What's With The Brooms In Curling ???

[Terinox]

Okay, I'm guessing you guys didn't expect a question like this, and I really doubt much of you, if any are curling fans. Some of you might even be saying "what the hell is curling?"



Anyways, I was watching the Olympics, and Canada almost beat UK, but no cigar. BUT for those of you who know about curling, what the hell does the sweeping do? They always yell, HARD, HARD, YES, YES, HARD, sounds like they are gonna have an orgasom or something. Does it make the rock go faster???

For those of you who can actually answer this question I thank you.

[KeyMastur]

it's basically shuffleboard on ice

[Terinox]

Alright SK, that solves that, it's been eating my brain for a while

[EXCESS]

It does speed up the rock, but it also slows the curl. Sometimes they yell "HARDDDD" because the rock is curling too much and is about to hit the wrong rock.

[bad_man]

Transplanted Canadian here, and I've actually curled a few times. It's not something you brag to the girls about, but it's fun every once in a while while having a few beers - I guess like bowling.

When you throw (slide) the rock, it spins slightly. Depending on the direction of the spin, the rock curls (get it?) to the left or right. The best curlers can make a rock go anywhere they want, even hide it behind another rock. Sweeping basically warms up the ice, making the rock go straighter and faster. You'll hear them yelling HARD or HURRY. This means they should sweep so that the rock will travel straight along it's current direction. It also allows for a little more control if you are trying to put the rock right on the button (the very center of the rings).

WOW, don't I feel like the geek!!!!

[VEGETA990]

I think there should be two kinds of olympics if they are gonna put "curling" in there. There should be athletic and non-athletic olympics. People train for years and still cannot achieve what many do in the olympics, then they have curling. People who ski downhill at ridiculus speeds then you have curling. You have men who weight 175 lbs and snatch 450lbs, clean and press 550lbs, then you have curling. Its bullsh*t if you ask me.

[EXCESS]

Actually, I'd rather watch curling than snowboarding. I'm so sick of the lingo. "Hey dude, I'm sooo stoked!"

[Billy Boy]

I flicked thro the channels on TV and came across it I,ve never seen it and said to the g/f WTF is that? Sorry but how is that an Olympic sport some people chasing a rock down a runway with a bloody broom?

[bad_man]

I equate curling with bowling or golf. They are GAMES, not sports. And before any golf-lovers start bashing me, I play twice a week - I just don't consider it athletic.

An interesting curling anecdote.... In 1998, the skip (captain) of the American curling team was having heart problems and was visiting his doctor for some checkups. He asked his doctor if he was still going to be able to go to the Olympics. His doctor told him that he'd have to be very careful - not to over-exert himself. And he'd need special medication for the plane ride. The doctor thought that he was going to be a SPECTATOR, not an athlete. And even as a spectator, the doctor thought it may be dangerous for him to go Nagano. Bah ha ha ha.

[Billy Boy]

The snowboarding is good but I hate the lingo as well the same as surfing everyone expect surfers to be like "Hey howley you cutting up the stokers real swell" Sorry it just doesn,t happen half the time its normal guys just surfing the same as snowboarders.

The translation from that is "Hey bro you are surfing the waves really good"

[Pete235]

Originally posted by bad_man
I equate curling with bowling or golf. They are GAMES, not sports.

Exactly!! Two others that come to mind are billiards and darts. They require skill and percision...not athleticism. The same argument can be made for rifle, pistol and archery in the summer Olympics. However, I have no problem with curling being in the olympics because it means a few more medals for Canada LOL

[Billy Boy]

Are you saying that Canucks are only good at sweeping? LOL

[Terinox]

Originally posted by Billy Boy
Are you saying that Canucks are only good at sweeping? LOL

Hay, we're gonna kick ass in hockey too !!!

[silverfox]

agreed curling belongs in Olympics about as much as bbing does. I ove my sport but don't think it should be Olympic sport. yes curling requires skill but are that athletes.. i don't think so.

[Billy Boy]

My mother sweeps the patio and she is no athlete!!

I bet they all have really clean floors at home though what with all the practice LOL

[Pete235]

Originally posted by Diesel
I agree EC. BB is not a game and could technically be considered not a sport. It is a lifestyle.
If BB does get into the Olympics, it could make things a lot more difficult on all of us.

Especially if the judges come from France, Italy or Russia

[bad_man]

Originally posted by Diesel
If BB does get into the Olympics, it could make things a lot more difficult on all of us.

There's an interesting article on this in this month's Muscular Development. It basically outlines how the inclusion of BB into the Olympics would ultimately result in an even stronger crackdown on steroids and other drugs, which would hurt the "casual" bodybuilder that would like to use them.

note: I only used the word "casual" because I didn't know how else to describe someone that is not a coompetetive bodybuilder. We all know there's nothing casual about it.

[Pete235]

I think it's a lot of smoke and mirrors....it is obvious to anybody with 1/2 a brain that 80% (maybe higher) of the worlds top amatuer athletes are (or have been) involved in some type of doping program. Does anybody really believe thatMaurice Greene ran 9.79 naturally? It's funny because when they asked Ben Johnson about his thoughts on Maurices time, he said "It's no big deal. I did the exact same thing 10 years ago"

[bad_man]

Ben Johnson didn't get suspended because he used drugs. He got suspended because he was stupid enough to get caught. My Phys Ed teacher in highschool told me she used to work out at the same track club as Ben in Toronto and everyone knew what he was up to. His body changed so dramatically.

Take a look at any of the top track athletes and compare their body to pictures of them in college or even highschool. Do you think they got that way simply from training hard and eating their vitamins? And it's not just in track. The top athletes these days don't necessarily have the best training techniques. They have the best drugs and masking agents as well.

I say make everything legal. If you have more syrum in your body then blood and you can run a 9.50 100m, more power to you!! The fastest guy should be the winner, no matter what.

[VEGETA990]

I think we should overthrow the olympic committee and take over, make our own rules. I agree with all of you.

[Terinox]

Originally posted by VEGETA990
I think we should overthrow the olympic committee and take over, make our own rules. I agree with all of you.

I second that.

We will have drug testing, if you DON'T have steroids in your system, then we kick you out. Only juicers allowed!!!