Hey Beebs, speaking of curling...

[Pedrito]

Tomorrow the world men's championship will start in Cortina - guess where am I for a fourday of vacation? 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_World_Men%27s_Curling_Championship

I'm looking for suggestions about which teams' games attend during the round robin - and if I'll get my wife interested, i could be able to come back the next weekend for the finals

The teams are:
Sweden France China Germany Japan  Italy Norway Scotland Canada USA Switzerland Denmark

Sweden-Scotland seems interesting, as is Canada-Sweden on monday evening; I'll spare me the embarassment of attending Canada-Italy 

L.

[Barrister]

Sounds like fun.

By all means check out some Italy games - they're the home team, and it's always fun to cheer on your country, even if they are terrible at curling.

The better teams are typically Canada, US, Norway, and maybe Germany and Sweden.  China has essentially pro curlers so they can make some noise as well.

But don't worry about which games to watch - all games are played at the same venue, so there are 4 games going at a time.  You can always switch your focus from one to the other depending on which is more interesting.

That being said, Saturday at 7pm looks good - a little East v West when Italy plays China, plus the classic Canada - US.  And yeah, Monday night also looks good, with Canada-Sweden, Norway-US, and Denmark-Scotland.

[Barrister]

By the way, in case Katmai reads this...

Kat - I met up with some Alaskan curlers last weekend at the Whitehorse International Bonspiel.  This weekend is a big bonspiel in Fairbanks, and the week after is Anchorage's year-end bonspiel.  And it's the same schedule every year.

Anyways - if you really do start curling next year, let me know, because I could definitely be convinced to make the drive for the Anchorage 'spiel.  Either by myself and hook up with a team, or drag a few Yukoners.  It sounds like it would be a fun weekend.   

[Sophie Scholl]

Denmark's women's team!

[katmai]

I would like to try this fall, will have to see how film jobs work out, one this fall might have me in barrow.

[Barrister]

Hey Pedrito - I was watching some of the finals on the weekend.  Did you ever wind up going?

And Kat - apparently there is a curling club in Barrow... 

[frunk]

Speaking of curling, I played this this past week.

[Barrister]

Speaking of curling, I played this this past week.

I've played something similar.  No board, but a set of plastic rings that can be placed on any flat surface.

Only problem is you're missing out on both the curling (the rocks spinning), plus the sweeping.  In the end all you're playing is shuffleboard.

[frunk]

I've played something similar.  No board, but a set of plastic rings that can be placed on any flat surface.

Only problem is you're missing out on both the curling (the rocks spinning), plus the sweeping.  In the end all you're playing is shuffleboard.

Actually you can do the curling, as they do spin and change direction because of it.  The sweeping is missing though.

[Pedrito]

Hey Pedrito - I was watching some of the finals on the weekend.  Did you ever wind up going?

And Kat - apparently there is a curling club in Barrow... 

Too good the weather to close oneself inside an ice rink 

L.

[Barrister]

Hey Pedrito - I was watching some of the finals on the weekend.  Did you ever wind up going?

And Kat - apparently there is a curling club in Barrow... 

Too good the weather to close oneself inside an ice rink 

L.

[Barrister]

This seems like as good a place as any to put this...

Yes, this happened: Canadian curler suspended for doping
Republish ReprintReprintsRepublish OnlineRepublish OfflineSean Fitz-Gerald | 13/07/03 | Last Updated: 13/07/03 12:40 PM ET

So this is probably one of the more unusual headlines you will see on a press release in this, or any, country: "Canadian curler suspended for anti-doping rule violation."

On Wednesday morning, the Canadian Curling Association announced an alternate from the Northern Ontario rink has been suspended from competition for two years after testing positive for a banned substance — Methandienone Metabolites — at the world curling championship earlier this year in Victoria.

Matt Dumontelle, who did not appear in any of the games at the event, has said he will not appeal.

"I take full responsibility for the findings of the positive test at the world championship in Victoria," Dumontelle said in the release. " "I was taking a workout supplement that I believed was safe; clearly, it was not and I regret that decision. I had no intentions of trying to 'beat the system.'"

According to the release, the suspension will not impact Canada's result at the world championship. The Northern Ontario rink, skipped by Brad Jacobs, settled for silver after losing 8-6 to Sweden in the gold medal game. The test in question was administered after that gold-medal game.

"We respect the findings of the tests, and will pursue no further action on behalf of the athlete in question," Canadian Curling Association chief executive Greg Stremlaw said in the release. "In the end, regardless of the circumstance, our athletes are solely responsible for everything that enters their body."

Dumontelle will be suspended from competition until May 6, 2015.

"We have been informed of the positive finding for alternate player Matt Dumontelle, and while we remain friends with Matt, we in no way condone his actions," E.J. Harnden, the second for the Northern Ontario rink, said in the release. "We believe that this is an extremely isolated incident, and in no way should it be a reflection on our team or our sport."

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2013/07/03/yes-this-happened-canadian-curler-suspended-for-doping/

My favourite sport - now all grown up and having doping scandals.  I'm so proud.

[Liep]

Denmark's women's team!

I haven't seen or heard anything about curling since Nagano '98 (Danes rarely, if ever, win medals at winter olympics so it was a big thing), and back then it was this one making headlines:

[Barrister]

NBSCN Announces that Friday Night is Curling Night in America!

(STEVENS POINT, Wis.) -- In conjunction with the World Curling Federation, United States Curling Association, and the United States Olympic Committee, NBC Sports Group and Universal Sports Network will debut Curling Night In America in 2015, combining to present 24 hours of coverage from the inaugural U.S. Curling Grand Prix on NBCSN and Universal Sports Network.

NBCSN begins its Curling Night In America presentations on Friday, Jan. 23, the first of its six Friday night episodes that will air through March. In addition, NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will provide streaming coverage of all Curling Night In America telecasts airing on NBCSN.

Universal Sports Network will premiere Curling Night In America coverage beginning Thursday, Jan. 22, and continue through Friday, March 13.

NBCSN and Universal Sports Network's Curling Night In America telecasts will feature eight international teams, comprised of four men's and four women's teams from top rinks in the United States, China, Japan and New Zealand, competing in the inaugural U.S. Curling Grand Prix. The event took place Dec. 4-6 at the Four Seasons Curling Club, a USA Curling's National Training Center, in Blaine, Minn.

"Curling has one of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports, and has developed a cult following as a result of our Winter Olympics broadcasts," said Gary Quinn, Vice President, Programming. "Just as Wednesday night has become 'Rivalry Night' for our NHL telecasts, and 'Sunday Night is Football Night,' we want viewers saying, 'Friday Night is Curling Night.'"

http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Curling/Features/2015/January/05/Friday-Night-is-Curling-Night-on-NBCSN-beginning-on-Jan-23

[Admiral Yi]

I'm not fully convinced NBCSN actually exists.