Registered: Mar 2005
Location: St. Albert
Posts: 839

I like Vic. But that interview during the Men's Canada Cup Semi Final with Gerry Pekham, High Performance Director for Curling Canada, was a big, fat softball.

If Jim Gray were interviewing, expect we could have heard...

" Do you see a conflict with a broom manufacturer being a sponsor of Curling Canada?"

" When was Curling Canada made aware of any issues with Hardline brooms, which had been approved by the organization 2 years ago?"

"What testing has taken place and can you comment on Hardline's statements they have not been involvoled or seen any results?"

Vic wraps it up by making it sound like problem is solved and it was all just a simple misunderstanding.

Opportunity missed.

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Registered: Jan 2006
Location: Peterborough
Posts: 1120

That would be Vic. All things to all people.

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Registered: Jan 2005
Location: the Banana Belt
Posts: 990

I also noticed Gerry talk about the fabric only, no mention of inserts.

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Registered: May 2013
Location:
Posts: 32

Milo it looks like you are looking to be confrontational. The WCF and CC have made decisions and I am not hearing of any of Canada's or Top World Curling Teams complaining about the decisions that have been made.
The only thing that seemed to be quite evident is two teams at the Canada Cup did not perform to a standard that they had previously been setting. Is it coincidental? Is is due to no inserts in their brooms and they have to readjust their throwing technique? Is it that they are burn't out and played too much in the first half of the season. Only time will tell.
But I do find it ironic that the noise level has subsided so it must be decision that most are in favor of.

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: St. Albert
Posts: 839

I believe you are missing the point. I'm not being confrontational, I'm asking that the media ask the difficult questions, for a change. I'm not surprised, we rarely see that type of interview in Curling much less other sports.

Based on recent posts by Hardline among others on this website, I beg to differ that this has been put to rest. Teams are doing the smart thing and moving on with the season. Just because you aren't hearing from them does not mean many aren't still bitter, angry or resentful of way we got here. There remain many questions on this topic and people who have a right to get an answer. Some of those people (Hardline) are a business which could be permanently impacted by these decisions, so yes, I believe these questions should be asked.

The fundamental question of course, one that has yet to be answered, and likely won't anytime soon, was quoted in another thread by Hardline:

"why do you think it’s too much? What’s too much?"

http://www.curlingzone.com/showthre...&forumid=5&tp=0

For Vic to end the interview in such a nonchalant manner, as if to say everything is tied up in a nice neat bow, is false. At least that was my take on how the interview ended, perhaps I read it incorrectly.

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: St. Albert
Posts: 839

quote:

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Originally posted by My three sons

The only thing that seemed to be quite evident is two teams at the Canada Cup did not perform to a standard that they had previously been setting.

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Registered: May 2013
Location:
Posts: 32

IMO TSN has taken a very passive stance on strategy and issues. Russ should have been all over Sweetings strategy in the 10th end vs Homan. One down with the hammer and has a board weight hit to lay 2. You take that all day. Instead she walks up to play a double peel. Russ had the opportunity to jump all over this strategy and instead he says that this isn't a bad call.
With CC and TSN in bed together with the Season of Champions they just stroke each other rather criticize each other. Your not going to get true reporting.

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: St. Albert
Posts: 839

quote:

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Originally posted by My three sons
Sweetings strategy in the 10th end vs Homan. One down with the hammer and has a board weight hit to lay 2.

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: In the House
Posts: 608

milobloom is entirely correct - it was disgusting to watch/listen to that poor excuse for an 'interview'.
After watching it, and hearing the closing comments on the issue by Vic and Russ right after the 'interview', I felt that it was all quite obviously a deliberately staged and rehearsed action, designed specifically to make the general public believe that everything is just fine, and that everyone agrees that Curling Canada and the WCF have done a wonderful thing in imposing their sudden rules regarding broom pads.

The degree and amount of dishonesty and outright B.S. in this matter is truly disgusting. And the deeper it goes, the more manipulation is used to cover for the previous manipulations.
I hold no stake in Hardline - nor do I use any of their products. But I know deliberate manipulation and B.S. when I see it - and this matter of broom pads is absolutely full of both.

__________________
"It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own... but the great man is he who, in the midst of the crowd, keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Registered: Dec 2013
Location: Halifax
Posts: 59

I also found the interview to be, if not a complete sell-out, at least a major missed opportunity for a little journalism on an interesting and important issue. No attempt made to get more than one point of view, no serious follow-up questions of any kind. Furthermore, in reference to a previous post that suggested that Gushue's and Carruthers' less-than-stellar results at the Canada Cup indicates that they lost their advantage when they had to turn their broom-heads inside out, I'd note that it's probably more significant how many other teams have started using single sweeper/directional sweeping techniques. Koe and McEwen were doing this in the final. I think the evidence is mounting that the IcePad and the like are NOT unfair/cheating technologies, rather that Gushue and others have worked out a genuinely better approach to sweeping.

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Registered: Jan 2005
Location: the Banana Belt
Posts: 990

Curling Canada would have to admit that they were wrong and jumped the gun concerning Icepad if they admitted that its the directional sweeping that is steering the rocks, not the broomhead.

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: In the House
Posts: 608

quote:

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Originally posted by Manitoba Legend
I agree Russ should have been leading the investigative charge on the brush issue.

Forcing Vic to be Peckham's house-boy is insulting both to Vic and a slap in the face to Russ - who should be able to handle issue-based interviews at this stage of his career (ie. 60 years old with many years in the broadcast booth)

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__________________
"It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own... but the great man is he who, in the midst of the crowd, keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Registered: Oct 2012
Location:
Posts: 119

I'm a big fan of TSN coverage of curling, but, I have to agree the interview didn't answer some of the questions I would have like to have been addressed. Specifically, does the Hardliner broom damage the ice and does the fabric give a unnatural advantage to players? When you see all the teams at the Canada cup utilize the 1 sweeper technique you have to wonder if it was the technique and not the brush that was the reason for superior shot making. I accept that the Balance Plus Blackhead broom may have been over the top, but, I don't know if the Hardliner broom falls under the same category. Looks like all the broom manufacturers had a good showing so maybe this Hardliner banning should be looked at again.

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Registered: Feb 2011
Location:
Posts: 10

Did you guys really think that a short interview in the middle of the televised game will offer any real insight into this controversial matter?

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Registered: Dec 2013
Location: Halifax
Posts: 59

quote:

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Originally posted by Vkrajac
Did you guys really think that a short interview in the middle of the televised game will offer any real insight into this controversial matter?

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Registered: Apr 2007
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 28

Vkrajac,

As milobloom perfectly said....

Have you never heard a Jim Gray interview in the same exact circumstance? Yes, those questions can be asked in that exact same scenario.

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