Curling

[jthomasou78]

The U.S. Curlers won the bronze medal today. They beat a good British team in a match that came down to the last rock. I wish we had a place to curl here I would totally take up the sport

[Mjcpr]

I thought this thread was going to be about how excited I was to be able to go home this evening, drink a beer and watch the curling matches that I recorded.

:mad:

[TexasLidig8r]

http://i23.ebayimg.com/02/i/01/f5/8b/1f_1_b.JPG

[jthomasou78]

Hey sorry, at least they are matches that have already been broadcast on American TV. Sorry I didnt mean to ruin it for you

[proud gonzo]

HAVEN'T YOU HEARD OF SPOILER WARNINGS!??


:mad:

I had to go to class and taped the last 4 ends. i haven't watched them yet. :mad:

[mdklatt]

I wish we had a place to curl here I would totally take up the sport

Curling: Fun to watch, probably fun to do, takes a lot skill, but not a sport.

[SoonerObsession]

I'm sure one must be skilled to play really well, but why are these people thrown in with the worlds best athletes? What is athletic about scooting rocks and sweeping brooms?

[skycat]

Hey, at least the winner can be determined objectively.

[chriscappel]

good stuff...curling is tha Sh!t!!

[Penguin]

Curling: Fun to watch, probably fun to do, takes a lot skill, but not a sport.

Bowling and darts are "sports." I would put curling in that category.

I work with a Canadian. He says there are 2 requirements to become a good curler. You need to be a heavy drinker and a chain smoker. He says in many curling tourneys, there's a keg right on the ice for all to enjoy.


Sounds like my kind of sport. :texan:

[SoonerBK]

HAVEN'T YOU HEARD OF SPOILER WARNINGS!??


:mad:

I had to go to class and taped the last 4 ends. i haven't watched them yet. :mad:

You just got an hour of you life back. You should be thankful.

[pb4ou]

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/5228/normthreestooges7oy.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Shamrock]

Curling Naked (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/13953831.htm)

With streaker, curling gets some extra exposure

PINEROLO, Italy - How do you know when your sport has hit the big time? Probably when a streaker takes the time to undress and race across your playing surface.

The bronze medal curling match between the United States and Great Britain was delayed momentarily in the sixth end when a chubby, male streaker appeared on the arena floor. He was naked, save for what appeared to be a strategically placed rubber chicken. Obviously, the fellow was trying to promote a Web site, which was written across his back.

As IOC President Jacques Rogge looked on impassively, the interloper waddled along the ice next to the first stone of the end as it moved down ice. A couple of Olympic volunteers eventually corralled him, draped a coat over his shoulders and led him away.

"It was funny to see," said Pete Fenson of the U.S. team. "If you were to ask me if I had ever seen that at curling, I'd say no.''

The television cameras cut away. Even the security types were grinning sheepishly, seemingly embarrassed by the whole situation. U.S. team members couldn't stop laughing.

"It was all right. We all kind of laughed," said John Shuster. "You don't see streakers at games that aren't getting televised. Although if it's not televised, I guess you wouldn't know if there was one."

He might have put a little too much thought into that.

It was clear, however, that the sport of curling had reached a couple of milestones on Friday. The men captured the first Olympic curling medal in U.S. history. And the sport, at least at the Olympic level, was invaded by its first streaker.

Clearly curling has arrived.

"I guess so," Fenson said as he thought about it. "You know, you're right."

[lexsooner]

I watched the Swedish women defeat Switzerland for the gold last night. I have not watched it enough to fully understand the rules, but I have to admit the sport grew on me. It has the strategy of a board game, combined with the physical skill of delivering a stone and guiding it accurately.

Best of all, because it is a slow-moving sport in a confined area, the cameras get really up and close on each competitor delivering the stones, which adds to the human element. The close up expressions of intense concentration and hollaring of commands to their sweepers was fun to watch.

Oh, yes, and one Swedish woman was hawt.

[Flagstaffsooner]

Bowling and darts are "sports."

I work with a Canadian. He says there are 2 requirements to become a good curler. You need to be a heavy drinker and a chain smoker. He says in many curling tourneys, there's a keg right on the ice for all to enjoy.


Sounds like my kind of sport. :texan:We need to field a SF.com team and challenge whornfans.com.

[Okieflyer]

I used to make fun of that "sport", but now I kind of enjoy it. Way to go U.S.A.!

[jrsooner]

Curling: Fun to watch, probably fun to do, takes a lot skill, but not a sport.It is fun to do....especially if you like your team mates....definately takes skill and strategy also.

[jrsooner]

It has the strategy of a board game, combined with the physical skill of delivering a stone and guiding it accurately.Believe me, one of the hardest things to do is the sweeping. If your the Lead or Second, you have a lot of hard sweeping to do for the rest of the time.

[Jimminy Crimson]

Curling: Fun to watch, probably fun to do, takes a lot skill, but not a sport.

I'd compare it to golf, but with more strategy.

[Okieflyer]

It is fun to do....especially if you like your team mates....definately takes skill and strategy also.

It does look fun. I think the problem, around here anyway, would be making a place to play it.

[GottaHavePride]

It does look fun. I think the problem, around here anyway, would be making a place to play it.
I bet you could talk the Blazers ice center into letting you paint a curling court on the ice. Then the problem becomes getting the equipment. I think pg found a website that supplies college curling clubs and give you all the equipment you need to get started for slightly under $5,000.

Oh, and if we could get Boren to give us the funds to start up a curling club, I'd be so in.

[Bama/OU]

I kinda dig it...I never thought I'd say that.

[sanantoniosooner]

Heath Ledger is a curler.

[HoserSooner]

Believe me, one of the hardest things to do is the sweeping. If your the Lead or Second, you have a lot of hard sweeping to do for the rest of the time.

Yeah, I'll second that. I've always been the second, and you really feel it the next day.

[jrsooner]

Yeah, I'll second that. I've always been the second, and you really feel it the next day.I've played both Lead, Second and Skip. 1st game I ever Skipped I beat the youth league's coaches son with a "novice" team. My claim to fame in Curling. :)

[jrsooner]

I bet you could talk the Blazers ice center into letting you paint a curling court on the ice. They used to do that at the Galleria, now the Houston league plays in League City if I remember correctly.

[mdklatt]

Oh, and if we could get Boren to give us the funds to start up a curling club, I'd be so in.

1) Start club.
2) Fundraise, fundraise, fundraise.
3) Apply for UOSA funding after a year or so.
4) Fundraise, fundraise, fundraise slightly less.

The capital investment is going to be the big thing; I wouldn't think ongoing costs would be a big deal once you have the equipment. If you join the Sport Club Council you can even use "OU" or "Sooner" in your name without the trademark office pitching a fit.

Who would you compete against?

[HoserSooner]

I've played both Lead, Second and Skip. 1st game I ever Skipped I beat the youth league's coaches son with a "novice" team. My claim to fame in Curling. :)

I don't throw the rock good enough to skip....I'm really only good at takeouts and throwing up guards. :D

[mdklatt]

I don't throw the rock good enough to skip....I'm really only good at takeouts and throwing up guards. :D

What's the difference between the positions? Everybody takes a turn sliding the rock right? I guess you save the best slider (skip) for last. Other than that does it matter what order you go in?

[jrsooner]

Everybody takes a turn sliding the rock right? I guess you save the best slider (skip) for last. Other than that does it matter what order you go in?Yes, it does. Everybody throws the rocks differently. Depending on your style of throw, determines on when you usually are in the lineup.

The Skip is like the quarterback. He is usually your best curler, and strategist. He has to have a good understanding on how each of his team throws, how the ice is doing, where to place your broom for your target, and overall strategy of the game.

Usually the complexity of the throws go up near the end of each end, so you want your better curlers at that point.

Also a key point is the sweepers. They have to be able to sweep that whole time a rock is thrown. The lead or the second usually have to sweep for 6 rocks!

I haven't played the game since '84 when I was in High School, but one day I'll go ahead and join the curling club down here. So I may be missing something. Hoser may be able to fill in more details.

[HoserSooner]

Yeah, each curler tends to have a specific use. The skip does tend to be the most accurate shot, but from what I have watched and played, the vice or third as he/she is sometimes called, ends up throwing the most important/strategic rocks in each end.

The first and second tend to throw setup stones or guards, and then the vice and skip manuver their rocks around the guards to score the points. It's pretty cool that the game is getting exposure outside of the Canadian networks.

[Okla-homey]

The U.S. Curlers won the bronze medal today. They beat a good British team in a match that came down to the last rock. I wish we had a place to curl here I would totally take up the sport

...and we did it without British "double-secret" $40K brooms. yay us!:D

[BajaOklahoma]

Oh, and if we could get Boren to give us the funds to start up a curling club, I'd be so in.

Lil Baja and her roommate would be in also.

The major ongoing cost is ice rental time. I'm not sure what the current cost for an hour of ice time, but we were paying around 300/hr down here - five years ago. There are a few more rinks available, so the price may have dropped a bit.