A Valiant Effort

Well, we didn't get the help we needed in the last end. We played it well, but the Swedes made a good peel, and, even though the Swedish skip missed her first stone, we were sitting with no cover and she came through for the victory.

I can't tell you how proud I am of these women. They faced some adversity, overcame it, and scrapped their way through to the tiebraker.

They represented the USCA and the USA very well - both on and off the ice.

It is certainly sad for it to be over, but I feel very honored to have been a small part of a very special week.

Now it is time to party.

BW

We need some help

Sweden made a nice to keep us from picking up three in the 9th. So, it's 10-8, but we don't have hammer coming home.   We need some help.

I hate the 6th end

Breaking News

Sweden misses open hit in the fifth. US steals 2. It is tied after 5!

Game on.

Tiebreaker Update

Sweden scored 3 in the third. Unfortunately, we didn't get four in the fourth.

We were forced to take 1. It's 5-3 headed into the fifth.

Tiebreaker Update

Two to two after two.

Aplogies for the Silence - BIG GAME Today

Sorry for the silence....no, Swift Current did not get swallowed up by a giant hole in the prairie.  We have been busy scrapping and fighting....but we are alive and kicking!

After the Swiss win took us to 6-2, we faced Scotland, and it didn't go as we would've hoped.  We got behind early, and then the Scottish ladies put on one of the better hitting displays I have ever seen in women's curling. We literally could not keep a rock in play ....we would hit and roll behind something but then it would just be double peel (again and again and again).  Kelly Wood and Eve Muirhead were pretty impressive.  Stats had to be high.  They had impressed me drinking beer at Cub Bud in the Olympics....but this was even better.  

That loss dropped us to 6-3 and set up a dramatic last day of the round robin as we faced Sweden and China.
The math was pretty simple - win out and we were in the playoffs.  But it was also such that if Germany, China, or Sweden won out then they were in.  So the net of all of that meant that if we lost to Sweden in the morning then we needed to beat China and hope for a Swedish loss vs. China or a German loss vs. Latvia or Switzerland, the two bottom dwellers.

Well, we lost to Sweden. The 22 year old Swedes showed up with their A-game; we missed a couple of shots and the next thing I knew it was over.    

My attention shifted focus to the shockingly tight Germany-Latvia game. It was tied 2-2 in the tenth;  Germany had hammer but the Latvians got a rock buried pretty good with backing, behind the center guard.  It looked like I might be standing up and singing Sweet Home Alabama for the Latvian gals as well as inviting them to the US team dinner we were going to be having later that evening.....but unfortunatly, my high hopes were vanquished when the Latvian skip's first stone just ticked the guard, giving the Germans a path to victory.

So, it was on to China knowing that our destiny was in someone else's hands.  But we still had to beat China.

After a quick Subway feeding, the gals came out on fire, and when Betty Wang came up short on a last rock against three in the second end, we took control of the game.  We played well through out the game - probably our best of the round robin - and ultimately defeated Wang and Company 9-5.

So, we finished the round robin 7-4, which I think we would've taken Day 1 as that should've been enough to qualify for the playoffs.  But it wasn't, and our fate would be decided later that night. If China didn't beat Sweden or the Swiss beat the Germans, we would be out.

While we waited to see whether we had more curling ahead of us, I took the gals and their families out to dinner at the nicest place in town:  The K Motel.   Yeah, you read that correctly......The K Motel.

So, just so you get the right picture:  visualize all 17 Americans currently in Swift Current eating steaks at a place called the K Motel and pulled loudly for Red China.

Well, more power to the K Motel....Ms. Betty Wang came through, having the Swedes shaking hands after 8!

We were alive!

Gals went back the arena for some practice and now here we are playing Sweden in the tiebreaker.

I am feeling good!  We even have Jeff Bishop in a do-rag!

Go USA!

Big Day Shaping Up

Team Brown came from behind with a huge 9th end to outlast the Swiss. The US came out pretty flat giving up 3 in the first two ends. They steadied the ship though with a series of deuces before taking the lead for good with 3 in the 9th. Able to hit their way through the 10th to secure the vicorty, Brown and Company moved to 6-2 still in soile third place.

For the Team Leader, the tenth end was easier to handle than the previous tenths but the first 9 weren't easy.  The pressure is building in the I-plex as the contest is coming down to the wire.

In the afternoon draw, Scotland outlasted Switzerland while Sweden won in extra ends over the Danes; the big shocker was Germany gave Canada its first loss....also in an extra end. 

So math of the situation is that Canada and Scotland have one loss; the US two; Germany and Sweden three; and China and Russia four.   We play Scotland tonight, then Sweden and China tomorrow. We are in good shape but we need to keep on winning! 

Games will be tough but I think the gals are starting to gel now.

USA!

Team USA in Third

After 7 games, the US Women are in good shape at third position in the standings. Last night, they lost to Canada in a hard fought contest to drop to 5-2.

The ladies did not have their best game by any means while the Canadians played near perfectly, curling well over 90 percent; yet Brown and Company was in the game to the very end. Erika had some incredible shots to keep it close, but we ran out of rocks in the tenth to fall 6-4. All in all, though, I think it bodes very well for Team USA over the next few days.

Currently, we are knotted up at 4 all with the Swiss after the fifth end break. We started out a little sluggish giving up 3 points in the first two ends; since then we have been in control.  We need this win in a big way as the schedule only gets tougher with Scotland, Sweden and China remaining.

Let's go USA!

Here We Go - Bring 'Em On

We had a huge win over the pesky Danes today. After a near perfect Danish freeze inthe 10th, Erika Brown threw another monster last rock that knocked the Danish stone and ours out while the shooter spilled threw two counting US stones to give us the come from behind victory.

I didn't think it coiuld get more nerve-racking than yesterday.....I was wrong. It took me an hour for my pulse to return to normal.

Tonight we have the hometown folks. The place is packed as undefeated Canada and the upstart one-loss team from the USA lock horns in battle.

Bring 'em on!!

USA!

Team USA Wins Again/Team Leader Nearly Has Heart Attack

Team USA prevailed in a back and forth nerve-testing game over the Norwegians. After giving up a deuce in the first, Brown and Company battled back to tie it up in the third. After a steal of two in the 8th, Team USA seemed in control.....that, however, proved to be a very fleeting moment as the Norwegians came roaring back to score three in the 9th to tie it up.

The tenth end was a real nerve tester with lots of rocks in play. Ultimately, Erika needed to draw the inner four foot around some debris for the win on her last rock. It was slightly long of perfect - adding to the drama - but a winner. "Close" may count in horsehoes and grenades, but with the hammer it is just "Closer."

My heart rate is still in the high 100s.

I'm not sure I'm healthy enough for this.


We are off the next two draws - take on Denmark tomorrow afternoon.

Way to go ladies!  4-1....whoop-whoop!

World War II - Part Whatever

Team Brown faced their second Axis Power this morning and escaped with a hard fought victory. After taking a 6-2 lead into the break, Erika and the gals gave up four in the sixth to the Germans to make the contest a little intersting.

All the other sheets had finished play so I guess Team USA wanted to give the brave Monday morning fans a show....well, a show they got.

After taking one in the seventh, a huge steal in the 8th put the US seemingly in control of the game. However, Schoepp was able to get the duece in the 9th to tie it up.

With lots of Rocks in play early, Anne Swiishelm threw a monster triple to change the game to the US' favor. Erika came through with a great last rock and the US ended up winning with the misleading score of 12-8.

Up next - the ladies of Norway, who apparently have their crazy polka dot pants at the laundry.

USA!

I knew it was a bad omen....

Here at the Women's Worlds, one country is honored before every draw.  The honeree team stands at center ice, they are announced and then their country's national anthem is played for the standing crowd. 

Yesterday, the honeree of Draw 4 was Latvia.  Latvia is competing in its first international competition for curling outside of Europe. 

After the Latvian team was announced, the announcer asked everyone to rise for the Latvian national anthem.....there was a little delay in queueing the music, but when it finally started, what do you think came out? 

How about "Sweet Home Alabama!?!"

The Latvian gals giggled letting me know that the Lynyrd Skynard southern rock classic was in fact NOT the Latvian National anthem.

While the crowd laughed and the announcer embarassingly looked around for guidance as what to do, a bad, bad feeling started creeping up my spine...... Yeah.....we  were facing Latvia in Draw 4.

I don't know if you find it as bizarre as me: but what are the chances of a South Carolina boy leading a US Women's Curling team in the World Championships in the absolute middle of nowhereville Saskatchewan, facing a team from a former Soviet Republic who has never competed in international curling competition, who comes out to be honored and instead of playing their national anthem a song is played that if the South were to rise again this song would be a serious contender for the national anthem of the New Confederate States of America?

You can't make this stuff up.

Yes....Latvia won.....their first win in world competition...ever.


Luckily, the gals have shaken it off.  They are still in good shape....tied for second, one game behind Canada.

We are back in the European theater again this morning.  We face Germany on sheet D in about 15 minutes.  This is the same sheet where we took care of their Japanese allies in Draw 2.  

Go USA!

Team USA on Top

After 2 draws at the Women's World Championships, the US finds itself atop the standings with as the only team at 2-0.  

After a close battle in the Cold War II, the US took it to the Japanese early and often.....and World War II part duex proved to be a no contest as the Japanese conceded after 7 with the score at 10-3.

Tomorrow the US only competes in the fourth draw at 130 against the new to international competition Latvian women.

Erika and the gals seem to be in great form and somehow, someway are managing in spite of their offical team leader....thank goodness for Grace!

Signing out from the windy prarie......

Cold War Won; Victory in the Pacific Part 2

Skip Erika Brown perfected a monster shot in the tenth to clench the Cold War victory over the pesky Russians.

Undefeated Team USA now faces the ladies from Japan, who defeated the Latvian women in the afternoon draw.  Latvia was competing for the first time outside of Europe but came up short on their last rock.

We are on sheet D tonight which is right where I am sitting - looking forward to watching some good curling up close and personal.

USA!

Draw 1 Set to Start

Team USA is finishing up practice as their first draw is about to commence. We take on Russia on Sheet B.

Let's win this Cold War.   USA!

Women's World Curling Championships - Swift Current

We are mere moments away from the Opening Ceremonies of the Women's Worlds in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.....yes, that Swift Current.

Grace and I are team leaders....why do I feel that we, USA Curling, and the entire province of Saskatchewan may never be the same?

Gold Medal Curling Games

Women started at 10; it is going down to the wire.  Men are at 3pm.

http://curling.teamusa.org/live.html

Back at Nationals

I am back in Kalamazoo at the US Curling Nationa Championships.

This afternoon Patti Lank defeated Amy Wright's gals from Duluth to advance to the finals against Erika Brown.  Grace and I are the team leaders for the Women so whether its Lank or Brown....I will ebd up with a new story. Patti curls with Jessica Schultz and Aileen Sormunen both curlers who have worn BWD on their uniforms in the past; Erika Brown was apart of the Women's Olympic team in 1988 (she was 14 at the time) that first drew me in to the sport in the first place. So whoever wins, I will be super excited!

Tonight the mens's semis are happening. Its Farbelow vs. Stevens.  Winner takes on 2006 Olympian Pete Fenson tomorrow for the right to go to Cortina for World's.  No matter what, it will be a Minnesotan.

The picture is competitor Richard Maskel who was barely eliminated from the playoffs. He tells me though that he is now number 2 on the list of all time wins at Nationals.

It's "Go Curling Day" in Michigan

The US Curling National Championships have begun in Kalamazoo, MI at Wings Stadium.

It is another great week for curling - 10 men's teams and 10 women's teams will vie for the right to represent the United States at the upcoming Men's and Women's World Championships.

Follow online!

Here are some pictures from the Opening Ceremonies.

The South Carolina Curling Club up to over 300

The South Carolina Curling Club on Facebook is up to over 300 fans.  If you are interested in curling coming to South Carolina, please join:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Greenville-SC/South-Carolina-Curling-Club/351593970515?ref=ts