Batman, Herb Tarlek and more

Expecting to see a hardcore curling action photo from Regina? No way... when you've got Batman flapping about with a Brownie brush? Are you kidding?

Some springlike weather abounds across parts of Canada – including T.O., which prompted these wahoos (photo) to amble about downtown between bonspiel games. We'll let you read all about it, with no further comment from us.

Speaking of Hogtown, Perry Lefko reports that Warren Hansen is insisting that a Toronto Brier is still “on the radar screen”. Hmph. We’ve heard that one before. Toronto was up for consideration for 2007, only to lose to Hamilton.

At this stage of the game, TCN wonders if the Brier will ever be held in Toronto. Is that a challenge to the CCA to take the big gulp and just do it? You bet your shaky in-turn it is.

And speaking of Shaky, the same story offers a brief farewell to Jim Hunt, the famed Toranna sports journalist who recently passed away and who had more than a few things to say about curling during his career. Farewell Ol' Hunt...

So... why isn’t Brad Gushue and his golden boys competing in the Brier? Looks like somebody, namely Jonesy, is finally asking that question. Meanwhile, Brad himself is now part of the just announced RBC 2010 Flag Tour... hmm, first a Tim Hortons sponsorship (have you seen the Hamilton TV ads yet?) and now a tie to Canada's Olympic bank... not bad.

A quick international turn:

• Japan's Ayumi Onodera (Team Aomori) won her national championship on the weekend, but had a few scares along the way. Meanwhile, Japanese curling interest continues to grow.

• The US Nats: Pete Fenson made the long climb back from an 0-2 start to win his third U.S. championship in the past four years, and qualify for Lowell. Meanwhile Deb McCormick defeated Patti Lank in the women’s final and will fly to Grande Prairie this week for the Ford Women’s Worlds... Fenson's win made his Sunday of honour all the more enjoyable... and here's a quick look at Fenson lead John Shuster. Some people are turned off by him but we're big fans of Shustie.
• Canada’s Les Rogers has won World Senior gold, defeating the USA, and Sweden upset Canada’s Joyce Potter in the women’s final...

• You probably knew the Paralympics, which include wheelchair curling, were underway in Turin, but did you know the world juniors are nearly halfway through their round-robin in far-off Jeonju, Korea?

• An update to last week's Brandon Hall of Fame story;

• South Africans remain befuddled by our sport. No surprise there.

Finally, back to the Brier.

Have you noticed Team Ontario doin' the Herb Tarlek? The Toronto Star finally did... here's a preview of today’s TSN afternoon matchup, and it's a doozy... Winnipeg's Jimmy Bender notes Jeff Stoughton’s latest milestone... here's Donna Spencer with some Brier notes... there's been some online jabs taken at the BC team skipped by Brian Windsor; so Con Man’s headline editor hereby refutes, and be careful as these old guys are tough as nails... Scotia alternate Matt (not Mat) Harris (or is that Mat, not Matt?) is writing a daily blurb for the Chronicle Herald... and last but not least, our zinger of the day, courtesy of today’s Freep (subscription only):

The competitors have filled out personal questionnaires which are published in the in-house Brier newspaper, The Tankard Times – which happens to be steered by honourable TCN columnist Larry Wood – and Yukon/NWT front-ender Kevin Whitehead used his to take a (good-natured?) shot at the Saskatchewan team.

Asked to name his standout movie, Whitehead wrote: "Brokeback Mountain. It's nice to see a movie about the Saskatchewan front end."