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2014 Winter Olympics - Sochi, Russia

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thanks Muddy. So the advantage is not made up in the game. I mean I understand you get the hammer if the other team scores but doesnt the team who gets it 1st still has some advantage? Or is that technically made up by having an even # of frames?
I mean a half of football would be unfair to the team kicking off imo.
Also what is the thing they changed to prevent the 1-0 game you're talking about?
 
Yes, hammer in the first end is an advantage period. It's not a guarantee but it's probably an advantage of similar magnitude to home field/ice/court advantage in other sports. You'll take it every time if you can.

And that's why doing well in the round robin is so important. Your seed determines hammer in the sudden death playoffs.

Which is why I am so annoyed at the Canadian men starting out 1-2.



The highest levels of curling introduced the "free guard zone" rules some years back to curb the extreme hitting game that some teams were using. They were strategically smart to play that way but it was boring as hell. It's a little complicated to start explaining - and the rule varies between the international game and some countries (like Canada). Basically the rule is that you can not just peel rocks that stop in a certain area. It applies to either the first 3 or 4 rocks of an end. If a team wants rocks in play - either because they are offensive by nature or they are trying to come back from a deficit - the rule theoretically helps them (although there are defensive strategies too).

It gets very involved to start explaining/analyzing it but bottom line - it increased offense quite a bit.
 
Canadian women curlers are taking care of business.

The men on the other hand ---> :facepalm:

Struggling against teams they shouldn't struggle against. Far from comfortable for a playoff spot.

This was my comment when this team qualified.

Mudcat
Brad Jacobs for the men.

The guy just keeps kicking ass at these Canadian Championships. Wins last year's Brier in a field stacked with former world champs. Now this [Olympic qualifier] was a tournament of nothing but all-stars and he goes through undefeated. He's a young guy and looks like he could be a big, big part of our future.

Just gotta hold it together in Sochi a helluva lot better than last year's worlds in Victoria.
Click to expand...


Looking pretty much exactly like he did at last year's worlds so far. Inexplicably weak and shaky.

:fok:
 
Booked a vacation day next Friday. Now I just need the men (curling) to make it to the gold medal game. Nice 10-4 victory over the tough Norwegians today.

Men's hockey semis are also that day so hopefully there will be a big game for Canada in there too.



Either way, 3-day week next week. :chickendance:
 
Some big doings a-happening in the next 18 hours.

Canadian men curlers have their final 2 games of the round robin, one at midnight the other at 10 am. Could mean anything from missing the playoffs to having the #1 seed.

Then I get my first chance to watch the hockey team, versus Finland at noon. Not that it's a critical game as far as anything tangible, but it's huge in terms of my psychic bond with the team and the influences I will exert over their results from here on out.

Unfortunately there is bound to be some overlap but I will just have to deal.


Big doings a-happening.
 
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