The best Canadian rep won
by Margo Weber
Wow, that game was CRAZY… right?
I have some thoughts. First, I re-watched it on my PVR because I was curling in a bonspiel in Airdrie where I had to observe some of it from the ice. I’m not going to lie, I may have been paying more attention to the Scotties than my own sheet. Might explain our eventual extra-end loss.
It’s a good thing we don’t have to listen to the commentators for very long after the game, because you know what they would say over and over again. PEI is so young… what a great week… they’ll have so many chances….
All true. Erin Carmody and Geri-Lynn Ramsay will be back at the Scotties so many times their little necklaces will be full of diamonds. What do they do, move on to bracelets? Earrings? And then what… gem-encrusted headbands? Then they’ll start bedazzling little diamonds on their coats. If they keep it up and can get past a handful of good teams in PEI – or keep snapping up the best players from those teams – they will be at the STOH for a long, long time.
As for Jennifer Jones and team, you cannot take anything away. After Team Canada stole that point in the eighth end, I told my husband they are going to win this game. And he agreed. It’s Jennifer Jones, things just HAPPEN and they capitalize. When she crouched down to throw that last stone in the extra end there was zero doubt in my mind that it was as good as made. With Cathy O calling the line and Jill Officer and Dawn Askin sweeping, THEY were not going to miss. It was a team shot, and a great way to win.
Okay, back to PEI.
I liked their calls this week. Carmody was calm, everyone on that team was focused. I was amazed and seriously impressed. But that guard in the extra end on Carmody’s first rock… hmm. I didn’t love it. (Keep in mind, this is coming from the skip of the A-semi-losing team of the Airdrie Ladies Bonspiel. Haha!)
The guard made that end so much harder for Team PEI. I can only assume that they thought Jones would peel it. Linda Moore of the TSN TV crew thought so, too. But Team Canada knew that would shift the momentum straight to PEI. Jones made a great draw, and Carmody actually followed up with a nice, and difficult, shot. Whatever it was, it left Team Canada a relatively easy out.
Had PEI played a little tap on Carmody’s first rock, they would have been lying three. Jones would be looking at making a couple of doubles… and we might be looking at PEI’s first Canadian women’s champions.
I realize fans are split on who they wanted to win. Sure. However, the best team in Canada ended up victorious. Have they won every Worlds they’ve been to? No, but they are previous global champs and they will be playing in a Ford Worlds where most of the other teams will be poopered from the Olympics. I’m seeing a gold medal in Swift Current through my little crystal ball.
And for fans that have a problem with Jennifer Jones, I will mention that I believe she is a great rep for Canada. Media and sponsors rave about her cooperation and she is widely known for being the last person left, still signing autographs after a game. I’m pleased with this result.
However, I must admit, I was looking forward to seeing some Erin Carmody Scotties commercials. Gonna have to wait I guess.
On a final note, I’m giddy with excitement about the Brier. I went to curling camp with Jeff Richard, who won his first BC men’s provincial yesterday, stealing not one but two massive playoff games, in extra ends, and against top-notch competition.
And I’m stoked for Team Kevin Koe who beat Randy Ferbey for the right to represent Alberta in Halifax. Wooooottt… if I wasn’t pregnant I would be ON A PLANE to Halifax next month.
Alas, The Patch ain’t no fun when you’re pregnant. So I will be addicted from my couch.
And I WON’T be curling in any bonspiels that week.
PHOTO: Margo Weber sees Swift Current gold in her crystal ball – CCA photo by Michael Burns [click image to increase size]
