2020 Brier: The circus shot is in town
Shot of the Brier? More like Brier of the Shot
Where words cannot describe, videos can.
I’ve wanted to throw a newsletter out there for the Brier, but three draws a day really stunts the storylines. I’ve been fascinated by the team from Prince Edward Island skipped by 62-year-old Bryan Cochrane and his old man strength team, and especially enjoyed his games against younger teams such as Alek Bedard’s from Quebec and Jason Gunnlaugson from Manitoba (which was the game leading up to Gunner’s wild double runback above, middle video). Cochrane might be my new spirit animal, both a level of aspiration as well as a terrifying presence we all know too well: the veteran skip that you don’t expect is going to break your heart by the sixth end.
The other storylines were fun and now over: New Brunswick’s plucky team led by James Grattan nearly earned a trip to the championship round, as did the perennial also-rans from the Northwest Territories (one little freeze away, in fact). It’s incredibly fun to watch non-elite teams play against the elites, and hold their own, and sometimes pull off a W.
All of that is over now, not unlike the first round of the March Madness. Now it’s big boy curling. We’re left with eight teams: Team Canada (Koe), Ontario (Epping), NOnt (Jacobs), Manitoba (Gunnlaugson), Saskatchwean (Dunstone), Alberta (Bottcher), Newfoundland (Gushue) and Wild Card (McEwen). In essence, the top eight teams we all saw coming, and no surprises.
If there was one it’s that Northern Ontario is already at 4-3 and probably can’t afford another loss, and must run a frosty gauntlet of Dunstone, Koe, Epping and McEwen. I don’t think they will, but I simultaneously think they will. Expect anything.
I can’t say it enough, but the new Brier format is A-plus and it’s a treasure to consume this much good curling in a week.
The “Patch,” for those not in the know, is the Brier’s bar/mythical lore hangout where stories are created and told for generations. I have never been. It’s on the list for my life. Here’s a video of some of the athletes and their finest Patch memories.
Case in point:
• Spring training is in full swing, and I much don’t care for it, because there are much better sports happening right now. But they’re mic-ing up the players and the baseball reporters are very much here for it.
We’ve been trying to tell you for years! Sharing earnest dialogue is cool and good for sports!