Registered: Mar 2015
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Wayne Middaugh is watching the Ontario Tankard on television this year thanks to a broken leg he suffered while skiing....Midland Mirror... By Mike Dodd

VICTORIA HARBOUR – For as long as Wayne Middaugh can remember, curling has played a big part of his life.
And now the Victoria Harbour father of two finds himself on the shelf as his teammates battle for a provincial championship in Brantford.

Middaugh underwent surgery in January to rebuild his left leg, after fracturing the main bone in four places as the result of a skiing accident.

“It’s hard not to be there,” said Middaugh. “We worked hard to be there, going through the zone and the B final of the regionals.”

“On the other side of the coin, this is life and you can’t live in a bubble,” he said. “I had a bad accident and, unfortunately, I have to miss out.”

Middaugh said the one positive that came out of the accident was the team’s ability to recruit Guelph-area resident Adam Spencer onto the team.

“At the start of the season, when I had to miss a couple of events due to work, Adam came in and did a great job filling in,” said Middaugh. “I’ve known Adam for a long, long time…. The year Scott Howard curled with me, Adam curled as well, and he is just a super, super guy who has worked hard to get to where he is in curling.”

He also noted Spencer has a great attitude and is a team player who is able to get along with everyone.

“I think it is almost destiny to get him to a Brier and this is his way to get there,” said Middaugh.

And if good fortune shines on Team Howard this weekend and they win the 2016 Ontario Tankard, Middaugh knows what his future plans will be, injured leg and all.

“I’m actually looking forward to Glenn winning (the Tankard),” he said. “And I’m going to throw the first opening rock for Team Howard at the Brier – using a stick.”

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Registered: Sep 2011
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it does seem somewhat like destiny that howard will win this. itfl like someone is going to have to come up with something special to beat them here

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Registered: Jan 2011
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Originally posted by Manitoba Legend


If he wins Ontario - especially by sawing thru a good field u

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Registered: Apr 2011
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Howard v Epping from the Page 1 v 2 game, live now:

https://games.curlinggeek.com/broadcast/629

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Registered: Apr 2015
Location: Thunder Bay
Posts: 180

Thanks Curlinggeek.

Epping wins

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Registered: Nov 2013
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Good!

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Toronto
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It's a decent field, the reason you don't see too many juniors is they go with more experienced players or decide to go to school for a few years.

One more game Epping....

__________________
Well Behaved Women Don't Make History.

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Registered: Sep 2011
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got a little lucky. i followed that game and with the way it went, after a slow start howard controlled that game.definitely they were the better team in the 2nd half. constantly had epping under pressure , never giving them a chance to set anything up for a multiple score.glenn let john off the hook in both 6 and 8 when he was looking good to steal. in 9 he missed a draw to the 4 foot for 2 by being light of the rings which...come on, how often do we see that?

im happy epping made the final bit i feel like he got away with one there and if glenn makes it back to the final i got to go with howard.

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Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Canada
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Originally posted by Manitoba Legend


Howard now on 1 leg after encountering shark-infested ice. I'm sure he's praying Harris is fed to him in the semi.

Epping on the precipice of epic!

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Registered: Jan 2011
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Wayne Gretzky SPorts complex is easily the best facility Ive been to that hosted a Ontario Mens tankard.. One thing that was much better compared t o Dorchester was in Dorchester it felt liked you had to walk a good 7 minutes go get to the complex whereas it was a much shorter walk at the WGC.. But in Dorchester you felt like you were closer to the ice compared to Brantford..

The ticket sellers were nice..The security some were a bit ignorant.. In the 3-4 game the time keeper it seemed like they were a good full second to second and a half slow in starting the clock when a shot came to a complete stop.. and to quick to stop the clock when a player was barely out of the hack..

IN the 8th end? The one where Howard could have gotten 4 but got 2.. You could hear the murmur in the crowd as it was becoming clear to the spectators he was going to try it..
Their was more people in attendance for the 1-2 game then I thought their would be from seeing it all week on TV it didn't seem like a well attended tankard my guess is more people attended last years tankard in Dorchester

Epping had control of the game 2/3 of the way thru it but Glenn kinda let the Epping team off the hook with 2 half shots that I can think of in the last 1/3 of the game..

Last edited by Rock Your World on 02-06-16 at 10:43PM

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Registered: Jan 2011
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After the Balsdon/Harris game was over their were a few fans screaming at Mike Harris asking him who was going to work for him tomorrow morning on Sportsnet

And 2 hours after losing a tough game to Epping Scott Howard was in good spirits and was kind and gracious to anyone who approached him to chat with him

Last edited by Rock Your World on 02-06-16 at 10:42PM

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Registered: Oct 2014
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It's Pete Steski - should be entertaining!

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Registered: Sep 2011
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saskatchewan and ontario both low scoring defensive affairs

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Registered: Jan 2011
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Pete Stetski just said Wayne Middaugh is the greatest curler to ever play the game... I didn't watch much curling prior to 2001 so I will have to take Petes word for it.. But has Pete never seen Kevin Martin play?

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Registered: Nov 2012
Location: Toronto
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Stetski misspoke to my mind. What he is talking about really is the deadliest shooter of all-time. My measure for this would be as follows.

Can he throw bombs? I.e. Has to be able to bring the heat as well as anyone. Middaugh and Martin equal.

Consistency. Has to throw around a higher percentage on a regular basis. Martin and Middaugh equal.

Touch. Has to be able to draw to the pin and make the perfect freeze as well as anyone in the game. Middaugh had this skill earlier than Martin in his career but Kevin perfected it by the end.

Another shooter I'd add to the mix is Marc Kennedy. Got all the tools and brings it pretty much every game.

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Registered: Jan 2011
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I consider Olympic trials and Olympics as part of the equation when judging and comparing players and teams.. And Wayne Middaughs record at 3 trials as a skip prevents me froms aying he is the greatest of all time.. And why I have never considered the Ferbey Four to be the greatest of all time Ferbey four never made the playoffs at 3 trials..

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Registered: Nov 2012
Location: Toronto
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Again. Talking about different things. There are a ton of really good shooters that never got on the right team. Adam Spencer is showing us that this Tankard. And no.....before anyone gets their knickers in a twist....I'm not putting him up for greatest ever....lol....He's just a further iteration of the point that I am trying to make.

Martin had the good fortune of being on one of the greatest team of all time. As did Wayne when he played second for Russ and Glenn. And while he and Crackers and Tetley did put together a really good run, it was a pretty short one. They were playing in the era just before hitting the gym was understood to be essential and they only kept up that level for about four years.

Wayne on the other hand continued to shoot the lights out. Though he was now going down swinging instead of winning. Still he was the third winningest Grand Slam skip of all time. And when he hooked up with Glenn they were immediately, again, one of the most successful teams on the circuit. And Wayne was consistently as good as anyone in the game with more weapons than almost anyone.

And while I understand people's desire to glorify the Olympics it is a Highlander kind of event. I.e. "Their can only be one." And again we are talking about a team not a shooter.

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Registered: Nov 2012
Location: Toronto
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By the way. For those of you wondering how Harris could do this well. You're seeing it. As I said earlier. He has long been one of the best skips in Ontario. Not everyone has the liberty to do what Martin and Howard were able to do. I.e. Focus that much time and attention on a sport that isn't exactly lucrative.

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Registered: Nov 2012
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You do realize Hot Docs, I'm talking about Ontario right?

O.K. There's Glenn. Now there's Epping. After that who is there that Harris isn't in the conversation with?

Balsdon? One Brier appearance like Harris. But the rest of his record, he'd be the first to tell you, isn't close.

Frans? Lost a Brier final as Vice with Morris But as skip he has no Slams. I don't even remember him winning a WCT event at skip. Something Harris did quite a lot of.

Deruelle? Higgs? Ferris? Tuck? Bice? Kean? Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope and nope. Ditto Fanset and Dickie.

So if you want to say that Harris isn't one of the best skips out there feel free. Who's going to argue? But what has that got to do with the price of orange juice? If you want to say there are only two good skips (teams really) in Ontario.....o.k. fine you've got a case for that......but IF you want to stick to the point.

Who are among the best skips in Ontario. I.e. Top five.

Then Mike Harris was and remains in that league/conversation.

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Registered: Nov 2012
Location: Toronto
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Nice synopsis of the evolution of the game Fresca.

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Registered: Nov 2012
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Hot Rocks. There is a difference between an assertion and an argument. But as you say....back to the Tankard.

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Registered: Sep 2011
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well..i think glenn has this. think john would have had a better chance against harris and i dont think he'd have beaten glenn in the page without the steal of 2

the start is crucial. epping cant fall behind early.

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Registered: Jan 2006
Location: Peterborough
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Great for Team Howard. Good win but too close. Both teams made some remarkable shots and Harris and team took it down to the last rock in the extra. I'm impressed with his team. Also, thought Stetski did a pretty good job today. I hope Rich Hart is not in too much pain after that very long game. I wish Team Howard good luck this afternoon. They are trying so hard. I think an undefeated team in any RR should go automatically to the final. IMHO

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Registered: Jan 2011
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Semi was a good game between two old style "gentlemen" skips. No slamming of brooms, no f-bombs (at least that I heard) and good sportsmanship by all players. Some of the young guns should take note!

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Registered: Sep 2011
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first time epping has scored 2 on glenn here

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