If you are Canadian, you are distinguished by your love of maple syrup, poutine, hockey and ta-dah, curling!
Eh?
Actually, none of that is 'completely' true. For example, I can stomach maple syrup on a pancake. But nowhere else. Poutine, the gravy-and-cheese curdles-topped French Fries concoction, is simply disgusting. Only ketchup is fitting for the noble pommes frites. Hockey, okay, THAT'S Canadian. And so is curling, to a much larger segment of the populace than you would think.
Actual curling participation is something less than a half-million, between one and two percent of the population. That's impressive. And so are the TV numbers. That's because curling is the 'PERFECT TV' sport, one that I imagine WOULD be for an American population that has been primed by prolonged exposure to poker on TV. And jeez, some of the participants HAVE to inspire viewers to think, "I could do that!"
Others agree. There is actually an outfit prepping Rockstar Curling for potential inclusion on NBC's weekend schedule leading up to the next Winter Olympics in 2010. That's right, the organizers plan to search for non-playing athletes (and wannabe athletes) and put them through 6-9 months of training, in order to play for the right to represent the United States in Vancouver two years hence. And it isn't as wacky as it sounds.
First, you don't have to be a great athlete to play the sport. It helps. And the best curlers in the world are. But it ain't necessary. It's a life-long sport with curlers playing well into their 70's on the senior circuits after playing into their 50's in open competition. Women play women, men play men, except when they play mixed events, which are popular for showing women can play AGAINST men ... and win.
Of course, curling gets most of its notoriety for being amongst the most sociable games on earth. Cricket ain't got nothing on curling for socializing and playing 'by' the rules. That the beer garden at any national championship has more attendees than the stands is not legend, it's fact. Played in ice-cold arenas, the joke is that curling is the only sport you put your beer down and it's colder when you pick it up.
Curling on TV is perfect. Occasional furious action, with lots of time before and after for analysis and predictions. Any oaf can figure it out in ten minutes tops. (The poker comparison). There are audible cues for those who want the game playing in the background. Just wait until you hear somebody yelling "Hurrreeeee, Hurry Hard!!!" Look up, and there's the sliding stone entering the rings, the scoring area. You can reduce a game to about 40 minutes of paying attention if you're starved for time due to other concurrent activities (reading a book?) during the 3-hour game.
The Ontario/Manitoba battle today for the rights to play Alberta in the Women's National final, was a real humdinger. Ontario was represented by Sherry Middaugh, who's hubby Wayne is a local lad, somebody I covered from the time he was a tyke hockey player until about the time he got serious about Curling. He went on to world championships in his chosen sport, I left sports reporting. He ended the day consoling a disappointed better half, as Ontario fought back from several deficits only to lose in an extra end when Sherry couldn't make her final shot.
Not to second guess, but I think she should have gone for the draw rather than the double-takeout. (I am a curling expert, having seen all of five games in person in my life). But that's the allure of watching the game on the tube.
And you know, the ladies might be all bundled up, but there are some very attractive skips out there playing the game. They're all married to other curlers, but no game is perfect.
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