The song “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” has a hell of a reveal. It’s about someone wanting to be home for Christmas, and for several lines insists that the person will be home, but kicks up dust with “if only in my dreams.” The twist ending has largely faded given that the song is older than Glenn Howard.1
It’s Christmas Eve and it’s time to be positive. It’s a good time. Hopefully we can spend time with family. If we can’t, we’re thinking of them. Calling them. Writing them letters.
Positivity is also a pretty good curling mentality. “I don’t hate it” has become a commonplace reaction to an occurrence or planned shot — it’s not my favorite thing in the world but this might end up being okay. It’s internal rationalizing of a situation that’s not ideal. We can’t control the ice conditions or the stones or the other team’s throws or even our teammates’ throws. Sometimes we can’t even control ourselves. But it’s nice to have a positive outlook.
The positivity of course takes on a very different meaning in the pandemic that I’m sure is going to end one of these weeks! For example, we are positive that USA will not have nationals this year, at least in January as intended. Once again Cedar Rapids will not have the premier American curling event. First it was the derecho, then the prolonged pandemic, and now it’s “the rising number of COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant nationwide.”
The other premier event happening in the continent is Canada’s mixed doubles Olympic trials. Those start in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba next week and there is already one team dropping out due to a positive test2.
But here’s the thing … I’ve heard there have been MANY positive tests among competitive curlers in the past week. Colin Hodgson put the number at over 50. I’m not sure how many of them planned to play in Portage or Cedar Rapids, but I have to imagine it’s not zero. With USA Nats not happening in 2022, we may never know. However, for Canadian Trials, there’s no escaping it.
Positivity can only get you so far. Transparency gets you the rest of the way.
If these events are in question because of active COVID cases, it would be appropriate to say that. We don’t need names. We don’t need to shame anybody. And we don’t often demand answers because curling coverage does not have the fervor or tenacity that other sports get, but this is one of those situations where it’s proper to be totally honest. Concern over rising cases due to the omicron variant is one thing — a solid enough reason. Real positive cases is even more understandable. Just tell us.
We would have a right to be mad. But instead let’s use this as an opportunity to show the world that no matter how tired we are, we aim to do the right thing and protect the curling community at large, leading by example and giving local curling clubs a blueprint for how to move forward in the second half of what we thought was going to be a normal season.
It’s the type of kindness that the season demands. After all, many of us are going to be home for Christmas.
And with that, have a merry one. This will probably be the final newsletter of 2021, but you know how things change. I’m positive of that.
By almost two decades
Kim and Wayne Tuck are one of the cutest power couples in curling. I’m so bummed they won’t be able to compete. Mixed doubles is their jam.