Watch just one match at the elite level and you will see how much effort the players put into 'sweeping' ahead of the rock. Their knowledge of the ice surface is crucial in assuring the rock gets to where it's suppose to be. You try doing that for two hours and see how your arms and shoulders feel. Those at the top of their game are athletes complete with trainers and sports psychologists.
The game also requires balance and finesse to not only throw the rocks properly but to avoid slipping on the ice and cracking your head open. For a neophyte it is not easy.
We don't mind the joking about it because we know the reality. It's a wicked fun game to play and often a nail biter to watch. Be careful you don't get hooked and charmed from watching it.
John Scalzi: ” You know, I haven’t been following the Olympics at all, because I don’t much actually care, but I have to say the Norwegian Olympic Curling Team’s pants deserve a medal. For something.”
These pants worn by Norway's Olympic curling team do not invalidate my arguments.
http://gilmoure.tumblr.com/
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4 comments:
Before i die i want to learn and curl.
Maybe it's becaue i love pool/billards that i find Curling so fascinating.
OK, as you probably know, I curl.
It takes incredible hand-eye co-ordination to curl. You need strong legs in order to push out properly from the hack. You need balance and finesse, as you said, and you need decent cardio-vascular fitness to sweep properly.
So, that cartoon is a BIT insulting! I have stolen it, though. :)
I've been pleasantly surprised how much America has been pushing curling this time around. I'm used to staying up into the wee hours scanning channels for a single match.
This time they've been showing them all during the day. Mind you people are still ignorant on the awesomeness, but at least it's starting to break ground here.
Did you see The Simpsons this past week? Hilarious take on Olympic curling, complete with Marge hurting her shoulder from so much sweeping. Pure awesomeness!
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