Brier 2012: The Playoffs

byKevin Palmer

The Curling News® photos byAnil Mungal– click on images to increase viewing size

I recall an article that showcased the relationship between football stars Peyton and Eli Manning when they were growing up.

Peyton, the older brother, would always beat Eli, the younger, at virtually every sport or game. They both remember the moment when Eli finally beat Peyton – in a basketball one-on-one – with a huge dunk on the very last play. Legend has it that Peyton wouldn’t speak to Eli for days after that.

For some reason, such a degree of sibling rivalry doesn’t easily reveal itself in curling. The closest thing we’ve seen in a while may be Manitoba’s Lyburn brothers – fiery Scotsmen, both – who played on different teams this season. As we know, they reunited once Team Rob Fowler qualified for the Brier; eldest Allan throwing third and the youngest, Willie, now along as the fifth man.

Watching the Koe brothers trade shots in Saturday’s entertaining Page playoff 3 versus 4 battle, however, made it easy to picture the two of them, age 16 and 14, throwing rocks – possibly in a game of skins – to see who buys the french fries. I wonder about the first time kid brother Jamie ever won (assuming he did) and how that must have felt (for each of them)… and whether or not eldest Kevin spoke to his brother afterwards.

Of course, there were other players on the ice Saturday, and eventually, the more talented and seasoned team won. The disappointing thing about underdog is that eventually, and more often they not, they lose. Everyone is congratulating the Territories for their great week, the playoffs, and the bronze medal game. It was a great showing and I cheered them on with every step, as most fans would. We should also be impressed with the play of Team Alberta and Kevin himself – that team had/has more expectations on their shoulders, ie. everything to lose. Anyone who’s curled enough has memories of playing games like that one, and being on the wrong end of an upset. The Albertans gutted out a fine performance and got their job done… but for Jamie, it still must still sting a little.

Ontario certainly deserves their berth in the final, but the outcome didn’t happen as easily as the Page 1 versus 2 game appeared. They played five extra-end games during the week (it could easily have been six), they had a lead on intravenous for part of the tournament, and they battled through several on-ice situations that could have gone the other way.

The semifinal between Manitoba and Alberta had plenty of drama, including some key misses at the wrong times. After the seventh end it still seemed like anyone’s game, though Alberta had stepped up their play following the break. Several MB attempts at runbacks in the sixth and seventh ends led to a key steal and a force of one. Then, in the eighth end, Alberta cracked a huge four points and it was all but decided; a key pick on Fowler’s first throw allowed Koe to split the rings and lay three, then Fowler was a little heavy and and straight on his freeze attempt – boom, an Alberta hit for four. A couple of double-takeout options had been discussed; in hindsight, perhaps that would have been the better call.

When the first Brier bronze medal game was played last year, I don’t recall if I actually watched. This year I found a reason to watch, even if it was only to shirk some husbandly duties. I agreed with those last year who suggested the game wasn’t necessary, but perhaps I was wrong. I still don’t think it’s required, I always found these events during the Olympics to seem unnecessary. Why not just give out two bronze medals? It always seems disappointing when a team gets that close then doesn’t share the podium. But on Sunday, I did enjoy the game and it appeared the MB and TER players did also. On Thursday, when many thought they would fold and miss the playoffs, the Territories squad came through with two great efforts and earned their playoff spot with an impressive 7-4 record. The Territories also handed Ontario their only loss in the competition.

The final was an obvious rematch of the 2010 Brier final in Halifax, with a lineup change for both combatants: Ontario’s Richard Hart and Alberta’s Blake McDonald replaced by Wayne Middaugh and Pat Simmons, respectively. And as this blogpost from March 15, 2010 shows, the Albertans were victorious despite being in the same Page 3 versus 4 hole that they were at the start of the 2012 playoff weekend.

Unlike the previous contest – as Jim Nantz would say, “one for the ages” – this one is soon to be forgotten. I’m certain that Glenn, Brent Laing and Craig Savill will remember it for years to come. After losing four of five Brier finals in the past six years, and an Olympic berth as well, this win must feel very special. It would have been easy to start to feel jinxed, like it’s never going to happen again, and lose your passion. But Team Howard has continued their steady play and never wavered from the top level of the game, even after injecting new third Wayne Middaugh into the mix (okay, a pretty good third, but you never know how that’s going to turn out).

The final game showed what happens when one team is a little off and the other is simply not missing. I can’t even comment on strategy, other than to suggest the Albertans may have wanted to try food-poisoning Wayne earlier in the day; he shot 98 per cent and was awarded the Hec Gervais award as playoff MVP.

Well done Ontario and Team Howard, and good luck at the worlds in Basel, Switzerland.