Registered: Feb 2013
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 97

Is it just me or is anyone else a little alarmed or concerned about the way todays sweepers are “carving” stones”.Did we just not go through this delema with illegal material on brushes which steered running rocks and consequently was banned.
Just how effective is “carving”? If the sweepers are in fact altering the path of rocks why is this being ignored. What am I missing here.🤓


Two things can happen..one is bad

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: In the House
Posts: 608

I agree.
Carving seems to have been accepted as being part of the skill set of the game now, unfortunately. They even openly discuss planning to carve before the shot is made.

It's true that just a few years ago, this method of 'steering' a stone, and thus salvaging a poor throw, was very much frowned upon.
Unfortunately, the standard for what is acceptable has been lowered.

I understand that everything evolves... but there has been too much change in curling over the past few years. From the brushing to the rule changes... Too many people simply want to selfishly 'leave their mark' on the game - a game that was fine before these changes.

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Registered: Nov 2008
Location:
Posts: 40

1. The impact is nowhere near what it was before equipment was regulated and standardized for competition. Not even remotely close.

2. If you're allowed to sweep to hold a rock straight, why is it inappropriate to sweep to help it curl? The ability some players have to keep a rock straight should be just as troubling in theory.

Players were "finishing" draws behind guards for years before the potential of directional sweeping was fully uncovered; it just didn't stand out because it was done with acceptable materials and well after the stone had already breached it's breaking point. That was directional sweeping, or carving, just over a smaller distance.

Equipment has been regulated - which was needed and has been very effective. That's a good form of regulation.

Beyond that, sweeping is a skill and always has been. No need to punish more effective players as long as it's a level playing field.

And wow would you even police "carving"? Write a rule that "you can't do that"? Opposition gets to decide "your sweeping was too good, remove the stone from play"?

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Registered: Jan 2011
Location:
Posts: 1962

Carving has become the flavor of the year. IMO, many women are ineffective trying to "carve". Hebert and most men have the strength to carve effectively. As sexist as it may be, the women can't. Watch some of the front ends and they do not even have their brooms on the right path/side. I would guess that even best so called carvers cannot alter the path of a poorly thrown rock by more than 10%.

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Registered: Feb 2011
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 1418

quote:

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Originally posted by decade
Carving has become the flavor of the year. IMO, many women are ineffective trying to "carve". Hebert and most men have the strength to carve effectively. As sexist as it may be, the women can't. Watch some of the front ends and they do not even have their brooms on the right path/side. I would guess that even best so called carvers cannot alter the path of a poorly thrown rock by more than 10%.

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Registered: Feb 2013
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 97

quote:

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Originally posted by bpm
1. The impact is nowhere near what it was before equipment was regulated and standardized for competition. Not even remotely close.

2. If you're allowed to sweep to hold a rock straight, why is it inappropriate to sweep to help it curl? The ability some players have to keep a rock straight should be just as troubling in theory.

Players were "finishing" draws behind guards for years before the potential of directional sweeping was fully uncovered; it just didn't stand out because it was done with acceptable materials and well after the stone had already breached it's breaking point. That was directional sweeping, or carving, just over a smaller distance.

Equipment has been regulated - which was needed and has been very effective. That's a good form of regulation.

Beyond that, sweeping is a skill and always has been. No need to punish more effective players as long as it's a level playing field.

And wow would you even police "carving"? Write a rule that "you can't do that"? Opposition gets to decide "your sweeping was too good, remove the stone from play"?

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Registered: Oct 2019
Location:
Posts: 1523

quote:

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Originally posted by Prawnpuller
Whatever happened to sweeping/brushing across the face of the rock only?

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Last edited by curlingclips on 03-28-22 at 05:50PM

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Registered: Jan 2011
Location: Southern Sask.
Posts: 364

I agree with the posts about the effectiveness of carving compared to a few years ago. It is not even close to what they used to do. Sure some of the more effective sweepers can do it better than others but that has always been the case with sweeping. As long as the result of the shot is based considerably more on the release of the stone and then judging weight/line I am okay with a bit of manipulating. And yes when Val and Kerry were throwing so many shots wide and heavy near the end of their games against Korea, they tried carving right away but could not make much difference. Unfortunately I don't think even Gushue's or Mouat's front end could have either.

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Registered: Feb 2013
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 97

I would like to think that todays carving has minimal effect and agree some of the guys(like say Ben Hebert) would have more.The guys are just stronger and therefore could make carving more effective.
I just hope that it does not evolve any more..to me it seems headed that way...If you miss the broom by 6 inches you should not be rewarded by brushing to bale you out.Just saying.

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Registered: Mar 2013
Location:
Posts: 1875

quote:

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Originally posted by Prawnpuller
I would like to think that todays carving has minimal effect and agree some of the guys(like say Ben Hebert) would have more.The guys are just stronger and therefore could make carving more effective.
I just hope that it does not evolve any more..to me it seems headed that way...If you miss the broom by 6 inches you should not be rewarded by brushing to bale you out.Just saying.

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