When the Olympic Games roll around every four years, we’re asked do we watch them or are they too exciting for us. Some of them are too exciting. There’s one in particular, however, that we like: curling.
We were reminded of reasons why we like curling when reading a recent article in the New York Times “A Code of Honor , Not a Referee, Keep Curlers Honest.”
Curling is different from other sports like baseball, basketball, and tennis where there usually are arguments, disputes, and protests over referees’ decisions.
Curling is considered to be a gentleman’s sport. Curlers are a courteous group. There’s a tradition of the wining team buying drinks for the losing team after games.
Curling is safe. Have you ever heard of a curler being medevaced to an emergency room?
Have you ever heard of a doping scandal involving curlers?
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Olympic curling schedule — click on this:
A Scot emailed us about curling — he couldn’t stay asleep during a curling tournament, click on this:
Curling Museum — The Turner Curling Museum in Weyburn, Canada, the “First in the World,” over 18,000 curling pins, largest collection of curling memorabilia in the world, stacks of books and programs — to visit their website click on this:
Glossary of Curling Terms — 15 pages of them — will be interesting to discuss with fellow dull men — facinating terms like “across the face,” “around the horn”, “blank end,” “cash spiel,” “circus shot,” “drawmaster,” “eight-ender,” “fun spiel,” “negative ice,” “tee line,” — to get to the glossary click on this:
Grover,
I agree that curling is a wonderful sport. However there are aspects that are scary and amazing,
Scary – when the curling sweeper guys sweep the ice like madmen. Some day, I know, somebody is going to fall on the ice and get hurt. I wonder if they wear mouth guards?
Amazing – the curling stone slider guy’s flexibility. Those days are long past for me.
The most exciting part of curling (for me) is when the three guys get together and discuss strategy. I know what they are saying….”I’ll slide the stone down the ice. You guys sweep like crazy. If we’re lucky we’ll knock the Canadian stone out of that little circle thing. Then we’ll get a beer. Sounds like a plan?”