I've been glued to the Winter Olympics since opening night. I have to admit that I will never EVER try any of these sports. None of them. I won't hurtle down a slide in a luge. I won't downhill race or cross country ski with a gun strapped to my back. I might actually try to snowboard one day, but I'm sure I would never 'get air' or go high. Probably, I wouldn't even approach a half pipe.
I have posted a comment to Facebook that I think curling is a cross between shuffleboard and housework. That doesn't mean that I won't watch the matches for hours on end. That was a curling joke. They call the things Ends and I think there might be 10 per match. But I'm not sure. I've watched for hours and I still don't understand half of the terminology or the actual tactics of the game. I've picked up a little, and this I will share with you.
First, the curling teams appear to have fashion sense and a certain style that is lacking in all the other winter Olympic sports. The Norwegian Men's team have the best pants. The Danish women's team are wearing pleated black skirts, black tights and legwarmers. Very school girl. They get fashion points.
Second, you don't have to understand it at all. There's a sort of zeitgeist to Curling. You can watch and enjoy even with little knowledge of the sport.
Third, fans are new to them. These unjaded competitors aren't used to people actually watching them play. Their biggest problem is that they are not used to spectators. Apparently, most curling matches are silent like golf. The teams (besides Canada) are getting freaked out by all the fans cheering and making noise.
Fourth, they have the best verbiage. Where else do commentators talk about throwing rocks? There's weight and speed. They call each other 'skips' and 'sweepers'. And they have stones. They really do.
Fifth, most of the people in the competition are real people with real jobs. Some are housewives or plumbers. These folks have day jobs. They don't spend their lives training 10 hours a day for this one thing. Curling is like bowling to them, only an Olympic sport.
I'm a fan. I'm not sure I'm going to try and establish a club and learn to play, but watching a bunch of women screaming "harder, harder!" just makes me smile.
--Sandee Wagner
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4 comments:
LOL, Sandee. My kiddo and I were discussing the Olympics tonight, and I told him I'd seen an interview with the US curling team, which led to the deision that if I had to party with one of our teams, it'd be them. They look/talk/act like real people. I haven't caught any of the event yet, and don't understand it at all, but I'd cheer for them anyway. They're cool.
I'm getting the feeling that partying with the curling team is like partying with a bowling team. Real people playing a real game... not some expensive unobtainable sport. Plus those pants! I gotta get Bert a pair of those pants. spw
I don't watch the olympics, but I hear people talking about them. The other day someone mentioned Hurling. "That's the sport for me!" I thought as visions of athletes imbibing too much in preparation for the event came to mind. I had beautiful visions of multicolored spew arcing into the air.
Then they corrected me. It's not Hurling. It's Curling.
Crap.
Susan, it might as well be Hurling. They slide a 40 lb rock about 100 ft down the ice. With your new hip, you might even be able to assume the position to launch one. It's a deep DEEP lunge. spw
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