Registered: Oct 2006
Location: Ptbo
Posts: 3

The EQ+ head is not the one people are talking about! That is just the regular new material on that BP Lite Speed broom! it's a different head that I am sure is not for sale yet.

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Registered: May 2014
Location: Joliet, IL
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quote:

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Originally posted by Bows
The EQ+ head is not the one people are talking about! That is just the regular new material on that BP Lite Speed broom! it's a different head that I am sure is not for sale yet.

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Registered: May 2014
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Balance Plus fires back with a press release of their own:

http://www.balanceplus.com/press101615.htm

So, Balance Plus claims that they released the "blackhead" pads to stay competitive with other teams also using "directional" pads.

They don't say it outright, but clearly imply Hardline IcePads in their statement. They also clearly are referring to Brad Gushue in regards to the "one sweeper" remarks.

Hardline says their IcePads don't use this fabric and that they're being targeted.

Obviously both parties want to protect their business interests. Hardline also has more to lose here as their whole business is built around the IcePad.

I do know that one thing is for certain, both parties can't be 100% correct here. Their statements contradict one another. Someone, and again I'm not sure who, is either being less-than-truthful or outright lying.

This is getting uglier and uglier.

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Registered: Dec 2012
Location: BC, Ontario (and a few other places too...)
Posts: 268

Yeah, Balance Plus are doing their best to smear Hardline. But if they had an issue with them, why not say something about it previously? Why not the competitive teams? Why do something like this and turn this whole thing into a farce... and lose a great deal of credibility in your argument.

My opinion of BP and those teams have taken a bit hit. Well, I should clarify that I've like BP's equipment, but their customer service has always left a bit a foul taste.

Anyway, if you had an issue with the fabrics being used (and Hardline did run their equipment past Curling Canada... so it's not like they came up with this on their own without running it past the associations), you should have raised it properly.

I find this interesting though:

quote:

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Other teams admitted to using directional heads/faceplates that gave them a considerable advantage for as much as 1.5 years.

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Registered: Sep 2011
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Posts: 6002

The thing is, like i said i get that technology changes will happen and equipment changes will happen. but just because they can be made doesnt mean they should.

you shouldnt be able to manipulate the rock as much as these brushes can.

that just takes technique and skill right out of the equation.and then you also have to consider that if they are able to affect the path of a rock so severely then they are obviously having an impact on the ice.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Phil_D
New column from Don Landry, including video of the Balance Plus "Blackhead" pads in action:

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/e...-174550399.html

This line from the article really stuck out to me:

"The Blackhead broom heads, which BalancePlus claims were crafted in order to prove a point about how far curling technology can go and were never going to get to market..."

So Balance Plus makes a broom head that they know will cause an uproar, just to "prove a point." In the aftermath, Hardline gets roped in with the new Balance Plus head. Coincidence?

I'm really trying to stay objective here, but it's getting harder and harder to do that. Something definitely doesn't smell right.

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Registered: Sep 2011
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Its just really sad that this is what everyone is talking about right now. Its distracting from the game itself

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Registered: Sep 2011
Location: BrockVegas
Posts: 43

quote:

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Originally posted by RockDoc
I'd like to see video o some of these magical shots but if what is claimed is remotely true it is a vindication of the microscratch theory of curl and manufacturers have figured out how to exploit it. Unfortunately, I predicted in an article I wrote for club members about a year ago that this theory could be used to design new sweeping technology.

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Registered: May 2014
Location: Joliet, IL
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quote:

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Originally posted by misty1
Its just really sad that this is what everyone is talking about right now. Its distracting from the game itself

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Registered: Mar 2008
Location: guelph
Posts: 21

I watched the videos released by BP....looks like illegal sweeping is playing a big part here

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Registered: Dec 2012
Location: BC, Ontario (and a few other places too...)
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quote:

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Originally posted by mcderm
I watched the videos released by BP....looks like illegal sweeping is playing a big part here

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location:
Posts: 612

So the top 20+ teams agreed to not use these new broom heads?

I'm looking forward to the passing of the torch as they all drop out of the top twenty and the new teams using these heads leave them in the dust.

Go Team Chad Stevens! I'm rootin' for you Team Grant Dezura! Better get your hands on one of these beauties Team Aaron Sluchinski.... and you too Team Aaron Squires!....

Pro curling is on the cusp of a major change in the game.... and it may not be for the better. Time will tell.

Last edited by johnnysmoke on 10-16-15 at 06:47PM

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Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Brandon
Posts: 1054

from CBC news



http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...rooms-1.3274903

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Registered: Apr 2005
Location:
Posts: 399

quote:

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Originally posted by CoachBrewer


LOL. I blame RockDoc for predicting this. Perhaps BP and their sponsored teams read his club member article...

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Last edited by RockDoc on 10-17-15 at 12:44AM

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Registered: May 2014
Location: Joliet, IL
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Story on CBC's "The National" tonight. Forward to about 21:00:

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/ID/2677212144/

Nothing really new was said by anybody. Just posting in case anyone wanted to see it.

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Registered: May 2014
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New press release from Hardline:

http://hardlinecurlingnews.blogspot...to-players.html

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Registered: Dec 2012
Location: BC, Ontario (and a few other places too...)
Posts: 268

quote:

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Originally posted by fresca
how about another statement from hardline ice pads about what teams were using their "special " brooms the last two years and tell us how they did...

pretty obvious last year they were using corked brooms and had an advantage over the other competitors


mike doesnt qualify in portage btw

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Last edited by JustAnotherHack on 10-18-15 at 06:05PM

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Registered: Feb 2007
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Posts: 631

I want to make a couple points on this topic.

First, I heard some people argue that we should embrace any technological improvements in equipment. For a sport like curling that is simply not the case. Up until recently, technological improvements haven't severely changed the game. Yes, they've improved one's ability to drag a rock, but they haven't changed what one can do to a rock. If a brush can make a rock fall or make it curl more, that is changing the game in a way I don't believe we want to go. Can anyone disagree with that? I also think it is possible that a broom could get to a point of effectiveness that is too high. What if you only needed to throw a rock halfway and it could be brushed to the button? Is that something we want? If shot-making is reduced to using the brooms to make the rock do whatever is intended, I don't see why anyone would really want to watch curling.

With this in mind, can anyone really argue against the idea of having rules for equipment? If it took these blackheads proving a point to force this issue, who can quibble with that? If it can generally be agreed that this one brush should be outlawed, then it is generally agreed that there is a level of brushing effectiveness that goes beyond where the sport ought to go.

So, if we are agreed that there is a line to be drawn for legitimate equipment, the difficult question to answer is where the line is to be drawn here. To properly answer this, yes, there needs to be independent testing, but that takes time. What is to be done in the meantime? Where the line has been drawn may indeed be unfairly affecting Hardline. I will say one thing about this: In the first slam, Brad Gushue clearly felt he could use the IcePad to make the rock curl more. Now, there may be other ways of preventing this (I've heard this has something to do with how new the pad is), the only point I'm trying to make is that there is at least some belief in the "directional" abilities of the IcePad.

Now, one can question the motivations of the other equipment companies, and I'm sure they all have their own best interests at heart. But, I do believe the players who have signed this agreement simply want to have a level playing field to compete in. Again, who can argue with that?

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Registered: Oct 2006
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Posts: 170

quote:

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Originally posted by fresca
how about another statement from hardline ice pads about what teams were using their "special " brooms the last two years and tell us how they did...

pretty obvious last year they were using corked brooms and had an advantage over the other competitors


mike doesnt qualify in portage btw

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Registered: Aug 2014
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Posts: 106

So Laycock, another Hardline flagship team, wins the CanadInns with their broom fabric inside out.

Do you think the Balance Plus / Goldline teams will now issue a public statement and a fishy video requesting that for the integrity of the game Hardline teams be asked to play with snowshoes on and that Steve Laycock stopped using the ''directional hair gel'' he uses that give him an unfair advantage?

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Registered: Sep 2011
Location: BrockVegas
Posts: 43

quote:

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Originally posted by fresca
why did you choose hardline for a sponsor ? financial or you thought it was a superior broom ?

"corked " was kind of a pun for better .. which i assume it is

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Registered: Sep 2002
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 4002

I know for a fact that Curling Canada and the World Curling Federation are taking this very seriously and contemplating their next move. The biggest issue for them is that they can't just implement any kind of serious change without properly testing and going over all considerations.

1. Fabric
2. Inserts in Brushpads
3. How sweeping affects shots

This is not a problem with a simple solution. Hours upon hours of discussion and analysis and there is no great answer yet on where this has to go.

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Registered: Dec 2012
Location: BC, Ontario (and a few other places too...)
Posts: 268

quote:

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Originally posted by Gerry
I know for a fact that Curling Canada and the World Curling Federation are taking this very seriously and contemplating their next move. The biggest issue for them is that they can't just implement any kind of serious change without properly testing and going over all considerations.

1. Fabric
2. Inserts in Brushpads
3. How sweeping affects shots

This is not a problem with a simple solution. Hours upon hours of discussion and analysis and there is no great answer yet on where this has to go.

---

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Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.
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Registered: Feb 2012
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Posts: 324

Gerry, Are CCA and WCF also testing the effects of corn brooms since they are still allowed? And, do WCF rules still allow the older brooms made of Scotch broom? I've seen plenty of pre-1800 curling illustrations with old round brooms with sweepers going hard in the final few feet. Maybe those old curlers knew something about curling stone movement we do not.

FWIW: I was reminded today that old sweeping rules didn't allow sweeping until the rock crossed the far hogline and didn't allow angle sweeping either.

quote:

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Originally posted by Gerry
I know for a fact that Curling Canada and the World Curling Federation are taking this very seriously and contemplating their next move. The biggest issue for them is that they can't just implement any kind of serious change without properly testing and going over all considerations.

1. Fabric
2. Inserts in Brushpads
3. How sweeping affects shots

This is not a problem with a simple solution. Hours upon hours of discussion and analysis and there is no great answer yet on where this has to go.

---

Last edited by Alice on 10-20-15 at 09:18PM

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Registered: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 170

quote:

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Originally posted by fresca
why did you choose hardline for a sponsor ? financial or you thought it was a superior broom ?

"corked " was kind of a pun for better .. which i assume it is

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