Manitoba Legend
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Registered: Jan 2009
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quote:
Originally posted by Hack Weight
Brendan has as bright of a future as anyone in curling. 29 years old, perfect mechanics and the attitude of someone who would never wear down teammates.
The wild card is an extra safety net. It’ll be difficult for him to ever miss a Brier (virtually impossible if multiple wild cards stick around permanently).
It’s tough to pencil anyone in for Briers though. I wouldn’t be shocked if he won 2 of the next 5. But I also wouldn’t bat an eye if he didn’t win any. Jacobs was 27 when he won in 2013. Gushue went his whole career without winning before his recent bonanza. At these top events, it’s reduced to what’s essentially a coin flip among the top 4 teams or so. He was an angle run back miss away from not making the final this year.
For the next year or so Bottcher's primary tormentor will be none other than Kevin Koe. Koe will no doubt nab the Alberta spot next season, unless Harty suddenly develops super-powers.
After 2022, Koe will be around 48 yrs old, Benny is ageing rapidly and who knows whether Johnny Mo will want to continue playing 2nd in his mid 40s?
Dunstone might very well be the next primary medal combatant as his team is starting to feel its oats, especially if Duke Muyres continues to play with him. Muyres would normally field his own Sask'n team and try to overthrow Dunstone - but can't find enough super curlers to get the job done!
Interested to see if Epping stays with Fry or brings another super-curler aboard to replace Fry. Also, can't rule out a Jacobs-Epping merger where Epping plays out of Northern Ontario, either skipping or playing 3rd for Brad Jacobs.
Don't know if 59 yr old Ol' Glennie & 54 yr old Wayner Middaugh continue their journey together. Thats a really old back end. Where does Gomer play? Who gets dropped from the lineup?
Gushue is still viable although he took a massive dump last week in Calgary. After Bottcher, Brad has the best on-ice demeanor, the best curling mind and usually spectacular rock placement few can match.
Don't know about anyone else in the hopper. Jacques Gauthier was a very good junior 3rd. Don't think he can step into a major role with a Top 3 team right now. Maybe with a Top 12 team like Gunner or McEwen - who both turned out to be duds in the end.
Gauthier might be better to field his own squad of graduated super-juniors and make a play on the Big2 Manitoba teams, take his lumps for a year or two but come into his own at 25/26.
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CurlingZone > Chat Forums > General Curling Chat > Rock Talk > Forecast *BRIGHT* for Brendan Bottcher
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