Top five Brier moments

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        Brock Virtue Chris Schille DJ KidbyWho knew curling could be this exciting?

Paige Kreutzwiser
Contributor

For nine days, some of us watched 12 teams battle it out at Rexall Place in Edmonton for the 2013 Brier. Here are my top-five moments from the past week.

Note: below are not the top-five greatest, worst, funniest or anything-else moments. After watching as much curling as I have the past couple months, these are just five things that I remember:    

5. Clearly, not a gentlemen’s game:

I can’t even count the times I heard the words “fuck me” this past week on national television during the Brier.

What gets me is that all the TSN commentators casually just let it slide. By far, the best one had to be Ben Hebert’s in the 10th end against team Sask. It was loud.

Yet, as rough of a start as team Alberta had, I thought I’d hear it more from them. Instead, they just kept complaining about the rocks. “Fuck me” would have been less annoying.

4. Sociables:

You could do a top five sociables moments all on its own. What this is, is a handful of guys – who have more recently expanded into a large group of guys and one lone girl – who have been attending every Brier for the past five years.

They dress up in ridiculous identical costumes – this year included Where’s Waldo, doctors, Scotsmen, and Elvis, to name a few. Basically, they get really drunk, and add some entertainment to the crowd. They also hold up hilarious signs and by far the best one of this year was  “What would Vic do? Ask Linda.” Good one guys!  

3. Vic:

I don’t even know how to limit something that adds so much to watching any curling competition on TSN to roughly 100 words. Vic Rauter, one of TSN’s most versatile commentators, is just a gem.

I don’t care if people think he’s brainless when it comes to the game of curling, that man makes watching the game on TV so interesting. Have you ever tried to watch curling on Sportsnet? Brutal.

Vic’s montages have made me laugh, smile, and even cry on numerous occasions. Sunday night’s montage after the final was perfect. Brian Mudryk is going to have some big shoes to fill. Vic, you’re a beauty.  

2. Identical Rocks:

I know I am only 23 years old, but I have never seen this before – two rocks being measured and both being the exact same distance. That never happens, so much that even Brad Jacobs, Northern Ontario skip, didn’t even know the ruling for that situation.

On the sixth day of play, Saskatchewan and NO had this happen in their third end. Sask was already counting two, but SK’s and NO’s rocks were so close for third shot that they had to measure. So close that they took over five minutes to measure, which in the end, cancelled each other out after two officials couldn’t determine who was closer.

Probably won’t ever see that again.

1. Where’d they go?:

I’m glad I didn’t place any bets on this Brier, because the results were really unexpected.

Two huge competitors were left in the dust. Kevin Martin and his team from Alberta decided not to start playing until half way into the week –– apparently it was the rock’s fault? Glen Howard and his Ontario team decided to kick ass the entire week with a 10-0 record then chocked in the playoffs. And, with Manitoba eliminating Alberta on Friday, then Ontario getting knocked out by Northern Ontario meant that no team from AB or ON would be in the final game. And this hasn’t happened since 2001. That’s crazier than two rocks tying!

Photo courtesy of frrole.com

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