Olympic Excitement

[sbr]

The curling "craze" will be forgotten faster than the earthquake in Haiti was.

[Barrister]

"Did you know that disco record sales were up 400% for the year ending 1976? If these trends continue...ayyyyy!"

[crazy canuck]

How could you grow up in the peace country and never seen curling?   Don't they teach it in school?

Mennonite school--no sports--so no. And I practically never watched TV before I moved down here.

There are no sports at mennonite schools?  Huh - didn't know that.

Neither did I.  One of the most successful High School basketball programs in B.C. is the Mennonite Educational Institute which recruits players.... I mean students from across Canada and the US.

[Barrister]

How could you grow up in the peace country and never seen curling?   Don't they teach it in school?

Mennonite school--no sports--so no. And I practically never watched TV before I moved down here.

There are no sports at mennonite schools?  Huh - didn't know that.

Neither did I.  One of the most successful High School basketball programs in B.C. is the Mennonite Educational Institute which recruits players.... I mean students from across Canada and the US.

Well one thing Mennonites are good at is infighting and division amongst themselves.  So while I know the mennonite towns in Manitoba certainly did play sports, having had some hard core mennonite clients from NW Alberta (where Max is from) it wouldn't surprise me that some schools would ban sports.

[C.C.R.]

Its watching all of those actions that makes it easy to follow the puck.  You can tell where it is and you can anticipate when a scoring chance will occur.  I agree with you.  Perhaps the problem people are having is that they are trying to watch only the puck.

I agree with you, but it's easier to do while watching a game live (where you can look wherever you want) than it is to do while watching on TV (where you're limited to watching where the camera is pointing & the field of the camera's vision).  I don't generally have any trouble following where the puck is at (because that's where the camera is pointing), but sometimes it's hard to see plays developing outside of the camera view when watching a game on TV.

Or something.  At any rate, the onset of digital TV in general & HD specifically has done wonders for watching hockey on TV.  I also gagged at the FoxTraxx puck at the time, but the picture quality of TV 15+ years ago really did make watching hockey a bit harder.  Not that it stopped me...

There is no doubt that the Olympics raised awareness concerning this sport. Lots of people watched it who otherwise would not have.

I knew absolutely noyhing about curling two weeks ago, but since then I've found myself explaining the game to a good half dozen people.  Good stuff...

[crazy canuck]

At any rate, the onset of digital TV in general & HD specifically has done wonders for watching hockey on TV. 

Thats true.  I dont think I could watch any sports on a non HD channel without wincing now that I am used to HD.

[Maximus]

Well one thing Mennonites are good at is infighting and division amongst themselves.  So while I know the mennonite towns in Manitoba certainly did play sports, having had some hard core mennonite clients from NW Alberta (where Max is from) it wouldn't surprise me that some schools would ban sports.

Not to hijack but there are 2 points here.

First, you are absolutely correct, there are many different varieties of Mennonite, but broadly speaking you can divide them into 3 immigration waves. The first coming before the American revolution known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, and the last coming after the Russian Revolution. These last are generally the most liberal and make up the majority of the Abbotsford Mennonites which I guess is what CC is referring to.

Secondly, the rural Manitoba Mennonites are largely from the middle wave, but the public schools will have sports regardless. Those who object to sports will not send their kids to the public schools.

[Barrister]

Hey CCR, are any of these clubs close to you?

http://www.usacurl.org/basics/U.S.%20clubs/illinois.html

And I am amused that thare are more sheets of curling ice in Yukon than the state of Illinois.

[Capetan Mihali]

There's going to be some kind of open house at the regional Philadelphia curling club... the regulars must loathe all these bandwagoneers showing up   ... but then maybe they're just happy for a little attention every now and then...

[Neil]

I have no trouble following the puck.  I am not sure why others do.  I suppose its because I know where to look.

I can follow the puck when it's in the middle of the field.  The problem is that when the goal is scored, the view of the puck is usually obstructed by the goalie and several other players near the goal.  Yes, one of the other cameras will show later in slow motion how the puck went between the goalie's legs, but by then the moment has passed.

Watch for the twine to bulge.

[Grey Fox]

Damn, the curling club around here needs to do an open house too so I can go & finally try this sport out.

[Neil]

Who ever wins the Brier this year is going to feel bad for not doing it last year.

There was a separate olympic qualification process that took place in late 2009.

Yeah.  My parents were in town for two whole weeks for the Roar of the Rings.  Said it was the best vacation they'd had in years.

[Barrister]

There's going to be some kind of open house at the regional Philadelphia curling club... the regulars must loathe all these bandwagoneers showing up   ... but then maybe they're just happy for a little attention every now and then...

Nah - it's always nice to see new curlers.

[Neil]

Fox was trying to sell a game to Americans that many were unfamiliar with.  People who are new to the game have a hard time following the puck.  So make the puck easier to see.

It was a pointless attempt, what with the NHL engaging in self-sabotage.

[Barrister]

Damn, the curling club around here needs to do an open house too so I can go & finally try this sport out.

I can guarantee you they'll have an open house in the fall (the start of the curling season).

I understand why some US clubs would do something now, but really, the curling season is just about over.