First things first; Curling!

That's right, curling. The sport invented on a frozen Scottish loch which features a pub built in to every curling facility. Why, you may ask, does he or anyone care about curling? Because I am a trophy-owning experienced curler (presently in geographically forced retirement).

Growing up in ND it was relatively easy to get bored, so one day when 3 friends and I had completely run out of ideas, we spied the lighted, flashing "Try Curling" sign at the local curling club. That's right, I said "curling club". A facility that exists ONLY for curling, and is fully equipped with a bar and an old tack piano. We discovered, as would anyone, that you just can't appreciate how much fun it is to thrust a 44lb. rock down a sheet of ice, trying to guide it around or into your opponents rocks, wielding a broom while trying not to fall down.

Our "rink" (that's curling-speak for "4-person team") with average age of 19 was, by 20 years the youngest of the 32 rinks in the club. So, we stunk. But, they loved us. They were so happy to have some new blood in their club (as well as to have someone to regularly pummel) that they allowed our fledgling rock cover band "Young Caucasians" (in which I was the keyboard operator) to rehearse there. When we found out we could be in the club alone (they gave us a key!) we not only rehearsed, but would actually practice curling. So we got better, but not enough to actually win, just enough to lose less spectacularly.

At the end of the regular league season (during which we went 0-16) the club had a "bonspiel", a 32-team double-elimination tournament. After your first 2 games you would be grouped with teams with like records. We, no surprise, ended up in the 0-2 group (or"event"). ....where we inexplicably won our next 4 games to take the "1st Place in the 4th Event" trophy, pictured here!

Here's a link to USA Curling

http://www.usacurl.org/

where you'll notice that Minnesota and North Dakota are 1&2 in the standings. New Jersey nowhere to be found!

Curling coverage starts Monday 2/13.
Go Team Johnson! Go Team Fenson!