Curling - what a great sport (1 Viewer)

[Anthony Moore]

Anyone else think this is the greatest sport in the games?

I had NEVER seen it before they started showing the matches on CNBC. One night two of my friends and I sat down and watched a US Men's match. We had no idea of the rules or what was going on. We just watched, learned the rules and got HOOKED! Every morning we would goto NBC.com and see when the Curling was coming on TV that day. We didnt miss a match.

These curling players are really skilled and have great instincts. I hope that more people got interested. And I hope that it gets even more coverage throughout the years to come.

Do they ever show non-olympic curling?

 

[Bjorn Olav Nyberg]

I agree curling can be pretty exciting, but I'm afraid the sport isn't very common. I have seen games played outside the olympics over here though. But even though Norway actually won a gold medal in curling, there are only 4 halls built for curling in norway, to put it onto perspective. I heard that interest is growing in Norway at least, the last games the Norwegian team played was seen by more people than usually watches our national soccer team. (That comparison may be lost on many US members I suppose, but suffice to say it was among the most popular events on TV durong this olympic )

 

[Julian Reville]

There are rules? I really tried, but I couldn't follow the terminology or the scoring.
But the Swiss lady curlist? named Frei was a cutie.

 

[Philip_G]

Bah, move up north, it's fairly common. there's even an indoor curling "place" (I dunno what it's called lol) here in town, hell it's probably even a highschool sport.

 

[Mark Schermerhorn]

Apparently it's pretty common in northern Minnesota and in ND as well as Philip hinted at. Down here in Minneapolis everyone knows what it is and has some idea of how it works, although few really know the rules (including myself). And it's NEVER on TV, I've never seen a match on TV myself, olypics included.

 

[Matt Stryker]

ESPN has a good guide to it: http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/winter...ure?id=1303954
Great sport; too bad they'll never embrace it down here in GA.

 

[Francois Caron]

The scoring is not all that difficult although it is unconventional. The basic goal is to get as many of your rocks as close to the button (the center of the target) as possible. A point is counted for rocks closest to the center belonging to the same team until a rock belonging to the other team is encountered. An example:

1st closest rock: yellow

2nd closest rock: red

The yellow team earns one point.

1st closest rock: red

2nd closest rock: red

3rd closest rock: yellow

The red team gets two points. You had to go all the way to the third closest rock to find one belonging to the other team.

1st closest rock: yellow

2nd closest rock: yellow

3rd closest rock: yellow

4th closest rock: yellow

5th closest rock: red

Four points for yellow. If the game is at the 8th or 9th end (there are 10 "ends" per match), the red team might simply give up by now. That's why you see some teams shake hands before the end of the game. You've accepted reality and handed over victory to the other team.

Surprisingly, a team can earn plenty of points just by knocking out the other team's rock from the center. It makes for an exciting game!

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

And if you really want to see a good curling match, see The Beatles in "Help!"
So is curling the same as Bocce Ball, except played on ice?

 

[Thomas_Berg]

it's just like ice-shuffleboard.
Anthony- i totally agree that curling is an awesome sport!! too bad frikkin NBC didnt show it, and i dont get any of the other NBC channels. :frowning: oh god i hate figure skating...
curling is definately one of the best sports in the Olympics, and is hands-down the most original. i really do wish i got to see some of it...

 

[PatrickM]

If you like curling and want to see what appears to be a funny movie that's coming out soon, look for a movie called Men with Brooms. It has Paul Gross (the Mountie from Due South), Molly Parker and Leslie Nielsen in it.

Patrick

 

[Dennis Reno]

I'm sorry folks, but I just can't call "curling" a sport! Some coworkers and I had a discussion during lunch last week and decided that if Curling is an Olympic sport, then the following should also be added to the Winter or Summer games:

1. Bocce ball

2. Team snowman building

3. Bowling

4. Darts

5. Dodge ball

6. Billiards

There were several others, but they escape me! I have donned the asbestos underwear, flame away!

FYI, I believe CBC carries a curling match every so often.

 

[Dave Poehlman]

Why are people acting like this is some sort of new sport? I mean it's all over the news and people are talking about it here at the office like they've never heard of it before. It's been in the olympics since I can remember.

 

[Josh Dial]

I believe that curling was a demonstration sport beginning in 1992 in Albertville, and was moved to full medal status in 1998 in Nagano (again, I think)

cheers!

Josh