S1E8 - Our Second Very Special Guest

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Extra Ends, a curling podcast with Chris, Norm, and sometimes Rob.
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Hello, everyone, and welcome to episode eight of Extra Ends, a Curling Podcast.
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I am one of your three wonderful hosts, member of the Royal Canadian Curling Club, Chris Rouget.
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And I am here with fellow member, fellow curler Kevin McDonald.
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Hey, Norm here.
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And fellow member, fellow curler Rob Ainsley.
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Hey there.
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So, guys, are you having a good week this week or is it getting really crazy for all of y'all?
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It's very busy for me with uh work going on.
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So uh fun, fun times around.
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Well, it is Halloween, so I'm gonna ask you each of you a quick question, and that is what in curling scares you?
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An outturn hit very just off center line.
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That's what scares me.
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Thank you.
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Is that what you meant?
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That's all right.
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Mine's an intern hit against the wall.
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Fair.
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Mine's a double run back to try and open up a shot for my last one.
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Ooh.
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Those are some scary things.
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Ladies and gentlemen, please remember to like and subscribe our amazing podcast.
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And if you want, comment in the comment section of wherever you're listening to this about what in curling scares you.
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Anyways, on to our show this week.
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There are 75 days to go until curling week in Canada.
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So we're really excited for this.
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We're coming down almost the home stretch now, like just over two months to go until curling day in Canada.
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And you're starting to see this across the curling world.
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Provinces are starting to dig in, their tours are starting to focus more and more on those regional events, on those tour events, on those events that lead to a provincial final.
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So we're really pumped.
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There's only 75 days to go uh until Curling Week in Canada.
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And I encourage you, if you don't know what we're talking about with Curling Week in Canada, listen to some of our previous pods.
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We go into great detail.
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On the agenda this week, on the agenda this week, we have a quick review of the Henderson Metal Fall Classic presented by Coyote Tractors of Ontario.
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Uh that completed just this past weekend.
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And then we also have our second very special guest.
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So without further ado, let's get into it.
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Kevin, I understand that you uh you were paying attention to the Henderson Metal Fall Classic presented by Coyote Tractors this weekend.
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Held in the great uh Sault Ste.
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Marie area.
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I can't remember the name of the club.
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It is one of those clubs that I think is doing something that other curling clubs should consider.
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And instead of just being called the name, they have sold the naming rights to a sponsor.
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And they have then subsequently changed the name of the club.
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It was called Your Northern Credit Union at one point in time.
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And I believe it now has a new sponsor, so I can't remember the name.
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But that is an interesting money-making idea that clubs could consider.
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Uh, but beyond that, uh watching it, I think, Chris, you uh rightfully pointed out, or may not have pointed out, that uh John Epping uh came out as the winner against a very, very star-studded field that was at this event.
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Um, I believe it had, I think it was next to the slam, probably the the best collection of male curler teams, both in this country and others, at it.
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And it had some very, very excellent games.
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It was interesting that they played from Wednesday to Saturday.
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So it was very weird on Sunday tuning in and not really seeing any of the games.
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I don't know, Chris, if you like woke up Sunday and going, Hold on, why is there no curling on?
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You I think we got used to that, right?
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So very much got used to it.
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Yeah, and so you're like, oh no, I feel I I now I have to watch football.
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This is terrible.
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But nonetheless, for our I understand your team, yeah, the team the Bears.
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Good work.
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Um, so nonetheless, so I think I think that was a very interesting thing.
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I think the biggest thing from a um another spectating item was they had enough volunteers that they timed every game, and that was something that I think a lot of tour events do not typically do because you need a person per sheet, and so they had sometimes up to six people and they were doing the timing for that.
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And I think that changed how the game was played to a certain extent, and found that very fascinating.
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As well, I think this is viewed as one of the top events on tour for the teams, uh, for a couple reasons.
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One is I think it's the highest prize money again, next to the slam.
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So it draws a lot of the higher end teams into it, and because the higher end teams are in it, other higher end teams go in in order to garner the points necessary.
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And then I think the other thing, and this is what I've heard from the players, they said this is something fascinating.
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It is an eight-sheet club, and they put, because of the number of people that are there to come and watch this, they put stands out on some of the unused sheets.
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And so the stands are right there and they're right next to the curlers, which I mean that's no different than any of the arenas, but it's different for a curling club.
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And then as the event goes along and they start hitting the playoffs, the stands start getting closer and closer and closer to the sheets, and they literally go in each night or between draws or whatever it happens to be and move the stands closer.
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So I think that's something that the players have commented on as something they really like.
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So those were some of the fascinating uh factors and facts that uh off the top of my head, because I didn't write any of these down that I came up with, but I think it was some excellent curling that I watched, and it was uh spectacular that they frequently had, because it was the only event going on, they frequently had two feature games uh with commentary on it on uh YouTube as well as steady cams of the other sheets.
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So you could watch any sheet you wanted, which for those of us curling degenerates, we really enjoyed.
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So I don't know, Chris.
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Have you had anything more to add to that?
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I I have nothing to add.
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I think you covered it well.
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Uh, once again, the fact that John uh did so well against such a stacked field once again proves that right now the curling world is just about anybody's game.
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Anyone can win any event.
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Uh, because John's team has taken off.
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Now they're doing really well and they're going into that next slam strong.
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So I I think that's excellent.
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And then on the stands, I I just I think we should make this like the NBA.
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Like take it right to right to courtside, right to why not?
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You know, it's so it's so close that you know, that hit along the wall might you gotta watch the fans' toes that they might be a little close to it.
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Um let's go.
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Let's let's see what happens.
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And you know, maybe if somebody accidentally falls into the stands, there'll be some good TV.
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But uh that's that's what I think about the event, and it it was great.
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Um, Rob, did you have any thoughts or comments?
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I mean, I I think the stands thing is awesome.
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I'd eventually love to see somebody get a pick off of uh Fallen Hot Dog, you know.
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Why not, right?
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And I think uh I had one final thing, Chris.
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I think with that, we always look each week kind of at who are the top teams in uh Canada vying for that final wild card spot for the Briar, uh, depending upon how they do in their um uh representative play downs.
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But with that big win at that major spiel, Team Epping is now first year to date overall in uh in the standing.
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So I think that's a big deal for them that they uh leapt over um uh team favorite and and very special guest, Brendan Botcher's team, uh, who is now uh third.
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Team Dunstone is in the middle there.
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Um he already has a spot, having won the Briar last year.
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So uh we'll just continue to track those standings, especially as we go through the next set of slams that are coming up.
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Now, does the curling Canada last RT C RTS spot is it going to for points on year to date or the two-year rolling point count?
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It's an excellent question.
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I should know the answer.
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My guess is year to date.
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Okay.
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That's so that you're those year-to-date numbers are going to be essential.
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Yes, absolutely.
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Extra ends, a curling podcast, is not sponsored by Jillies at the corner of Queen and Broadview in Toronto.
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And they are not a sponsor because, well, if you know, you know.
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This week we What do you know?
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Chris, what do you know?
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I don't know.
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If you know, you know, Kevin.
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If you know, you know.
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Oh, okay.
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I'll take your word for it.
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This week we are very, very excited to introduce our second very special guest on Extra Ends.
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Good evening or afternoon or daytime to everybody, whatever time of day it is that you're listening to your podcast.
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Uh, this is Kevin A.K.
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Norm, and I have here with me a wonderful special guest here today that uh has blessed us with a presence.
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We have all the way from Newfoundland to Labrador, uh, from the great city of St.
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John's, we have Greg Smith with us today.
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Hello, Greg.
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How are you doing?
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I'm greatly blessed and highly favored.
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How are you doing?
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Excellent, thank you very much.
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Uh, I think we had to always ask and start out with our fun first question.
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Is this what's your favorite bar on George Street?
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Oh my gosh.
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Um, I think I'm one of five jazz aficionados in Newfoundland and Labrador.
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Uh I mean, like you're coming here to hear D Lee.
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Um, you know, all the Irish Newfoundland stuff.
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Um I would see the black sheep, but I mean I like all of them.
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I mean, because I actually enjoy a libation now and then if you know me, no, really.
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I didn't know that about you yet.
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Yeah, I I I enjoy a few of them.
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Um I'm a jazz lover, so I will probably see the black sheep.
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Excellent, thank you.
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Uh Rob's Rob has a couple of questions he wants to start out and ask you, and then I have a couple more that I'll go into.
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So go ahead, Rob.
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Well, thanks for passing me the mic, Kevin.
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And I mean, you did bring up jazz there, Greg.
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I remember at Curl from Kids you did an incredible jazz karaoke.
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Uh it was mind-blowing.
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Uh for anybody that gets Greg on a mic for karaoke, request the jazz.
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Yeah, or Private Dancer by Tina Turner, because that's also that's also something that I like.
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If there's a song I'm gonna do that's gonna turn the place up, it is gonna be that.
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It's not gonna be the very best of Jina Crawl, it'll be Private Dancer, but both are good, both are great.
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And Greg, I don't think you even need the screen to do Private Dancer by now, right?
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Like you can just do it.
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There's no there is there is no screen, and I have the whole thing in my brain pre-recorded of how I'm going to move the body, when I'm gonna fling out my amex, when she says amex.
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I I know what I'm doing from oh you oh you have all the props and everything.
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Okay, listen, you gotta be ready.
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Oh, I know.
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You know, yeah.
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So Greg, I'm gonna take you into I think um maybe uh thought a very thoughtful question here.
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Uh oh geez.
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So you've been to the Briar a couple times now.
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Yeah.
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Does achieving that honorary milestone change anything in your competitive drive as a player?
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No, no, no.
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So, like, do you you feel as driven or more driven now that you've been there to get there again?
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Uh 100%.
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I mean, I don't know.
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Like it might sound a little bit wild to say, but I don't know.
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I assumed with the work that I put into the sport that I would have been there a couple of times by now.
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And I was there twice, so which I guess is a couple.
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Um, you know, um, I would have liked to be there more.
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I thought I I I genuinely, if you asked me, I would have thought I would have been there more.
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Um whether it was illness, we all hope, don't we?
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Yeah.
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We all hope.
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You are a fan favorite.
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Uh yeah, I know, but I gotta be my favorite, don't I?
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Um you know, yeah.
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So, you know, whether it was losing the last couple of finals or or there was a year that I was actually sick and I had to pull myself from the event, which was agony.
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Uh, I would have thought I would have been in the When was that?
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I don't think I remember hearing about that.
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I thought I knew when you're yeah, you would have thought 2025, uh 10 I had two years ago or a year, uh two seasons ago, yeah.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Yeah.
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And the worst I ever had it.
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I almost thought I was gonna be hospitalized.
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I lost 10 pounds in four days.
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Uh, and I slept 16 hours for five days, and fever of like 103 point something.
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It was it was it was pretty wacky, and that obviously would be Fahrenheit, Celsius.
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I would have been deprived.
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Right, yes, absolutely.
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Yes, uh, but um yeah, it was it was pretty bad.
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But you know, yeah, so going there, awesome, right?
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Going there really early in my career, awesome.
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Um does it drive you to get back there a hundred thousand percent.
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Do you want to go back and do better?
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100,000 percent.
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Um, but I don't think people realize that, like you know, Newfoundland Labrador isn't the free space on the bingo card.
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There's actually some talent here, and um, it's not as easy as some might reckon that it would be to represent.
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And I think there's been a few imports uh that we probably agree with that.
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And and can you speak to that, Rob?
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This was one of the questions I think I I was looking for.
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Is most of the people listening uh to what we're doing here, um, Greg, are we mostly Ontario based because we're going word of mouth and talking to many people we know, but not maybe not everybody knows all the work that it takes for uh getting out of other provinces.
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So can you uh like explain a bit about how what it takes to get to the provincials and then just a bit about the field at provincials and and like the quality of the teams and and just overall what it takes in your mind to uh win the new Labrador tanker?
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Yeah, uh I think the first thing I would say is that it's not the most uh the provincial's always at the REMAC Center, which is St.
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John's Curling Club, which unfortunately, I from my knowledge, the Metropolitan St.
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John's, 250 plus thousand people, has the least amount of ice access in the nation.
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And like there's only six sheets of ice.
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The Bally Haley where I used to work and on the curling is gone.
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So there's not a lot of ice access, which means that it's really overused.
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So I'd say the first thing is that you're not playing on a surface that is uh really it's good, don't get me wrong, and it can be really good, but it's not the quality that it used to be because it's overused.
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So whenever you see that, obviously I think it makes those kind of wild card games where like you see like that middle-of-the-tier team beating the top team happen more often.
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Yeah.
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Um, not saying it's happened to us because it hasn't, but it's happened to some of the other top uh topper, you know, top tier teams from Newfoundland Laborator, uh, you know, because that's just the nature of the game.
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So we're not playing on, you know, we're not playing on as Russ Howard was saying straight ice.
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I would say the ice is kind of shaped like a W plateau, yeah.
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Um and lightning quick, like 15-5, but depends, you know, a lot on how the surface is.
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Quality of teams, yeah.
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Um, I think this year is the least I've seen teams in Newfoundland Laboratory travel.
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Uh so I think truly it's really ourselves and Simon Perry, and maybe Joel Kratz is doing one or two.
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Um maybe Stephen Trickett.
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But the the field is not that bad.
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I mean, the issue is is that geographically we don't have the privilege of playing like Ontario does in a you know one or two or three or four SFM spiel every weekend.
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We have literally one WCT event on the rock every season, right?
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Yeah, and that's I mean, I get that challenge.
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Like, I mean, personally, me, I had a busy weekend just in and around the Toronto area, like going to clubs.
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I was at four different clubs, and that's just the city of Toronto, which still has clubs closing, but still I I had the privilege of going and doing that.
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But like one club like on the Avalon Peninsula is just like that's a lot of that's that makes it tough.
00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:37.600
And I guess also probably with uh the um uh the success of Team Gushu, the sports become pretty popular.
00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:41.120
So that club is probably slammed from morning to night, right?
00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:45.679
So it's like, yeah, it's hard to get in, hard to get practice, hard to do a number of things like that, right?
00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:46.480
Totally.
00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:48.240
So the quality is there.
00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:54.399
Um, you know, and there's probably three or four teams that I would say are gonna be tough for us to to beat.
00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:56.799
And I can say that almost every year.
00:16:57.279 --> 00:17:05.279
Um, you know, we're gonna have good competitive games against them, and then the rest of the field, you know, kind of tears down middle and then lower.
00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:10.559
But I think, you know, like I think that's the biggest thing is the talent is there.
00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:12.000
It's they don't play.
00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:25.920
So like the names that you see, you know, oh, like maybe the first time you saw Simmons win to go to the Briar out of Newfoundland, or um, there's a couple of other names, but like maybe the first time you saw them, you're like, Oh, really?
00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:28.319
And it's just like they're really good.
00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:35.759
You just don't see them playing in the events west of the Maritimes and really west of Halifax, right?
00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:38.640
Like it's pretty much really truly west of Halifax, yeah.
00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:39.359
Yeah, yeah.
00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:42.799
You're like you're kind of limited just to the area and the geography of that.
00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:45.440
So um, can you speak to some of those challenges?
00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:47.519
Is it just literally or so far from everything?
00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:52.480
Because I know that Gushu did that for many years, but I think he was getting some strong sponsorship money.
00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:57.519
So just what are the challenges other than it's just far from everything and maybe a little expensive?
00:17:57.920 --> 00:17:59.519
Yeah, great question.
00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:07.759
Um, I would say that it's not necessarily um sponsorship for my team.
00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:10.880
Uh uh, you know, I've always done okay with that.
00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:23.039
It's truly, honestly with you, it is having people that are able to do those many events because it is a slog to get off the island and you're picking a day on the front or the back or two days.
00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:28.160
You're you know, unless your work is remote, you can't really work while you're gone away.
00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:30.559
That kind of you know, that kind of stuff.
00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:38.720
So, you know, this season now, probably the least that I've ever done in my adult career outside of the island.
00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:39.920
The least.
00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:41.599
The least, okay, interesting.
00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:43.680
Yeah, honest to God, right?
00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:44.240
Yeah.
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:46.319
Um, it really is.
00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:50.559
Other years, you know, we've done four or five events off of the rock.
00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:55.039
Um, you know, and when Ballyhead was open, at least then we had that cash bill too.
00:18:55.119 --> 00:19:02.160
So you had two cash bills at home, and then some years even had two or three, and then you had the the tankard.
00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:17.920
But it's, you know, geography is probably the biggest challenge, you know, and I think the way the game is now, to be quite frank with you, is not quite the same as it was in those early Braguju years.
00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:27.279
You had the Canada Cup East and West, you had events that you could go to that would qualify you for a Canada Cup or qualify you for something else.
00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:28.480
They don't exist.
00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:37.039
Like, if you're not playing 10 events a year, your hopes at tier two are GARP, right?
00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:42.400
Like your hope is then to get like a regional invite, which are not really happening much at it anymore.
00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:49.519
So the the game has changed so much that I don't think you're going to see the Kerry Galuchas out of the North.
00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:58.559
I don't think you're gonna to be quite frank, I don't think you're gonna see many teams from Newfoundland Labor in years to come do anything half of what Brad did.
00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:00.640
And I mean that with the most respect to the rest of you.
00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:02.480
Yeah, that's a solid viewpoint.
00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:04.799
Yeah, it's just the way the game is.
00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:08.960
You don't even have the privilege of winning something and qualifying.
00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:11.119
Like I remember I grow up, sorry to cut you off.
00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:17.440
I remember growing up, um, you know, other than Brad, uh, you know, Martin Ossie was a big name at home too.
00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:19.920
But uh you look at Heather Strong and Shelly Nichols.
00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:25.519
Heather Strong qualified for like a tier two slam uh via winning an event away.
00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:31.920
Uh Shelly Nichols qualified for um the Canada Cup, which is no longer existent.
00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:34.480
She qualified for that by winning Campville.
00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:37.359
So we don't have a path anymore.
00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:44.799
You either have to play 10 events or good curse word, luck.
00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:51.119
Yeah, so much is really relying on the uh the tour points now these days, and it's really building towards that.
00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:53.680
So I'd like to segue into another question here.
00:20:53.839 --> 00:21:04.480
Um this leads me to ask you a bit about how you formed your current team that you've got this year and um what you're looking for in the players that you want around you, but also a two-parter.
00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:08.720
Um, do you think that the residency rules will need to change now the way the game is going?
00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:10.000
Okay.
00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:12.079
Uh which one do you want me to start with?
00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:17.200
I wanted to hear about the team, and we're not talking about when you picked up Rob Ainsley for the team south.
00:21:17.279 --> 00:21:18.319
We'll get into that one later.
00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:21.359
But yes, we want to know the actual full official team.
00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:22.799
Yeah, we're gonna be a real team.
00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:26.000
Okay, uh, because that'll be the longer part of the question.
00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:26.960
So I'll start there.
00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:40.799
Um, well, you know, at the end of the last season, we had uh Scott Sachary from Nova Scotia, we had Sean O'Leary from here, and I did curl a couple years with um Carter Small.
00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:50.079
Um it was really weird kind of end of the season last year because it was like I you know me, like uh I sound really Newfoundland.
00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:59.759
Um I would go every weekend if I could, and if I had the squad that was uh willing.
00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.559
To do that, I would go all the time.
00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:06.000
But um yeah, so we didn't really know what we were doing.
00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:07.519
We just kind of knew we were breaking up.
00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:12.880
And ironically enough, I don't know, you know, thank you, thank you, God, thank you, Jesus.
00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:18.000
I said, for some reason, I said to Carter, I said, I know we both have offers.
00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:19.680
Let's wait a couple days.
00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:21.279
Please just wait a couple days.
00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:22.400
We're gonna do nothing.
00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:23.119
Wait a couple days.
00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:27.039
And this was just prior to me coming up for kids, actually.
00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:37.519
Um, and I was pulling into the Avalon Mall parking garage, and um I got a message from Ben, because I had heard rumors that you know Nathan was gonna curdle in Ontario.
00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:48.079
And I got a message from Ben Stringer, who was the lead for Nathan Young there for a few years, went to Three Briars with him, uh, him and Nate Locke, and they were like, Yeah, let's meet up, let's talk.
00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:50.160
And I'm like, Oh, perfect.
00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:55.599
And and then I called Carter and I said, Every other offer you got, they're gone.
00:22:55.759 --> 00:22:56.319
They're gone.
00:22:56.480 --> 00:22:59.200
They're just don't worry about them, don't worry about them.
00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:08.319
Because somehow within that three days, which I had just a gut feeling or an intuition, um, I was like, I think it's all coming together.
00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:09.599
And it was like perfect.
00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:13.759
Uh, so we met up with initially we met up with Nate Locke and with uh Ben Stringer.
00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:18.319
We formed the four of us, so the front end from Nathan Young's team.
00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:22.720
Um, and then uh, you know, we planned our season, all that stuff.
00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:35.279
And then it was in uh August that I was at Trillium in Kishamarloo that uh we found out that Nate, because of work, uh Nate Locke had to step away from curling for the season.
00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:38.480
And I was kind of like, yeah, it was, it was.
00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:41.279
Um, so it's kind of like, what are we gonna do now?
00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:46.480
And lo and behold, I'm coaching at this camp, and Brendan Craig is there.
00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:48.240
Brandon Craig from Ontario.
00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:51.359
I've played numerous times at Mixed Doubles.
00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:55.839
Uh yeah, he's a very strong and prominent mixed double player on the Ontario Mixed Doubles tour.
00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:59.200
Yeah, very, very, he's a he's a great player.
00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:03.200
Come on, I'm uh I'm I'm uh I'm into all this stuff, Greg.
00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:03.599
Come on.
00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:04.720
Yeah, he's awesome.
00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:06.799
Uh so we've played him numerous times.
00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:13.680
Um, the poor guy has never been able to uh beat the Rosie O'Donnell lookalag from Newfoundland with Jess Wiseman.
00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:17.839
Uh but somehow, somehow we beat him every time.
00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:21.279
So I was like, oh, this is a way to this is a way to get him on the team, right?
00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.920
We're just gonna really, you know, twist the knife here.
00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:26.880
So, you know, I'm friends with obviously Brendan and with Riley.
00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:33.519
And uh I think I asked Riley, his wife, I said to her, I said, um, so what do you think now?
00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:38.160
Because I know I was telling you earlier today that we're looking for a player.
00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:39.920
Now, what about your husband?
00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:42.480
You've never beat us in doubles, you never beat us.
00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:44.640
You know, you probably should have, but you haven't.
00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:47.839
Uh, you think maybe, you know, we could get something going?
00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:48.880
And she was delighted.
00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:50.799
She was like, oh my God, do it, do it, do it.
00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:55.200
So, you know, basically, I think I kind of pressured him into it because I asked every other coach there.
00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:57.680
They're like, Oh, you gotta curl, you gotta do it, you gotta do it.
00:24:57.839 --> 00:25:06.480
Uh, so we asked him, and then he said yes, which is amazing because Brendan is a fantastic curler and an even better human being.
00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:10.960
Um, so we're delighted to have him on board um as our import.
00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:14.799
So we got uh the four of us kind of together now.
00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:23.440
So it's uh myself a skip, Carter Small at third, and Brendan Craig at second, and then Nate Lock at lead.
00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:27.599
So wasn't the most organic way to get a team going, but uh it worked out.
00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:29.680
Worked out really well.
00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:30.799
Worked out really well.
00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:35.119
It's four really good curlers that that I think really has a shot, Greg.
00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:39.839
Like looking looking at each at the resume, each of those individuals and their past experiences and all that.
00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:49.279
But like as you get that group together, but like how did you work through that to uh get ready for the season and get ready for your first set of uh events that you're going into?
00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:59.599
Well, I think it you know we we kind of knew going into Toronto, and we grew with Rob and uh uh Mike McKitchen and um Brian Chick.
00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:11.839
We knew going into Toronto because I already signed us up for that event, yeah, that it was like Carter just had a baby last uh early last month.
00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:15.920
Um and then we knew that Brennan was gonna be out of town.
00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:22.240
So really, one of the events were just like, okay, Ben, it's you and I, and we gotta get two others.
00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:23.119
There you go.
00:26:23.279 --> 00:26:32.400
Um and Rob happened to be just hanging around town, and you're fucking he was hanging around town, and he he was up for the torture of curling with me.
00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:35.359
Uh he was up for it, and we had a fun week.
00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:44.960
Um, so we got Rob, but you know, we're all in different places in life, you know, and I think at this age now I'm I just turned 30.
00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:46.799
Um that's the thing.
00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:49.599
It's like, yeah, do I want to curl every weekend?
00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:50.160
100%.
00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:54.240
Uh, do I have four people from Newfoundland, Labrador that want to do that?
00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:54.799
No.
00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:58.480
Uh so it's how do you it's a balancing act?
00:26:58.559 --> 00:26:59.279
How do you make that work?
00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:02.160
So Brennan's really into the doubles with Riley.
00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:23.920
So he's gonna balance everything to do to do doubles and obviously do uh the events with us, the rest of the events on tour, and then the provincial Carter and his wife Sarah just had a little boy, Elliot, and um, you know, Ben is just finishing up some extra courses in school um and getting back into work.
00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:28.240
So it's it's a balancing act, you know, especially at this age.
00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:34.079
Like when I was younger, I would say it was easier, but now everyone's at different stages in life, right?
00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:37.359
Yeah, now you've got a lot of career and everything.
00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:43.519
You've got to balance life, friends, yeah, everything else that you uh want to put on hold gets sacrificed.
00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:45.359
But um, yeah, yeah.
00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:49.920
I mean, and if you you gotta all be kind of on the same page if you want to be touring every weekend to play.
00:27:50.079 --> 00:27:55.039
Um so are you are you doing doubles as well this year on top of your men's team?
00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:55.519
I am.
00:27:55.599 --> 00:28:00.079
Uh so Jess Wiseman and I are trying to make it a four in a row.
00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:03.119
Um win the last three Newfoundland Labrador doubles.
00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:09.039
Um I think it's one of those same things can't beat any, might as well join them.
00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:13.920
So Jess and I 10 years ago talked about curling together in it, and we never really did it.
00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:22.799
And I curled with Mackenzie Mitchell for a bit and did well with McKenzie, made the playoffs at the Nationals in the bubble, and uh we did well.
00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:25.680
And then we were coming back to play doubles here in St.
00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:27.599
John's and lost to Jess.
00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:33.839
I was on the other side of Jess, which is way funner to play with her than against her because she is damn good.
00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:40.000
Um, and uh then we said let's form a team, and uh here we are.
00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:43.200
So don't know what events we're doing really for the season.
00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:45.839
Uh there's no mixed doubles nationals within this season.
00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:49.359
It's gonna be in the fall of 2027.
00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:50.640
I thought I saw that.
00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:52.720
There's nothing this year, it's weird, isn't it?
00:28:52.880 --> 00:28:57.440
Like normally it's like later in the season, but they shifted things around this year.
00:28:57.759 --> 00:28:58.799
It's normally around St.
00:28:58.960 --> 00:29:03.599
Patrick's weekend in uh March, but not this year.
00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:06.160
So it's it's gonna be moved to the fall.
00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:19.599
But uh our provincial is gonna be later in the season after the provincial ladies and men's, and I think uh God willing for me before the Briar, and I think God willing before them.
00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:20.640
Yes, absolutely.
00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:26.240
Well, that's great that you get some time to focus on your men's team a bit more this year, uh, since it's being the squad.
00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:28.160
Um now let's talk about some events.
00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:34.319
Um so you're known to play the tour, but you're also known to play some fun events, Greg.
00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:35.759
Um gosh.
00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:41.119
So I'm curious if you have a favorite tour event and if you have a favorite fun bond spiel.
00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:45.680
Oh people are gonna get pissed off at me.
00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:47.680
Um if you don't say curl for kids.
00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:50.640
If you don't say curl for kids, all three of us are dropping off and leaving.
00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:51.119
I know.
00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:55.279
So I like I know, but like I like I I don't know.
00:29:55.359 --> 00:29:55.839
I have to do that.
00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:56.880
No, you say whatever you want.
00:29:57.039 --> 00:29:59.920
You say whatever you want, and any one of them we will do.
00:30:01.039 --> 00:30:02.880
I have to be so diplomatic here.
00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:05.039
Um, okay, fun event.
00:30:05.119 --> 00:30:09.279
I absolutely love curl for the kids, and I actually love the lupus spiel too.
00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:14.160
I'm answering this question like a former prime minister of this nation, which means I'm not answering the question.
00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:19.039
Um I'm just gonna go all around the question without answering the question.
00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:20.720
The lupus spiel is where?
00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:21.920
Where is that one, Greg?
00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:24.160
That's in uh uh Minneapolis.
00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:26.960
Oh, it's it's it's in New Zealand, yes.
00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:31.599
I've I've heard about that one, and a lot of the same celebrity skips from curl for kids go to that as well, right?
00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:33.599
But more than American skips.
00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:38.000
So I love the lupus spiel for the lupus spiel.
00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:40.079
I love curl for kids for the curl for kids.
00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:48.079
However, if you did tell me who where I would rather go for curling, it would be Minneapolis, if other than Oakville.
00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:57.599
But if you did tell me how many libations I would have and the hotel and all that stuff, I would say curl for kids.
00:30:58.000 --> 00:31:01.519
So there's we may be familiar with that, all of us here, yes.
00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:01.920
Really?
00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:03.119
I have no I had no idea.
00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:10.319
Yeah, um, yeah, and uh I haven't been to a House of Hearts because of mixed doubles is always the same time, but I think I'm going this year.
00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:12.559
So I'll let you all I'll report back and let you know.
00:31:12.640 --> 00:31:14.960
But a charity spiel, all of those are fun.
00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:17.519
There's no such thing as not a fun charity spiel.
00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:17.920
Absolutely.
00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:18.880
That's great.
00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:19.680
And we appreciate it.
00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:23.359
Absolutely, yeah, it's for a good cause.
00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:31.680
You meet a lot of great people, and at the end of the day, I end up balling my eyes crying because of how much good was done.
00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:35.039
And yeah, I'm because I am soft as shit.
00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:37.200
I really am, so I come off as not.
00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:40.880
Um now, now, Greg, now onto a tour event.
00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:44.480
Is it safe to say that maybe the Stew Cells Toronto might be one of your favorite tour events?
00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:46.640
Because uh you seem to make that trip every year.
00:31:46.960 --> 00:31:47.599
I do, yeah.
00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:51.119
I love that one a lot because it's probably one of my favorite parts of Toronto.
00:31:51.279 --> 00:31:52.319
I love High Park.
00:31:52.400 --> 00:31:57.920
I am an avid bird watcher, so I literally, whoever's supposed to do it, yeah.
00:31:58.079 --> 00:31:58.720
Is it ever?
00:31:58.799 --> 00:31:59.359
Is it ever?
00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:05.519
So whoever's on my team, they are getting ready for just the dorkiest couple hour walk with me ever.
00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:07.759
Um, do you see that wood duck?
00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:09.279
Like, do you see that?
00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:12.559
Like, like I just I go on a tangent, I have an absolute time.
00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:20.160
So it's one of my favorite events, and I also really love uh Charlevoix, the one in Claremont in Quebec.
00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:24.319
The I know that, yeah, uh the challenge de Curling Desjardins.
00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:25.039
It's a great spiel.
00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:30.640
Um great spiel, um, which means I I'm not that bilingual.
00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:32.640
I'm way more bisexual than bilingual.
00:32:32.960 --> 00:32:37.599
But when I when I was when I walk into a supermarket, I just yell out poulet, you know.
00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:39.039
I'm just like, where's chicken?
00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:43.119
You know, like, you know, so I try my French grips.
00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:45.440
I try my French grips as much as I can.
00:32:45.599 --> 00:32:49.839
And Carter is from New Brunswick, uh, so obviously a bilingual province.
00:32:50.000 --> 00:33:01.359
So I he he can interpret for us, and I know a little bit, but he said to me, as he said to us yesterday when I saw him and Ben, it was like just sometimes way more fun here and you try.
00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:05.359
And sometimes you just say like English words in a French accent.
00:33:05.440 --> 00:33:08.000
And I'm like, it's acting, baby, it's acting.
00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:11.839
Uh but um, yeah, no, I love that one too.
00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:14.079
There's a lot, there's a lot of good events that I've been to.
00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:26.720
I think the only one in my tenure that I would say um was I loved it, I loved it a ton, but the only one that I would say was crazy was when we went to the Stu Cells Port Elgin.
00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:29.519
And I loved it because there were so many newfies.
00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:33.279
They even made us jigs dinner and like they brought like newfie treats.
00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:34.480
It was it was lovely.
00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:41.680
However, we got it was in November, we got 110 centimeters of snow in two and a half days.
00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:50.319
Uh, we made the final and everything, but we had to we were like, we need to win or lose this in four inns to make the airport because it was so much snow.
00:33:50.559 --> 00:33:52.960
Um, yeah, I think I got my car stuck like five times.
00:33:53.279 --> 00:33:54.880
I was gonna say, I think Rob was in that.
00:33:55.039 --> 00:33:55.359
Yeah, yeah.
00:33:55.839 --> 00:33:59.599
And you know what blows my mind is I think so many people think I live in a Callowin.
00:33:59.680 --> 00:34:03.759
I'm like, I don't know it where you think I live, but it's not as cold as you think I live.
00:34:03.920 --> 00:34:05.440
So they're like, you must be used to this.
00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:07.119
And I'm like, it's November 20th.
00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:07.440
In St.
00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:10.079
John's, they're still golfing, and it's plus 17.
00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:14.639
I'm like, why is it 110 centimeters of snow now?
00:34:14.880 --> 00:34:18.960
I think it's funny because Greg remembers me from that spiel because of my allergy to cats.
00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:20.079
I do.
00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:21.280
We talked about that.
00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:23.280
We talked about that last weekend.
00:34:23.440 --> 00:34:26.079
I was like, the cats, Rob, the cats.
00:34:26.320 --> 00:34:26.800
The cats.
00:34:29.519 --> 00:34:30.079
Great.
00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:32.320
We'll save that story for another podcast.
00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:37.199
That is so funny.
00:34:37.360 --> 00:34:37.840
Oh my god.
00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:44.159
So, uh, Greg, uh earlier this year, the uh Briar happened to be hosted in your hometown of uh St.
00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:44.800
John's.
00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:55.920
I know it was unfortunate that you didn't get the opportunity to curl in it, but I'm sure you in some way either attended or helped out or were in and around the Briar in St.
00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:56.400
John's.
00:34:56.480 --> 00:34:59.280
What was your favorite memory from this year's Briar then?
00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:03.360
Oh, um my favorite memory.
00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:08.559
Is there a best part when you don't play?
00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:09.440
I don't know.
00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:12.639
Um we've enjoyed our Briar experiences.
00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:14.559
I don't know about you like ever girl that was.
00:35:14.880 --> 00:35:15.679
Yeah, fair enough.
00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:16.400
Fair enough.
00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:18.880
I was really adamant on playing in that.
00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:21.760
So it was it was a big opportunity, right?
00:35:23.039 --> 00:35:24.800
It's unfortunate that it didn't happen.
00:35:25.039 --> 00:35:26.880
And I apologize that I'm telling you.
00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:33.360
Yes, I understand that apologize.
00:35:33.920 --> 00:35:35.360
Hashtag too soon, yes.
00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:37.039
No, it's not no such thing.
00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:40.880
Yeah, uh, because you know I would have asked something way worse most of the time.
00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:53.199
Um, I think my favorite part of that was the crowd, the seeing two Newfoundland Labrador teams.
00:35:53.840 --> 00:36:03.840
Um, you know, obviously Nathan is a friend of mine and seeing him do well and actually had a great game against Brad in the feature game, too.
00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:08.800
Um I but I obviously why I was there for Brad's last game.
00:36:08.880 --> 00:36:12.559
So one of our sponsors, Harvey's um Harvey's home eating.
00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:13.599
They were up in the booth.
00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:15.280
So I mean that made the event easier.
00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:20.960
Is that they had a booth for us, so I didn't have to go listen to old Nan saying, are you still curling or are you playing?
00:36:21.039 --> 00:36:22.880
Because he did that on night one, that was horrible.
00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:26.800
Uh so I was kind of tucked away, just drinking wine and eating chicken wings.
00:36:27.039 --> 00:36:29.360
So it was way better than, if you're wondering.
00:36:29.599 --> 00:36:33.920
Um, but the best part was watching Brad's last game, and that was emotional, even for I.
00:36:34.079 --> 00:36:51.199
That was like for all of us as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, he will go down on history as one of the best athletes to ever come out of uh Atlantic Canada, let alone Newfoundland and Labrador, uh, truly, and one of the greatest of all time in our sport.
00:36:51.519 --> 00:36:55.199
And to be a part of watching that last game, I mean, I cried.
00:36:55.360 --> 00:36:56.159
I honestly did.
00:36:56.400 --> 00:36:58.079
Brad is someone we've all looked up to.
00:36:58.239 --> 00:37:06.159
Brad's actually helped me numerous times and Mark in my curling career, uh, whether it's conversations or coming around the ice with us, etc.
00:37:06.639 --> 00:37:09.519
So that was a special moment uh there.
00:37:09.679 --> 00:37:16.559
And obviously seeing them make the playoffs, because that would have been wouldn't have been as great if they didn't make the playoffs, but they did, which is good.
00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:20.960
And um yeah, I'd say that was probably one of the bet one of the best moments.
00:37:21.039 --> 00:37:29.840
Is as sad as that moment was, it was also so special to be a in the building for that with seven and a half thousand other people.
00:37:30.079 --> 00:37:31.199
Yeah, I can't imagine that.
00:37:31.280 --> 00:37:34.079
I was watching it on TV and I was emotional watching it.
00:37:34.159 --> 00:37:37.599
I can't imagine what it would have been like, and I probably would have been crying along with you there.
00:37:37.760 --> 00:37:42.960
So absolutely it's it's it was an amazing moment, and uh that was great.
00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:43.920
Yeah.
00:37:44.159 --> 00:37:46.400
Um, I think we might have time for one more question for you.
00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:50.880
Um Do you have any advice for the next generation of curlers coming out of Newfoundland?
00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:54.639
Anything you'd like to share with them to mentor them forward.
00:37:55.280 --> 00:38:06.880
Um I think the biggest thing for any young curler, whether wherever they're from, you're not playing against a team, you're playing against the rocks that are thrown at you.
00:38:07.599 --> 00:38:09.599
It's one rock at a time, one end at a time.
00:38:09.679 --> 00:38:10.800
It doesn't matter who you're playing.
00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:13.119
You're not playing names, that's BS.
00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:14.719
You're playing against rocks.
00:38:15.360 --> 00:38:25.039
So everyone misses, you're not playing against God, you're playing against human beings that curl, that might curl 20 events a year, and that's why they have a thousand points.
00:38:25.440 --> 00:38:34.000
So go out there, believe you can beat anybody, go out there, play every end, play every rock, try to win angles, try to win positions.
00:38:34.239 --> 00:38:35.440
That's all you can do.
00:38:35.840 --> 00:38:42.159
You know, I I've never ever went into a game thinking that I was gonna lose the game, because obviously then you're gonna lose.
00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:49.519
You've already brought it into fruition, you've already um, you know, whatever manifested it, but you know, believe in your ability.
00:38:50.079 --> 00:39:04.159
And I think the other part too, which I already kind of touched on earlier in um this call was how much harder it is now for people from more geographically remote areas to break through.
00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:13.760
How it's harder now, and I think you know, Felix Asla and I have had the conversation and you know, and others, it's harder now than ever to break through.
00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:15.760
It's almost impossible.
00:39:16.239 --> 00:39:18.800
So focus on what you can focus on.
00:39:19.199 --> 00:39:23.920
If you can't do 10 events, pick the events that you want to do, the ones that are gonna give you the most benefit.
00:39:24.239 --> 00:39:30.639
If you can't go away this weekend, but you know you can be home and practice, go practice.
00:39:30.880 --> 00:39:35.840
Get a practice game, get on the laser, get some speed traps, do the grunt work.
00:39:36.239 --> 00:39:40.960
There's a reason why Krista McCarville has done so well without doing all the events.
00:39:41.199 --> 00:39:42.960
It's because she's putting in the grunt work.
00:39:43.280 --> 00:39:44.719
She's a great example of that.
00:39:44.880 --> 00:39:46.639
Um doing 10 events.
00:39:47.119 --> 00:39:50.400
She always shows up at the Scott tournament hearts, the Scottties.
00:39:50.960 --> 00:39:55.920
So control what you can control and try to find as many like-minded people as you can.
00:39:56.239 --> 00:39:58.639
And then the final thing is enjoy who you curl with.
00:39:59.119 --> 00:40:02.960
If you don't enjoy who you curl with, you're not gonna have success.
00:40:03.440 --> 00:40:14.320
You can see so many teams that are formed by four great players, and it is seldom that you see them actually have success at the highest level or whatever level that they are trying to achieve as a unit.
00:40:14.719 --> 00:40:24.000
You have to enjoy who you curl with because at the end of the day, like almost all of us, like overall majority, we're not out there for money or fame.
00:40:24.159 --> 00:40:27.039
We're out there because we absolutely love this sport.
00:40:27.199 --> 00:40:39.760
So you want to love the people that you're with too, and that'll make the moments of victory and the moments of loss way more either easy to swallow or um even more elated.
00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:42.960
Really, really well put, Greg.
00:40:43.119 --> 00:40:43.599
Great advice.
00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:44.239
Thank you so much.
00:40:44.639 --> 00:40:45.360
Excellent advice.
00:40:45.679 --> 00:40:47.039
That was that was so good, Greg.
00:40:47.199 --> 00:40:53.360
And I know several people that'll be very thankful for what you just shared with us because it's every single thing you said was so wise.
00:40:53.519 --> 00:40:54.239
Really appreciate it.
00:40:54.480 --> 00:40:55.440
Yeah, thank you.
00:40:55.760 --> 00:40:57.280
A wise 30-year-old, hey?
00:40:57.920 --> 00:40:58.639
Oh, I know, right?
00:40:59.119 --> 00:41:00.719
Old soul or something like that, right?
00:41:01.119 --> 00:41:02.320
An old soul.
00:41:03.679 --> 00:41:04.239
Excellent.
00:41:04.400 --> 00:41:05.360
So thank you, Greg.
00:41:05.519 --> 00:41:12.400
We we greatly appreciate your time and joining us here on this call and joining us on our wonderful podcast as we get going.
00:41:12.559 --> 00:41:14.000
Extra ends are curling podcasts.
00:41:14.079 --> 00:41:15.519
And and thank you so much for that.
00:41:15.679 --> 00:41:19.119
And we we're already signed up for Curl for Kids for this year.
00:41:19.199 --> 00:41:26.320
So we look forward to seeing you there at that event, hoping that you will confirm your attendance as a celebrity skip right now.
00:41:26.639 --> 00:41:27.760
You know, I will be there.
00:41:27.840 --> 00:41:33.199
I tell my family every year the turkey happens the week later because I'm not gonna be home for Easter.
00:41:33.440 --> 00:41:34.480
Thank you very much, Greg.
00:41:34.639 --> 00:41:35.920
That's great.
00:41:36.079 --> 00:41:37.280
You have an amazing night.
00:41:37.519 --> 00:41:38.639
Thank you so much.
00:41:38.960 --> 00:41:40.880
I absolutely love talking to Greg.
00:41:41.039 --> 00:41:44.880
He's one of the my favorite people to have a conversation with.
00:41:45.119 --> 00:41:49.760
And in that true Newfoundland charm, he always has a great story to tell.
00:41:49.920 --> 00:41:54.000
You guys uh started that interview off and did such a great job.
00:41:54.159 --> 00:41:59.599
Uh I can't wait to uh hear our fans' reaction to Greg's inputs.
00:42:00.320 --> 00:42:00.800
Thank you.
00:42:00.960 --> 00:42:14.719
I think my favorite part was towards the end where Rob asked him about like advice to future Newfoundland and Labrador curlers, and I heard his answer, and I'm like, I don't think that just applies to Newfoundland and Labrador curlers.
00:42:14.880 --> 00:42:19.199
I think that applies to all curlers of just you're playing rocks, not names.
00:42:19.360 --> 00:42:20.800
It's a very, very valuable.
00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:22.079
Yeah, really great advice.
00:42:22.239 --> 00:42:23.920
Yeah, I think it was really solid.
00:42:24.079 --> 00:42:27.679
Yeah, is is is so good, and it's good advice I think everyone can take.
00:42:28.000 --> 00:42:32.400
So we've got a uh a moderately busy week in curling up ahead.
00:42:32.480 --> 00:42:36.960
Um, just to let our listeners know, there is all kinds of curling out there.
00:42:37.119 --> 00:42:40.400
Just because there isn't a slam on doesn't mean there isn't curling to find.
00:42:40.559 --> 00:42:44.800
We have the European Championships this week, which is going to be some top-notch curling.
00:42:44.880 --> 00:42:48.960
You're gonna see all of the top curlers in Europe uh playing together.
00:42:49.199 --> 00:42:50.800
And so you can look for that.
00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:56.639
There's also in Eastern Ontario the Rose Dolan Women's Fall Classic.
00:42:56.719 --> 00:42:59.840
Uh it is on this weekend and streaming online.
00:43:00.239 --> 00:43:06.960
And then we have the RBC Dominion Securities Western Showdown happening on the western side of the country.
00:43:07.199 --> 00:43:12.559
So these events are are you're gonna see some of these games online this weekend, so make sure to check them out.
00:43:12.800 --> 00:43:24.400
But I'm most excited for is uh, and I mentioned them, mentioned it in my substack last week, uh, and the guys are pretty supportive of this too, is the Ontario Curling Club Provincials.
00:43:24.559 --> 00:43:36.400
Now, this is provincials for anyone from curling clubs, you, me, Rob, Kevin, Norm, whoever, uh can uh can take a shot at these championships.
00:43:36.480 --> 00:43:37.840
And I I can't wait.
00:43:37.920 --> 00:43:42.559
I'm hoping that as much of it as possible is going to be streaming and I'm gonna be catching a few games online.
00:43:42.800 --> 00:43:47.760
Uh I think the only prerequisite is that the teams in this have to have won their club championship.
00:43:48.000 --> 00:43:48.559
Yes.
00:43:48.719 --> 00:43:53.519
That's my understanding is you have to have won a club championship in a competitive league at your club.
00:43:53.760 --> 00:43:55.920
In a league, yeah, in your men's league, in your women's league.
00:43:56.079 --> 00:44:01.920
Um, whoever the winner is at the end of your season can submit to play in the club championship provincials.
00:44:02.239 --> 00:44:03.039
That's amazing.
00:44:03.199 --> 00:44:07.199
So uh now I believe we have some some friends we may know that are competing in this.
00:44:07.280 --> 00:44:08.000
Is that correct?
00:44:08.480 --> 00:44:11.280
Uh there are some specific friends we know of individuals.
00:44:11.440 --> 00:44:18.800
I believe uh uh Chris, yours and my former uh Curl for Kids skip, Scott McDonald, is playing in this, representing a team out of London.
00:44:18.960 --> 00:44:24.480
I think that's a big deal for him this year because the nationals are being held in St.
00:44:24.639 --> 00:44:26.559
Thomas, Ontario, which is his hometown.
00:44:26.639 --> 00:44:29.840
So I think he's really looking forward to seeing if he can make that.
00:44:30.480 --> 00:44:37.119
Uh one of the players that is playing on tour, representing Nova Scotia, Mark Keene, is also uh playing on this event for Ontario.
00:44:37.199 --> 00:44:46.559
And then there are several other teams that are former uh club uh champions for the province that are in it as well for both the men's and the women's.
00:44:46.800 --> 00:45:01.039
And then um yours truly is fortunate enough to be named as the coach of team uh Hannah Davis that is representing the Dixie Curling Club, uh, and will be starting that event on Thursday.
00:45:01.280 --> 00:45:09.599
So if you're gonna follow and stream, follow and support that team because that's the one that uh I will be sitting on the ice and doing some fun coaching for that team.
00:45:09.679 --> 00:45:11.519
We've been working together for the last several years.
00:45:11.679 --> 00:45:16.400
So looking to uh see some solid results from everyone involved.
00:45:16.639 --> 00:45:18.639
Kevin's going full coach mode this weekend.
00:45:18.719 --> 00:45:19.840
Make sure to buy him a coffee.
00:45:19.920 --> 00:45:24.159
He's gonna be up late reviewing game tape and helping the team uh 100%.
00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:26.400
And make sure to cheer him on.
00:45:26.559 --> 00:45:27.840
So that's great.
00:45:28.000 --> 00:45:30.159
I'm looking forward to this uh this coming weekend.
00:45:30.320 --> 00:45:36.800
And for all the other events, you know, check your local listings, aka YouTube, for live curling that's happening this weekend.
00:45:37.599 --> 00:45:46.719
Now, ladies and gentlemen, we are entering one of the most requested segments of Extra Ends, and that is Coach's Corner with Rob.
00:45:47.360 --> 00:45:49.519
This week on Coach's Corner with Rob.
00:45:49.920 --> 00:45:51.199
Coach's Corner.
00:45:52.800 --> 00:46:04.960
Rob, do you have any advice for dealing with a stubborn skip that keeps making the wrong shot calls, and no matter what you do, you can't convince them to do things your way?
00:46:05.199 --> 00:46:07.679
Like a deer in the headlights of impending disaster.
00:46:07.840 --> 00:46:08.960
Stand your ground.
00:46:09.119 --> 00:46:10.880
Your way is the right way.
00:46:11.119 --> 00:46:14.800
Just convince a skip that your way was their idea.
00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:18.159
And that has been Coach's Corner with Rob.
00:46:19.360 --> 00:46:20.320
All right, everyone.
00:46:20.400 --> 00:46:21.599
We've had a lot of fun today.
00:46:21.760 --> 00:46:27.840
Special thank you to our second very special guest, Greg Smith, for taking so much time for us this week.
00:46:27.920 --> 00:46:29.280
We really appreciate it.
00:46:29.360 --> 00:46:31.519
And it was so great to get his insights.
00:46:31.679 --> 00:46:36.960
Please, ladies and gentlemen, keep coming back for future very special guests on extra ends.
00:46:37.199 --> 00:46:38.719
Make sure to like and subscribe.
00:46:38.800 --> 00:46:40.880
We enjoy seeing those metrics go up.
00:46:40.960 --> 00:46:42.559
It's so much fun for us.
00:46:42.719 --> 00:46:44.800
Uh, and it's been a fun week.
00:46:44.880 --> 00:46:47.679
Do you guys have uh anything to add on our way out?
00:46:47.920 --> 00:46:49.039
Happy Halloween, everyone.
00:46:49.199 --> 00:46:50.000
Yeah, happy Halloween.
00:46:50.880 --> 00:46:52.239
Happy Halloween, everybody.
00:46:52.719 --> 00:46:58.800
All right, with that, may your ice be fast and curly in the shed and cold and ready at the bar.