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01-10-16 01:56PM |
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tuck
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Dec 2005
Location: St. Thomas, North Dakota
Posts: 2613 |
Good Things
Either there is plenty to be negative about OR the internet is becoming a refuge for only negative opinions. Maybe a touch of both. Here in the USA curling threads, negative opinions are ruling the days and nights.
Time for a slightly more positive thread.
Curling Night In America seems to be vastly improved over last year. The quality of play seems much higher; as do the production values. I'll admit to having missed the first few games, but people are obviously watching (judging from how many text messages and questions I'm receiving at midnight)
There is a BIG opportunity coming to the Jacksonville Nationals. The WCF Coaching program will be there. Any aspiring coach can shadow top coaches and join together for seminars. This is a big deal.
Excitement over Nationals continues to decline due to changes in the World Team Selection process. But this doesn't necessarily need to become a trend. Some good things are happening. Add a few to the list, please.
Ben Tucker
PS Craig Brown both golfed Royal St. Andrews AND cashed in the Perth Masters. That's a pretty good weekend if you don't think golf is horrible...which golf is...totally horrible.
Last edited by tuck on 01-11-16 at 09:00AM
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01-10-16 02:29PM |
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Gerry
CZ Founder
Registered: Sep 2002
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 4002 |
Friday was the first episode of this season's Curling Night in America, so you haven't missed any.
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01-10-16 02:32PM |
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hit-n-roll
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Sep 2002
Location: McFarland, Wisconsin
Posts: 90 |
The Hunter Clawson rink. Wow! Theses are 18 and 19 year old kids. The future is in good hands.
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01-10-16 02:54PM |
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curlky
Drawmaster
Registered: Oct 2013
Location:
Posts: 559 |
Re: Good Things
quote: Originally posted by tuck
Excitement over Nationals continues to decline due to changes in the World Team Selection process.
Tuck, I like what you are trying to do, and I am way too tired of people bashing the HPP. However, this statement is both inflamatory, and lacking any true evidence. It will only further lead to the negative environment.
You want some positive news. Participation in curling in the US is at an all time high. New clubs are being created at a record pace. While not being worthy of consistent medals on the international stages, performances of US teams, both HPP and non-HPP, are showing consistent week to week improvement from the recent past.
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01-10-16 06:46PM |
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peglegg
Hitting Paint
Registered: Mar 2005
Location:
Posts: 101 |
Nothing shows off curling like a draw to the button tie breaker!
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01-10-16 09:39PM |
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chapnlie
Swing Artist
Registered: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 282 |
quote: Originally posted by peglegg
Nothing shows off curling like a draw to the button tie breaker!
Actually, it was a draw to the back 8-foot for the win, since the Japanese skip tossed his draw to the shoes.
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01-11-16 02:27AM |
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rbi
Hitting Paint
Registered: May 2014
Location:
Posts: 143 |
Next week we will see a large turnout of American curlers and curling fans at the Continental Cup. This might be the most exciting and fun curling event on USA soil this year.
I thought Curling Night in America was pretty good. Good competition. Good production values. Had to hold my nose during the draw-to-button, but I imagine the non-curler TV fans probably liked that part of it. Looking forward to the week when they feature mixed doubles and Team "Cute as Kittens".
Also really liked the Jacksonville, FL commercial during the CNIA broadcast. thought it was captivating and showed off all that's good about traveling to Jax for Nationals.
Have to disagree with curlky, though. I don't want to bring negativity to a positivity thread, but Tuck's comment about Nationals was right on.
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01-11-16 08:54AM |
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SkipsWhoSayNi
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: May 2015
Location:
Posts: 30 |
Continental Cup
Another example of what HPP has done to interest in competitive curling in USA.
I have been an avid follower of USA curling and have attended many national championship and world championship games. I always knew when those championships were scheduled. Yet I only just now realized that the Continental Cup is about to begin -- even having seen an earlier CZ post about the draw for the Continental Cup did not make bring this to my attention.
Now I know the USCA does not really care if I follow our Teams or not, but I am still surprised by the lack of interest in these events among USA curlers.
I predict interest in this Cup thing will be a disappointing
Last edited by SkipsWhoSayNi on 01-11-16 at 08:59AM
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01-11-16 10:09AM |
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ChiefIceMinion
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Nov 2012
Location: In the crawlspace
Posts: 83 |
Re: Continental Cup
quote: Originally posted by SkipsWhoSayNi
Another example of what HPP has done to interest in competitive curling in USA.
I have been an avid follower of USA curling and have attended many national championship and world championship games. I always knew when those championships were scheduled. Yet I only just now realized that the Continental Cup is about to begin -- even having seen an earlier CZ post about the draw for the Continental Cup did not make bring this to my attention.
Now I know the USCA does not really care if I follow our Teams or not, but I am still surprised by the lack of interest in these events among USA curlers.
I predict interest in this Cup thing will be a disappointing
I don't think the HPP can be held accountable for interest in the Continental Cup -- the lack of promotion or "visibility" lies with the USCA marketing team, not the HPP. If you didn't know about the event it wasn't the HPP process that did it, it was overall lack of publicity. I do think, though, that for events like CNIA, the Continenal Cup and even Nationals the USCA needs to get better up to speed in mass-marketing to non-curlers if they want to grow the sport.
In local but positive news, the best little two sheeter on the East Coast has just about gotten its ice in (finally) after replacing the ice shed floor this fall.
Chief Ice Minion
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01-11-16 10:15AM |
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Gerry
CZ Founder
Registered: Sep 2002
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 4002 |
Re: Continental Cup
quote: Originally posted by SkipsWhoSayNi
Another example of what HPP has done to interest in competitive curling in USA.
I have been an avid follower of USA curling and have attended many national championship and world championship games. I always knew when those championships were scheduled. Yet I only just now realized that the Continental Cup is about to begin -- even having seen an earlier CZ post about the draw for the Continental Cup did not make bring this to my attention.
Now I know the USCA does not really care if I follow our Teams or not, but I am still surprised by the lack of interest in these events among USA curlers.
I predict interest in this Cup thing will be a disappointing
Have heard the event is pretty much sold out.
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01-11-16 10:33AM |
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SkipsWhoSayNi
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: May 2015
Location:
Posts: 30 |
Exactly Gerry, it was a little sarcasm. See dbsdbs post in the challenge round thread
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01-11-16 11:12AM |
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tuck
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Dec 2005
Location: St. Thomas, North Dakota
Posts: 2613 |
The USCA has very few promotional tools at their disposal with limited funds. They have the website, the Curling News, a twitter feed and some mailings. They will try to use some contests on occasion. To the best of my limited knowledge, they've used every tool in their undersized toolbox to promote events.
We can look right here in Curlingzone.com (Gerry!) for a small piece of the problem and a small part of the solution. USA teams have done some great things this year. Little of it was noted in these threads. We have some strong teams filled with really good people, but this site has been too quiet.
Some of that is my fault.
I continued to step away from curling. I had grown tired of be the cheerleader. I disagreed with many of the decisions and pathways chosen for our game.
That's over. I'm back.
I'll return to being the idiot predicting great things for the future and for the present. I'll be the idiot losing friends by posting odds and predictions.
This site shouldn't be boring; particularly this year. Good things are happening. Great consequences may be on the horizon.
Ben Tucker (when in doubt, blame Gerry...you'll usually be right)
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01-11-16 12:04PM |
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B Anderson
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Feb 2012
Location:
Posts: 39 |
Does this mean your broadcasting retirement is over too!?
-BA
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01-11-16 12:34PM |
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VAcurler
Hitting Paint
Registered: Jan 2012
Location:
Posts: 136 |
quick someone get a plane ticket to FLA before Tuck changes his mind.
want some more good news - from what I've seen the registrations for club playdowns seems to be getting bigger each year. 19 mens teams from the GNCC. We have 5 teams starting next week in Denver. MOPAC always pulls in a bunch of teams. I think this is a good thing.
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01-11-16 01:26PM |
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nom de broom
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Jan 2012
Location:
Posts: 84 |
quote: Originally posted by hit-n-roll
The Hunter Clawson rink. Wow! Theses are 18 and 19 year old kids. The future is in good hands.
Eastie hands. As it should be.
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01-11-16 02:04PM |
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VAcurler
Hitting Paint
Registered: Jan 2012
Location:
Posts: 136 |
How common is it for a junior team to earn their way to nationals?
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01-12-16 06:07PM |
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tuck
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Dec 2005
Location: St. Thomas, North Dakota
Posts: 2613 |
The Big Spiel starts up in St. Paul and Blaine. Great idea and I believe it was off to a great start last year. I hope it continues to thrive. For those looking for a spiel next year, check it out.
As for the Clawson Junior rink earning a spot in Men's: It is not unprecedented, but very rare. More common on the Women's side. The Chris Plys rink did some of that for Nationals/Trials fresh off their Junior World gold.
So does this mean that the Clawson rink is good to an almost unprecedented level OR is the path to Men's grown easier? I'd love to say that it's a bit of both, but the path has grown easier. This is a thread for good things, but the fields in Jacksonville are not good fields.
That being said, the Clawson Junior team earning their way in is a very good sign of things to come.
Ben Tucker
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01-12-16 06:41PM |
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hit-n-roll
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Sep 2002
Location: McFarland, Wisconsin
Posts: 90 |
There will be a ton of youth on the ice in Jacksonville. This is very good and extremely welcome for our sport!
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01-12-16 09:36PM |
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tuck
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Dec 2005
Location: St. Thomas, North Dakota
Posts: 2613 |
Yeah, hit-n-roll, maybe if you didn't spot them a steal of 4 to start the game we'd have one less team that isn't yet of drinking age. Since you never spotted me a steal a 4 back in the day, I blame Wilberg. Not that your team would increase the bar profits for Jacksonville by much...
Listen up, older curlers, beat this young Clawson team and beat them bad. In a couple of years, you won't have a choice in the matter.
Ben Tucker
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01-13-16 09:43AM |
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tuck
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Dec 2005
Location: St. Thomas, North Dakota
Posts: 2613 |
Speaking of good things:
Have you checked out the field going to Arizona for The Wrench Spiel? Amazing.
Throw that on top of what's been done in the US Open and Curl Mesabi and we have some events with the best-of-the-best. Really cool.
Now I'm almost certain that these events came together almost by accident with nobody putting in any effort at all. If I'm wrong and somebody saw an opportunity and worked hard to build these events, thank you very much. (trying to be cute there)
Ben Tucker
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01-13-16 09:59AM |
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Gerry
CZ Founder
Registered: Sep 2002
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 4002 |
quote: Originally posted by tuck
Speaking of good things:
Have you checked out the field going to Arizona for The Wrench Spiel? Amazing.
Throw that on top of what's been done in the US Open and Curl Mesabi and we have some events with the best-of-the-best. Really cool.
Now I'm almost certain that these events came together almost by accident with nobody putting in any effort at all. If I'm wrong and somebody saw an opportunity and worked hard to build these events, thank you very much. (trying to be cute there)
Ben Tucker
These did not happen by accident. Having been involved with my role with the WCT, all three events have done a lot of hard work to get off the ground.
Drove to Arizona to lay the groundwork there, and they took an idea and ran with it!
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01-15-16 11:08PM |
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dbsdbs
Drawmaster
Registered: Feb 2013
Location:
Posts: 812 |
quote: Originally posted by tuck
The Big Spiel starts up in St. Paul and Blaine. Great idea and I believe it was off to a great start last year. I hope it continues to thrive. For those looking for a spiel next year, check it out.
Big Spiel has 96 teams playing at 4 Twin Cities curling clubs -- St Paul, Frogtown, Four Seasons [Blaine] and new club in Chaska. First spiel last January was played at the first 3 clubs listed and Chaska Curling Center opened just in time this year to join the party.
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01-16-16 09:21AM |
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tuck
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Dec 2005
Location: St. Thomas, North Dakota
Posts: 2613 |
Good things!
Ice making!
I went down to Grand Forks yesterday to watch Clubs. That is Staveteig's home club, but he's in Vegas making ice for the C Cup. His sons do the ice back home. Really good ice.
It got me to thinking: Dave and his crew have elevated their art to among the best in the world; if not THE best in the world. Our B team is getting ready for Juniors today and that team, led by Rudy, is very good. We have Q out in Denver and Boo Boo in Blaine and lots of pros and semi-pros. Our club volunteers are getting really good.
Ice making has gone up in quality by leaps and bounds here in the USA.
Ben Tucker
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01-17-16 09:15AM |
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tuck
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Dec 2005
Location: St. Thomas, North Dakota
Posts: 2613 |
For those of you too lazy to find it yourself (thirdnerd), here is the link to The Golden Wrench in Phoenix:
http://www.worldcurl.com/events.php...3950&view=Teams
I'm sure that curlingzone will have the teams up in a couple of days, but now you can take an early look.
Don't bet the home mortgage on McEwen. They are undoubtedly the best in the world for the calendar months 7-12, but from the 1st to 6th months, they're not much better than a Monday Mixed team. (just kidding)
Ben Tucker
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01-22-16 09:49AM |
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biterbar
Drawmaster
Registered: Mar 2009
Location:
Posts: 695 |
quote: Originally posted by tuck
Speaking of good things:
Have you checked out the field going to Arizona for The Wrench Spiel? Amazing.
Throw that on top of what's been done in the US Open and Curl Mesabi and we have some events with the best-of-the-best. Really cool.
Now I'm almost certain that these events came together almost by accident with nobody putting in any effort at all. If I'm wrong and somebody saw an opportunity and worked hard to build these events, thank you very much. (trying to be cute there)
Ben Tucker
Live streaming on YouTube!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYCIW9D1X7M
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