Registered: Sep 2012
Location: Canada
Posts: 116

quote:

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Originally posted by misty1


sorry. sometimes i get a little snappy.

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Calgary
Posts: 612

I get the feeling that this is going to be one of the most exciting Briers in memory. In the past you could pick out 3 or maybe even 4 teams that were head and shoulders above the rest. Sure maybe one top gun may falter and one under dog may join the playoff race, but mostly you could predict who would be in playoffs and just tune in for the final weekend. I think you can make the case for so many teams this week I hope it's going to be a log jam right until the end. With that said I'll attempt to rank:

Tier 1: Jacobs - Recently won the last brier he was at and an olympic gold medal. Same lineup and great cash season. The favourite doesn't always win, but I rank these guys number 1.

Tier 2:
Koe - won the brier last year, but changed the team up ... but it's still stacked with world champions. Some say a disappointing cash season, but still 5th over all. Maybe they're still adjusting to a new team chemistry but I don't think there are 4 better shot makers (maybe tied, but not better).

Gushue - best cash season of those not named McEwan. Reunited with Nichols, who in case you forgot can light the world on fire with his play at 3rd, and just seems to be in the mix at every event. Still needs to prove he can win a national championship without Russ Howard. It's just a question of when.

Morris - All 4 of these guys were in the brier final last year. Yes they haven't played a bunch this year. Yes the result have been mediocre. But these guys know how to win and have the talent / big game experience that's 2nd to none.

Tier 3:
Carruthers - won good money on tour. Came out of the toughest province (beating the #1 ranked team twice). Learned to win from one of the best. My top pick for the next team to make the leap.

Menard - So easy to forget about these guys because they don't play much WCT and don't make the brier every year. Except when they make the brier they always make noise. Will not surprise me if they are in the playoffs.

Laycock - The cash results are there. These guys can win games. The last brier they were at they disappointed. They gotta prove they can do it on the big stage when everyone is watching.

Tier 4:
Cotter - He's a known shot maker who's made noise at the national level before. Has yet to do it without a strong 3rd like Johny Mo or Pat Ryan.

Kean - Has made a few big events and came out of a tough province. You know the talent is there, but I suspect their first brier will be a little much for them. No one's going to blow them away, but I don't see them racking up the wins just yet.

Wild Card:
Casey - They secured a lofty place on the money list, but a closer look shows they played a lot of events and racked it up against lesser competition. Still can't write them off and they're my pick to come through the relegation round and even put in enough of a run to be playing meaningful games near the end of the week.

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Calgary
Posts: 612

quote:

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Originally posted by misty1


in that list i'd have it like this:

1. mark nichols
2. ryan fry
3. pat simmons
4. mark kennedy
5. braeden moskowy

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Registered: Jan 2015
Location: Ontario & Santa Monica
Posts: 268

quote:

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Originally posted by Deucey
I get the feeling that this is going to be one of the most exciting Briers in memory. In the past you could pick out 3 or maybe even 4 teams that were head and shoulders above the rest. Sure maybe one top gun may falter and one under dog may join the playoff race, but mostly you could predict who would be in playoffs and just tune in for the final weekend. I think you can make the case for so many teams this week I hope it's going to be a log jam right until the end. With that said I'll attempt to rank:

Tier 1: Jacobs - Recently won the last brier he was at and an olympic gold medal. Same lineup and great cash season. The favourite doesn't always win, but I rank these guys number 1.

Tier 2:
Koe - won the brier last year, but changed the team up ... but it's still stacked with world champions. Some say a disappointing cash season, but still 5th over all. Maybe they're still adjusting to a new team chemistry but I don't think there are 4 better shot makers (maybe tied, but not better).

Gushue - best cash season of those not named McEwan. Reunited with Nichols, who in case you forgot can light the world on fire with his play at 3rd, and just seems to be in the mix at every event. Still needs to prove he can win a national championship without Russ Howard. It's just a question of when.

Morris - All 4 of these guys were in the brier final last year. Yes they haven't played a bunch this year. Yes the result have been mediocre. But these guys know how to win and have the talent / big game experience that's 2nd to none.

Tier 3:
Carruthers - won good money on tour. Came out of the toughest province (beating the #1 ranked team twice). Learned to win from one of the best. My top pick for the next team to make the leap.

Menard - So easy to forget about these guys because they don't play much WCT and don't make the brier every year. Except when they make the brier they always make noise. Will not surprise me if they are in the playoffs.

Laycock - The cash results are there. These guys can win games. The last brier they were at they disappointed. They gotta prove they can do it on the big stage when everyone is watching.

Tier 4:
Cotter - He's a known shot maker who's made noise at the national level before. Has yet to do it without a strong 3rd like Johny Mo or Pat Ryan.

Kean - Has made a few big events and came out of a tough province. You know the talent is there, but I suspect their first brier will be a little much for them. No one's going to blow them away, but I don't see them racking up the wins just yet.

Wild Card:
Casey - They secured a lofty place on the money list, but a closer look shows they played a lot of events and racked it up against lesser competition. Still can't write them off and they're my pick to come through the relegation round and even put in enough of a run to be playing meaningful games near the end of the week.

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Registered: Feb 2005
Location: Manitoba
Posts: 480

Tough, competitive field. Lots of potential for competitive games and minor upsets in almost every draw. Grabbing a playoff spot will be a major accomplishment in this event.

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Registered: Sep 2011
Location:
Posts: 6002

quote:

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Originally posted by Deucey


Nichols, Fry and Simmons are easy picks because they have proven they can be the best 3rd at any given competition. I'll go out on a limb (not too far really) and call Mark Kennedy to be the best 3rd at the competition. He's come off a long stretch as arguably the best 2nd the game has seen, so the shot making is not in doubt. In reality I think there will be a log jam amoungst these 3rds at the top, with the difference being not who is 90% vs. who is 91% for the week, but who makes that clutch shot at just the right time to put his team over the top. They all have that game changing capability. Ranking them is really just semantics.

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Calgary
Posts: 612

quote:

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Originally posted by misty1


i think you have to have martin crete in there. the guy doesnt get enoigh credit for how good he is because they dont cash a lot but in the last 2 briers he has been ranked 5th and 4th among 3rds at the end of the week. i think he will be there again at this brier

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Registered: Sep 2011
Location:
Posts: 6002

Well its offical . Adam Casey has won prince edward island. So now if they qualify for the brier that makes things even more interesting.

is it really that hard to imagine 5 losses being enough for something this year? i dont think so. I really do believe this is the deepest field at a brier ever. struggle to think of one with a deeper field

Last edited by misty1 on 02-10-15 at 04:06PM

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Registered: Mar 2014
Location:
Posts: 51

quote:

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Originally posted by misty1
Well its offical . Adam Casey has won prince edward island. So now if they qualify for the brier that makes things even more interesting.

is it really that hard to imagine 5 losses being enough for something this year? i dont think so. I really do believe this is the deepest field at a brier ever. struggle to think of one with a deeper field

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Registered: Dec 2014
Location:
Posts: 7

Look for Team Casey to make some noise, mark my words on it.

After making a mockery of relegation, they're going to have the Calgary crowd on their side which is an added bonus. A very upbeat loud playing team (except Anson unless he's on the Keith's) is going to have the nation won over by Monday afternoon.

Without a doubt this is one of the toughest fields ever assembled. Littered with former Brier, Olympic, World and Grand Slam Champions. However, Team Casey reminds me of a freshman who isn't afraid to punch the school bully (top tier teams) in the mouth and take their lunch money.

Once getting the first major title under their belt, the only thing Team Casey lacks is a receding hair line. It seems to be a prerequisite for "Top Tier" consideration.

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: Kingston, ON
Posts: 210

quote:

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Originally posted by Electric Curler
Look for Team Casey to make some noise, mark my words on it.

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: Kingston, ON
Posts: 210

Gushue is my favourite to win the brier this year, he's got Nichols back and the team has been great so far. Plus the rock needs a brier again.

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Registered: Apr 2009
Location:
Posts: 36

quote:

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Originally posted by Deucey

Tier 1: Jacobs
Tier 2: Koe, Gushue, Morris
Tier 3: Carruthers, Menard, Laycock
Tier 4: Cotter, Kean
Wild Card: Casey

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Calgary
Posts: 612

quote:

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Originally posted by OverAndOut


Like this Field assessment, but as for making the playoffs ...

1. Morris team, while experienced, may not have the chemistry to be in Tier 2 (... aka Team Homan)

2. Don't see Menard in Tier 3. Tier 4 for them (... lightning in a bottle twice, maybe, but not likely)

3. Playoff 'wild card' is Kean ... great demeanor and talent as a skip. Queston mark: Can Brian Cochrane muzzle Scott Howard?

Prediction: A Jacobs-Gushue final. With Gushue finally joining Jack MacDuff.

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