Saturday, March 15, 2008

CBC’s final Brier final
















by Jill Officer

WINNIPEG – After missing a runback, Ontario’s Glenn Howard left a hit for three for Saskatchewan’s Pat Simmons in the 8th end.

The green machine took full advantage of the miss from Howard and stuck for three. The funny thing about the shot was that the crowd here at the MTS Centre yelled at the Saskatchewan sweepers to clean the rock! Obviously they were trying to help prevent any mishaps again today.

So, although they tied it up after eight, in the end, Ontario just couldn’t be beat.

You can’t help but to feel badly for Simmons and his team. Although the boys had a chance to put their game away against Alberta’s Kevin Martin last night, they still had a chance to win if it wasn’t for that pick on the last brick.

Even Howard said after today’s game that “Simmons didn’t deserve to be in that game.”

And so, with Saskatchewan being eliminated here, many people are wondering what might have happened had Sask won the game last night.

It also answers the question of whether or not the team would recover from such a disappointing loss last night. There were moments where the team was quite sharp, but although they made a case for themselves from the 8th end on, they really just weren’t quite as precise as they had been during the week.

Simmons had tears in eyes during the post-game media scrum. He also said he didn’t get much sleep last night, but he and his teammates were really proud of the way they came out to play tonight.

And so Ontario’s Howard will meet Alberta’s Martin in the final, pretty much what everyone predicted coming into this 2008 Brier.

After the game, both skips (photo) said that they expect tomorrow’s finale to come down to the last rock. Both skips agreed that their teams have been 50-50 against each other this year, and that each will have to play their best.

And what a great way for CBC to end 60-odd years of Brier TV coverage... bittersweet, to be sure, but this one is sure to go down in history.

Game on!

1 comment:

ak267 said...

Bittsweet? Methinks not. After the debacle, and hard-feelings, of the CCA/CBC TV contract, I don't think there'll be many misty eyes come fall 2008 when TSN gets the SOC.

Once TSN gets the gig, people are going to forget the CBC. Their past curling accomplishments will fade away into the chapters of time and filed away to dusty archival vaults.

CBC is going through some rough times as they've lost the SOC, CFL and Olympics. Only the Slams remain and I can only wonder how much that will help the "mothercorp". And I still haven't forgiven the WCT for only allowing Canadian teams in the Player's Championship (BOOOOO).

To parapharse a Billy Crystal movie "Forget Paris"....."Let me be the first to say goodbye!"