A shout-out to Doug McConachie, longtime journalist and sports editor of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, who is hanging up his pen and paper after Friday.

Yes, journalists can retire, too, and Doug will be missed, as he is a great friend of curling.

Here’s a great farewell piece that pseudo-colleague Murray McCormick wrote on Bloglines a couple of weeks ago.

And the photo of 2008 Sask champion Michelle Englot (left) and her team – who begin Scotties action as the home team tomorrow on TSN – was taken by McConachie, an avowed non-photographer, in probably his last appearance on the ice with a camera.

Thanks to SP Managing Editor Cam Hutchison for the image, which you can click on to view in a larger size.

Tomorrow, we’ll celebrate a major curling anniversary ...