Don’t know if he would want to be around the events so soon after walking away … a couple of years from now perhaps
Don’t know if Goo waits out two years to get the on-ice out of his system. Strike when the iron is hot, I say.
Of course, Goo may have made some good investments on the rock, or elsewhere. He’s a smart guy - he knew his lucrative curling career would end someday. But being 1st chair on Brier, Scotties & other key curling event coverage is fairly lucrative work for 5 or so months work - concentrated in 7 to 10 day chunks, perhaps 4 or 5 times yearly.
The Howard Boys were legends but Russ is over 70 and Glen is nearly 65. Like replacing Johnny Miller with Tiger Woods on commentary. More contemporary!
Russ, not Glenn.
I don’t think Russ is going anywhere right now. Also not sure Gushue wants to do that, but could be wrong.
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Sorry got the Howards mixed up. Glen was skipping competively til he was nearly 60, his knees gave out and he morphed into hi-level coaching. Both Howards are good on the mic - but Russ has tons of history but he’s now 70+. Having two 70yr olds in the booth isn’t great business for TSN - - - Sportsnet has experienced guys like legendary Kevin Martin and Mouthy Mike Harris on the stick, they added Jennifer Jones - but I’m sure Jones would switch to TSN in a heartbeat, although she’s an investor in the new curling league which sold their TV rights to Rogers (Sportsnet).
PS. The kid (he’s actually 70/71) who anchors Sportsnet’s curling coverage, Rob Faulds is a veritable pygmy compared to Vic Rauter. Low on curling history knowledge and doesn’t have the gleeful curiosity Rauter projects.
Rauter is the gold standard of curling broadcasting, when he retires he will be very hard to replace. Brian Mudryk who TSN has been phasing in as Vic’s heir apparent is getting better but he has a high standard to live up to.
Mudryk is pretty good, the fact that he’s paired with Cathy Gauthier isn’t helping his case. I think if he was subbed into the A team it may work.
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Doubt Gushue would commit to TSN right away. I’m not sure any athlete means more to their home province than he does to Newfoundland. He’s basically got the whole world at his fingertips.
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If Brad Gushue desired to repudiate the universal love he’s showered with daily in Newfoundland - perhaps he should take up politics?
A new party? The Goo Party?
Goo would be instantly electable as a provincial or federal MP, and with the instability of Maritime politics, he’d stand better than an even chance to be Premier.
He owns multiple gyms. I suspect he’s doing fine and to your point wouldn’t need to commit to TSN right away. I think Russ is still great and will be doing this for a while. Ray Turnbull did it much longer.
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Yep, Ray “Moose” Turnbull provided excellent curling commentary til he was nearly 75 - then TSN put him down.
Don’t know if Russ will go to 75 but he shows little sign of deterioration at 71. Vic is the same age as Russ and they make a good pair in the booth. Mudryk is a viable back-up when Rauter calls it a day - I don’t believe Mudryk is even close to 50. Yes, Chatty Cathy (Gauthier) is a barn-storming talking machine when she’s on but I don’t think they’ll ever move her up to the afternoon and evening broadcasts, let alone playoff rounds.
On Sportsnet - my own view is that Kevin Martin is the best curling commentator we have, despite being saddled with an inferior host (Rob Faulds). Mike Harris, yet to turn 60 is a decent 2nd commentator (Sportsnet often uses three commentators during a draw - and now Harris has Jennifer Jones (recent hire) to be concerned about. Jones is almost as good as Martin and she’s only been doing it a short time. Both Martin & Jones are curling geniuses so one learns much listening to how they process the game in their mind. They’re almost always aware of all shot possibilities - even the oddest ones.
Jennifer Jones’ lawyer background certainly helps in articulating nuance and thinking outside the box so as long as she can keep things relatable to the layperson then she’ll be successful in the role.
Yep, Howard is still very sharp and knowledgeable , don’t see him retiring anytime soon.
@Nasty-Nate Einarson loses the world final in the B event (tier 2 field) to a rookie Swiss team. Shocked she couldn’t even beat the world’s second best teams….
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Definitely a Tier 2 field but Einarson maxxed out reaching the final. She was a pretty easy lay-down for Xena the Swiss Warrior Princess, who had all the shots. After all they massacred the amazing Alina Patz & Silvana “the throat singer” Tirinzoni to get out of Switzerland.
I think this Warrior Princess may have even been able to manhandle the Canadian automaton Rachel Homan.
Einarson gave it all she had but for a few deficiencies that keep popping up when she gets to world class events.
The Japanese had a front end of two 5 foot tall, 95 lb. gals. Switzerland had two young 6-footers who were able to take on and subdue Einarson’s sterling front end of Birchard & Burgess.
Einarson will be back as Team Canada at next year’s Scotties but she’ll wither up and die when confronted by Homan’s automatons. Not much in Canada after Homan & Einarson. Lawes obviously not the skip she’s been made out to be.
Wouldn’t be shocked to see a split up with Sweeting. The two of them didn’t look right all week.
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I agree with your astute observation about Einarson & Sweeting being out of sorts with each other. They’re still polite, because thats their nature but obviously differ in their approach to strategy. Both very subdued women. Doesn’t help to have the over-thinking coach Reid Schindle spewing his vitriol either.
Not much to choose from in replacing either Sweeting or Kerri. Kaitlyn Lawes has proven to be somewhat under the gold standard, same with Kelsey Roque.
My recommendation is for the two younger bucks on the team, Birchard (30) and Burgess (27) breaking free on their own, perhaps keeping Kaitlyn Karwacki at spare, thus preserving their Team Canada status at next year’s Scotties where they will no doubt be confronted by the monster of the midway, Rachel Homan and the mean girls.
My recommendation fwiw, is for Birchard & Burgess to reach out to Switzerland now that Savannah Tirinzoni has retired as the Queen of World Curling. Why not ask the great Alina Patz to come to Canada and toss last rocks for Burgess & Birchard, perhaps even bringing that great tattooed lead with her - or even the amazon 2nd. Curling is fractured anyways, why not bring in a top player. The only person that would be really upset with Patz emigrating to Canada would no doubt be Rachel Homan - for Patz is one of the few curlers on the planet Homan is intimidated by.
I suspect Sweeting will return to Alberta and try her hand skipping again. As for Einarson, she really isn’t a leader but her resume says 5 Scotties golds. She could easily pick up a group of graduating juniors or other top Manitoba curlers to hop aboard. Heck, she might even be able to take on Kate Cameron.
Good call Crash, the Einarson rink announced the departure of Sweeting , fifth Karwacki and coach Reid Carruthers today. The rest of her team will stay intact, Kerri, Birchard and Burgess. Who will replace Val is yet to be announced.
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Yes, Crash made the call. Sweeting & Einarson looked out of sorts with each other the entire event. They were fortunate to make the playoffs - mainly due to a watered down field. Einarson would never have captured her 5th Scotties title either - if Homan was allowed to compete at the Scotties.
As for replacement parts - Val was a solid 3rd, perhaps top 5 thirds in Canada. Obviously, #1 is Tracy Fleury from the Mean Girls (Homan). Lawes skipping now but I’d put her down at #2 or #3. The gal who played for Black in Nova Scotia is also an exquisite 3rd player.
The problem on Team Einarson wasn’t all on Sweeting - but she began doubting Einarson’s skipping abilities and strategy too often. Lots of teams will go after Sweeting, maybe a couple higher echelon Alberta teams bringing her aboard as a skip. More likely she’ll go west and perhaps hitch a ride with a youngish BC team in need of both a leader and an above average shotsmith.
As for the remains of Einarson’s squad. The front end is exquisite. Burgess, currently lead could easily move up to 3rd but the Einarson problem remains.
Only way they’ll be able to take on Team Homan next year is if they import a European ringer like Alina Patz, who might be available after Tirinzoni called it a day.
Top 2 teams in women’s curling are obviously Homan and the current swiss teams of supergirls led by X-Woman Schwaller. Patz is a close #3, once she subs in a new 3rd player for Tirinzoni.
I’d say, Einarson a distant 4th or 5th in world. too erratic, inconsistent strategy and far too much panic creeping into her game.
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Lawes team is also splitting, Njegovan will take Sweeting place.
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Didn’t Njegovan ride shotgun with Einarson before they had a falling out? Either 4 or 5 years at 3rd if memory serves. Kris Gordon (aka McCuish) was also on that team. At some point Selena was cut in favour of the Alberta import Valerie Sweeting.