Curling

It's time for the Winter Olympics and that means many people are starring at their televisions trying to understand curling. Sadly, all the curling is on cable. However, thanks be to my mother, I am able to watch it online by using her password for DirecTV. Ha-ha. It's better online, too. Hardly any commercials, and sometimes there is no commentary. I watched the men this afternoon at the gym and it seemed after every shot there was a commercial. It was pretty annoying. Plus I can watch other teams other then the US, such as Canada. Canada is fun to watch Curl. The crowd is so into it. You can be a professional curler in Canada. I am in no way ever going to be a professional Curler, but I sometimes dream of living in a little dinky northern town with a two-sheet club.

It's fun being part of a strange sport that nobody understands. I get lots of questions. My mom called and asked how many ends they play (10). People always ask what's the deal with sweeping. (Physics my friend, physics....sweeping creates friction melting the ice and moving the rock faster and also keeping it from curling, hence, keeping it on the line). And scoring...well the stone closest to the button scores...like Bocci ball.

In curling there are no umpires. You have to be honest. It's a game of etiquette. You shake hands before and after the game. You compliment the opponents good rocks. Afterwards you sit down and have a drink with the opposing team. I love this at the Green Bay Curling Club, because we have a meal Thursday nights. We sit down and drink some Spotted Cow and usually eat something delicious. I am getting to know more people in Green Bay because of this, plus I get to hear all the inside gossip on the Olympic Curling Team (we share ice with the Women).

The other thing I absolutely love about curling is the endless opportunities to say "that's what she said." For example, here are the many things said in curling: "Hard! Hard! Hard!" "Yes! Yes!" "Whoah! Whoah!" "Get it right on the button." "Hurry! Hurry!" "Nice Rocks!"

After the Olympics (the first week in March) many of the Curling Clubs have an open house week. So if you are interested in curling, call up your local club (or google). I took a few people from church curling and they seemed to enjoy it. It's a nice challenge that doesn't require a lot of physical athletic ability. It's more about patience, reading the ice, and strategy.

I am done plugging curling. Time to return to watching the USA play Great Britain.