Curling 2021 - 2022 Discussion Thread

[NearPup 4,172]

Canadian Olympic Trials (Men's event)

 

No drama on the men's side!

 

Brad Gushue's team gets a direct bye to the finals where they will face the winner of the semi-finals between Brad Jacobs and Kevin Koe.

 

All three active skips who have previously won a Canadian men's Olympic trials have made the playoffs, and the last four winning teams are represented.

 

Eight of Canada's fifteen gold medallists in men's curling (twelve if you exclude alternates, which you should because the alternates on the three Canadian gold medal winning teams were truly random people who had unimpressive careers before or since) made the playoffs. They are:

• Team Gushue: Brad Gushue and Mark Nichols (2006)
• Team Jacobs: Brad Jacobs, E.J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden (2014), Marc Kennedy (2010)
• Team Koe: John Morris (2010, 2018 (Mixed Doubles)), Ben Hebert (2010)

 

The only people left who haven't been to the Olympics previously are Brett Gallant and Geoff Walker from Team Gushue and B.J. Neufeld of team Koe. These three were however also in the playoffs of the 2017 trials.

[intoronto 6,892]

On the men's side since 2002, Kevin and Brad are the leads of the skip alternating. So if the streak were to continue, Brad Gushue would need to win

[NearPup 4,172]

10 minutes ago, intoronto said:

On the men's side since 2002, Kevin and Brad are the leads of the skip alternating. So if the streak were to continue, Brad Gushue would need to win

We have two Brads left (Gushue and Jacobs). So the pattern will hold as long as Koe doesn’t repeat.

[NearPup 4,172]

https://twitter.com/chelscarey/status/1464312704059908096?s=20

 

 

Chelsea Carey tweeted acknowledging the very hilarious stat that teams she is part of have now won 16 Canadian Olympic trials round robin games in a row (of course she is an alternate this year since her regular team failed to qualify, but still, it counts!)

[NearPup 4,172]

 Men’s Olympic Trials  

 

The men’s finals will be contested between Brad Gushue and Brad Jacobs.

 

This means the Kevin-Brad rotation will continue. Since 2002 the men’s Olympic team has been skipped by a Kevin, then a Brad:

 

• 2002: Kevin Martin
• 2006: Brad Gushue
• 2010: Kevin Martin
• 2014: Brad Jacobs
• 2018: Kevin Koe
• 2022: Brad Gushue or Brad Jacobs

[intoronto 6,892]

Hoping its Brad Gushue, only one to bear Mouat all season.

[NearPup 4,172]

27 minutes ago, intoronto said:

Hoping its Brad Gushue, only one to bear Mouat all season.

Gotta root for my fellow Maritimer, Brett Gallant, so I hope Gushue wins.

 

I think either would be formidable in Beijing, though.

[NearPup 4,172]

 Women’s Olympic Trials

 

Jennifer Jones has won the semi-finals and will have a chance at a second Olympics. She will face world number 1 Team Fleury.

[NearPup 4,172]

16 hours ago, NearPup said:

 Women’s Olympic Trials

 

Jennifer Jones has won the semi-finals and will have a chance at a second Olympics. She will face world number 1 Team Fleury.

After a complete emotional roller coaster of a final, on par with the 2010 women's Olympic finals for drama, Team Jones has defeated Team Fleury in an extra end game. Jones decided to give up a point in the ninth to keep hammer, then missed a relatively easy shot for two in the 10th and then had to watch as Fleury missed a makeable shot for the win in the 11th.

 

So team Canada is:

• Skip: Jennifer Jones (Sochi 2014, gold medal)
• Third: Kaitlyn Lawes (Sochi 2014, gold medal and Pyeongchang 2018, gold medal in mixed doubles)
• Second: Jocelyn Peterman (first Olympics, Olympic trials runner-up in 2017)
• Lead: Dawn McEwen (Sochi 2014, gold medal)
• Alternate: Lisa Weagle (Pyeongchang 2018)

 

Kaitlyn Lawes will be the first curler with a chance to win a third Olympic gold medal, and is the first Canadian curler to qualify for three Olympics.

[james89 961]

I don’t really follow curling but I am relieved that Canada has Jennifer Jones for the womens side and a past gold medalist for the mens side. After seeing both the mens and womens teams struggle in 2018 it’s a relief that we will have experience and consistency.