Registered: Mar 2019
Location:
Posts: 659

TSN should have Cathy helping the play by play instead of just doing updates. She is good announcer and brings some front end perspective and a sense of humor that is lacking in the usual 3. Of course asking TSN to change the same old same old broadcast that they've been doing for decades is a tall order. If Cheryl tests positive they will probably have just Vic announcing with Cathy still doing updates.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2021
Location:
Posts: 587

quote:

---

Originally posted by hogged again
TSN should have Cathy helping the play by play instead of just doing updates. She is good announcer and brings some front end perspective and a sense of humor that is lacking in the usual 3. Of course asking TSN to change the same old same old broadcast that they've been doing for decades is a tall order. If Cheryl tests positive they will probably have just Vic announcing with Cathy still doing updates.

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Oct 2019
Location:
Posts: 1523

I'd like to see a bonus secondary broadcast, maybe a behind-the-scenes webstream, of the update bench during a session. They occasionally show Gauthier watching 4 games on multiple monitors with all sorts of control buttons, presumably to control cameras and mics.

I'm under the impression that Gauthier has full director power to focus on whatever she wants, as opposed to the main announcers who has an actual program director making those decisions for them.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2017
Location:
Posts: 202

This tournament feels like amateur hour in comparison to past national championships. The coverage sorely misses Russ and some ambient crowd noise. Not having Jones/Homan there isn't helping either. The star power is absent, and I don't see anyone jumping up to fill the void.

I'm also not liking this format. We don't need 18 teams when only five of them could realistically win. The field is diluted. You can't even get all of these teams on TV. Including three teams from the territories is still a joke. Three wild card teams is excessive too, unless you are acknowledging that the provincial playdown system is a poor way of selecting participants. They are much, much better curlers then I could ever be, but we're talking about a national title here. They shouldn't be flashing open hits, missing the eight foot, or struggling to sweep end to end.

I used to love this tournament, but coming after the Olympic Trials, this obviously pales in comparison.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2021
Location:
Posts: 587

The biggest issue is the quality of play. The women's trials was arguably the worst played national women's tournament in a couple decades; only one team played well and they lost the final. Now we're seeing the same thing. Curling Canada is focused on Beijing but there's a 5 alarm fire in the women's game back here at home.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2019
Location:
Posts: 659

Lotta steals so far, guess that's to be expected in opening games before players get comfortable. Shocking misses by Walker to give away the game. Einarson team head and shoulders above everyone else in terms of communication, if I'm coach of a young team I'd have them watch how TCanada go about their business.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2011
Location: Quesnel
Posts: 420

Not sure how to rate Zacharias. Will be interesting to watch them. They could be very good.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2011
Location:
Posts: 1962

quote:

---

Originally posted by oliviertoisel


They might be on track for one of the biggest front/back season differences in history. This was the risk, though, of not having your actual team for the opening. Crawford is one of those teams that usually needs to warm up but they came out fairly strong and a hobbled Fleury couldn't match it. Hopefully Fleury is back tonight because their night game against Barker could go the same way: Barker is more than capable of putting a great game together and beating a 75% Fleury team.

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2011
Location:
Posts: 1962

quote:

---

Originally posted by EPMD
This tournament feels like amateur hour in comparison to past national championships. The coverage sorely misses Russ and some ambient crowd noise. Not having Jones/Homan there isn't helping either. The star power is absent, and I don't see anyone jumping up to fill the void.

I'm also not liking this format. We don't need 18 teams when only five of them could realistically win. The field is diluted. You can't even get all of these teams on TV. Including three teams from the territories is still a joke. Three wild card teams is excessive too, unless you are acknowledging that the provincial playdown system is a poor way of selecting participants. They are much, much better curlers then I could ever be, but we're talking about a national title here. They shouldn't be flashing open hits, missing the eight foot, or struggling to sweep end to end.

I used to love this tournament, but coming after the Olympic Trials, this obviously pales in comparison.

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2018
Location:
Posts: 699

I'm perfectly fine with the addition of each territory having an entry, they're as much of part of Canasda as say, Manitoba, and talent has come out of the NWT (Koe siblings).

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Oct 2019
Location:
Posts: 1523

I'd like to hear an explanation for Northern Ontario in Scotties/Brier, though. I'm not Canadian, but from what I understand, there is no such thing as a Northern Ontario province. And yet somehow there's a Northern Ontario team in Scotties/Brier.

What makes Ontario special? Why can't other provinces have two or more teams based on geography? Online sources say that Quebec and British Columbia are larger than Ontario, so why don't they get more than two teams?

Manitoba and Alberta are smaller than Ontario, but arguably have more depth in curling. Why aren't they split into West/East or North/South?

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2021
Location:
Posts: 587

History and mainly population. Ontario has over 1/3 the Canadian population and almost double that of second place Quebec. But I think in terms of curlers it isn’t justified. The Scottie’s didn’t have it until recently either and then it was a carry over from the Brier (while Team Canada went to the Brier).

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2668

Good grief the “top teams” all seem to be struggling. While Team Fleury is missing their skip, the rest should be much better than that. I suppose a lack of events has hurt these teams. Even. NU is keeping it close with Team Carey.

__________________
Well Behaved Women Don't Make History.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2013
Location:
Posts: 1875

Just curious. Watching flames game with 10000 fans in AB. Most fans no masks or half masks below their nose, including coaches. Yet zero in Ontario. WTF. And elsewhere. Who’s right. Who’s wrong. Is anybody wrong. You’re going to be exposed. You’re going to catch it. 2 vax + booster odds are you won’t die. Sick maybe. Hospitalized unlikely. Trump called Ontario, Johnny hockey still scored.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2668

quote:

---

Originally posted by IN-OFF-FOR-2
Just curious. Watching flames game with 10000 fans in AB. Most fans no masks or half masks below their nose, including coaches. Yet zero in Ontario. WTF. And elsewhere. Who’s right. Who’s wrong. Is anybody wrong. You’re going to be exposed. You’re going to catch it. 2 vax + booster odds are you won’t die. Sick maybe. Hospitalized unlikely. Trump called Ontario, Johnny hockey still scored.

---

__________________
Well Behaved Women Don't Make History.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2020
Location:
Posts: 156

quote:

---

Originally posted by IN-OFF-FOR-2
Just curious. Watching flames game with 10000 fans in AB. Most fans no masks or half masks below their nose, including coaches. Yet zero in Ontario. WTF. And elsewhere. Who’s right. Who’s wrong. Is anybody wrong. You’re going to be exposed. You’re going to catch it. 2 vax + booster odds are you won’t die. Sick maybe. Hospitalized unlikely. Trump called Ontario, Johnny hockey still scored.

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2011
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 1418

quote:

---

Originally posted by Maggie


Hospitalizations for Covid are at a record high in Hellberta. People still dying from it on the daily. Down play it if you will but going about to sporting events maskless is playing Russian roulette.

---

__________________
It’s me!

Last edited by guido on 01-30-22 at 10:26AM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2011
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 1418

Double tap

__________________
It’s me!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2020
Location:
Posts: 156

quote:

---

Originally posted by guido


Cherry picking just a bit Maggie?
4 waves of hospitalizations / cases
900/20000
700/24000
1100/ 20000
1400/ 71000

Icu
150
180
260
110

You might say hospitalizations are at a record low compared to active cases.


Alberta is doing very well percentage wise. And the total active cases are coming down rapidly. Right now 40000ish.
Alberta govt is using the current numbers to allow spectators.
So is Ontario.
Curling Canada??????????

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2021
Location:
Posts: 587

I'm not sure what the raw numbers and %s relative to cases matter. At this juncture it's simple: is there hospital capacity? In Ontario the answer is no (compounded by staff leave/shortages). I doubt Thunder Bay Regional is enthusiastic about a spike in case.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2011
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 1418

All this info can be found on all provincial govt websites. Takes about a 30 second google session.
Ontario hospitalizations for Covid are down 25% in the last 10 days. Yes, they have lots of capacity.
Alberta is trending down and when they report tomorrow, I suspect hospitalizations will begin to trend down as they were about 10 days behind Ontarios wave.

The provincial government’s don’t make these decisions on a whim. The numbers support them.
Again, Curling Canada knows better??????

__________________
It’s me!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2011
Location:
Posts: 1962

quote:

---

Originally posted by guido
All this info can be found on all provincial govt websites. Takes about a 30 second google session.
Ontario hospitalizations for Covid are down 25% in the last 10 days. Yes, they have lots of capacity.
Alberta is trending down and when they report tomorrow, I suspect hospitalizations will begin to trend down as they were about 10 days behind Ontarios wave.

The provincial government’s don’t make these decisions on a whim. The numbers support them.
Again, Curling Canada knows better??????

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Twin Snowbanks
Posts: 2068

I check for Scotties stuff here. Seems every thread is getting hijacked by covid stuff. Can there be a thread, just for that? Asking for a friend? One comment about a covid case in the event thread, then move over for policy, societal behavior stuff? LeSigh.
What a barn burner Miskew/ Njegovan. Is it the ice or the absent skippers?

__________________
Lots of major youth (<21) events. Nice for Murdoch... and us :-D.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2020
Location: Ohio
Posts: 167

Watching the favorites stumble and watching someone like Andrea Crawford beat Fleury/Njegovan and Homan/Miskew, and now Birt and PEI - makes even more sure that just appointing the biggest name team to the Olympic doubles spot was a questionable decision.

You know, usually when a lower ranked team rips off to the top of the pool early, they just got lucky scheduled - but I don't think NB had lucky scheduled. They've still got Carey, McCarville, Barker and Hill left to play... which is not a cakewalk but is certainly the easier half of the schedule.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2021
Location:
Posts: 587

quote:

---

Originally posted by nelski
I check for Scotties stuff here. Seems every thread is getting hijacked by covid stuff. Can there be a thread, just for that? Asking for a friend? One comment about a covid case in the event thread, then move over for policy, societal behavior stuff? LeSigh.
What a barn burner Miskew/ Njegovan. Is it the ice or the absent skippers?

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged