64 - Canada's 13th Gold!

We were fortunate enough to get to see Canada's Kevin Martin and his team curl against the world's greatest rinks.  Ahhh, curling?  It's one of those things where either you get it or you don't.  I've had to work a bit to come to understand this sport, but now that I have an idea of what's going on, I can speak to how thrilling the game is at the Olympic level. 

Curling is a difficult game to describe.  I am just beginning to learn chess, so I compare curling to chess, except that your physical prowess guides where the pieces go and the board has no squares.  Well, also, there's a lot of ice, too.   Unless you are playing against rank beginners, curling is an extremely strategic game.  Not only will the better team be the strongest and fittest, they will also be the smartest.  It takes a finely-tuned talent to make precise draws, raises, and dramatic multiple take-outs.  Curling will take its toll on knees, backs, hips, and shoulders, so the best players stay in healthy shape. 

Here is a picture I took of skip Kevin Martin at work during the Olympics.  As good as the other teams played, Kevin Martin, John "Johnny Mo" Morris, Marc Kennedy, and Ben Hebert (with Adam Enright as alternate) were like killer sharks among lesser fish.  An amazing golden performance, as long as you were cheering for Team Canada!