Curling does not involve heat nor hair
The red carpet festivities are still some hours away, so I’ve been watching another program that is just as competitive. A sports program, with a movie tie-in: The trivia question for today reads “How many movies have included curling as a plot device?” (IMDB lists an even dozen, including one James Bond flick. Who knew?) Anyhow, the Scotties are underway, and PEI just gave up a match to Quebec. Still a week away from the final end, though.
One of the sons (peanut gallery resident) has been laughing out of the side of his mouth all afternoon. In his (inexperienced) eyes, curling isn’t really a sport. Excuse me. You have teams, scores, ends, a broom, stones that are too heavy to throw accurately. You have concentric circles, special footwear, lines. How does this differ from, say, hockey? Or lacrosse? How about the part where even people my age can compete (if I can find a rink that will have me)? Be fair, curling is probably a better spectator sport than that one that involves fist fights and a rubber disk. Try to predict how one stone can move three others in different directions, if you can.
Now, like most Canadians, I don’t watch curling very often. The Scotties came to Charlottetown twice, so that puts it in the “worth paying attention, in case it ever happens again, because twice means that it wasn’t a fluke” category. No more obscure than some of those that will be announced this evening (the Oscars, remember). There have been some great players over the years, and I’m starting to miss Miss Gumchewing. The good teams come back more than once, unlike movies, so it’s easier to remember who the big names are. Did I mention that the Academy will use all its air time in one evening, whereas the Scotties has the lock on my TV for better than a week?
