinating and eventually I did get to play a bit. Then, in grade 10, I got to play in a few bonspiels, which is curling talk for tournaments. It is a game that is a perfect marriage between strategy and skill.
I caught most of the Olympic Gold Medal Women's final on Friday. The match hinged on a critical shot, time and time again, but on the last shot, our gal missed her rock and we ended up with Silver. Saturday is the men's final. After watching both men's and women's, I find that the big difference is that the skill level is so high with the men, that it all boils down to strategy. It is a fascinating sport to both watch and play. We are guaranteed a medal so it should be fun.
But, of course, the big finale is the Canada/USA hockey match on Sunday. It was a real nail-biter watching the Slovakians almost overtake Canada in the third period on Friday night, but it is only right that the final should be USA and Canada. It has always been the classic battle. The women's hockey team won Gold. Can the men match that? It will be one of the most watched events in Canadian television history. You may hear me yelling from your place!