Registered: Feb 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 407

A few months ago, there was considerable discussion on this site about the curling commentators who appear on Canadian television, and their respective shortcomings. I was unable to tell you this at the time, but now that there's not much happening, I thought I might write about it, and maybe give you something to think about, or talk about. By all means, speak up if you think I'm wrong.

As you may remember, the World Women's Championship was held in an unfriendly time zone, and I was unable to watch very much of it. But I did catch part of a game between Norway and Japan. It was televised on EuroSport in the middle of the night (EST) and I saw it on the Internet.

When I joined the broadcast, late in the game, Norway had last rock but trailed by two or three points. Japan had the only rock in the rings, biting the top of the four-foot, on the centre line. Norway had a corner guard on each side of the sheet. Both guards were about halfway between the hog line and the top of the rings, and about 2 feet off the centre line.

The Norwegian skip wanted to tap or freeze to the shot rock, but she couldn't figure out how to get there. No matter which turn she played, there was a guard blocking her path. So she called time-out to talk to her coach.

I don't speak Norwegian, but the conversation was clear from the gestures. The skip was saying, "I want to tap or freeze to the shot rock, but I can't get here with draw weight." And the coach was saying, "Then you have to hit it and try to roll behind one of the guards."

It was an ironic demonstration of how the usual rules of thumb don't always apply. We usually say, "Play corner guards on both sides of the sheet if you need to score three." But in this case it would have been much better for Norway if both their guards had been on the same side of the centre line, especially if they were overlapped. Then they would have had a more inviting target to roll behind.

As I was saying, I joined the broadcast late in the game, and I didn't catch the names of the commentators. But all through the time-out, they were saying, "She needs to tap the shot rock, or else freeze to it." And when the hit and roll was played, they were saying, "No, no, that's not the right call. She should have played to tap it back a bit, or even a freeze would have been good."

At no point did anyone say, "Which turn would you throw? What ice would you take?" The fact that these questions were unanswerable would have provided some insight. But that insight was missing.

I have watched a lot of curling broadcasts over the years, mostly on Canadian television, and I have been very critical of certain Canadian commentators. In particular, I was never a big fan of Don "Lemme Tellya" Duguid.

But -- Lemme Tellya -- I have never heard any curling commentary this stupid on Canadian television. Ever.

It it certainly to be hoped that EuroSport can raise the level of its commentary. But that remains to be seen. In the meantime, it seems to me that if anyone has good reason to complain, it's our European friends.

By all means, speak up if you think I'm wrong.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 2418

It would be interesting to look back and explore early TSN/CBC footage to see if the commentary was as-novice as it appears to be in Europe. After all, they only started doing this a few years ago.
JH

__________________
"Good Sliding"!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 407

If you look in the archives, you will find some stupid moments, to be sure. The CBC announcers in particular had trouble saying the names of the players, and sometimes they would announce the score of an end too soon and get it wrong.

"The sweepers are easing it into the house now, and Skippy draws the four-foot for a single -- no, wait! The rock keeps sliding, and it's gonna be a steal!" Priceless.

TSN has been much better, in general. But nothing can completely prevent stupid moments from happening. TSN's stupid moments were/are stupid in different ways. Somebody makes a mistake, and his partner(s) correct him, and they laugh and carry on.

But this was sustained stupidity. First, both commentators wanted the skip to call a shot that wasn't even there. Then they talked all the way through the timeout without ever grasping what the skip's problem was. And even after the shot was played, they still had no idea.

You could search the whole CBC/TSN curling archive, and I'd buy you three big mugs of your choice of beverage if you found anything close.

As for EuroSport: COME ON guys, you can do better than that!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2015
Location:
Posts: 6

Does anyone know if TSN is planning to cover more than one sheet at all events next year?

I know the Brier was tried this year, but where do things stand for the rest of the national championships?

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged