The great storylines almost (but not quite) outnumbered the great shots at the men's and women's Canadian Olympic curling trials in Winnipeg Dec. 1-9.
We know how it ended (Jennifer Jones and Brad Jacobs to wear Canada's curling colours at Sochi, Russia), but where to begin with the tales of coincidence, irony, heartbreak, a variety of likes and dislikes, nasty competitiveness and good sportsmanship?
Let's start with the winding down of great careers. Three of the sport's giants - Kevin Martin, Glenn Howard and Jeff Stoughton - were believed to be near or at the finish line in Winnipeg. All in their late 40s or early 50s and multiple winners of Canadian and world titles, the three elite skips all said the Olympic Trials would likely be their last shots at Olympic glory.
There was competitive love in the air, too. Four sets of spouses were parts of eight teams in the 16-team event. Wayne and Sherry Middaugh of Ontario, Dave and Heather Nedohin of Edmonton, Dawn and Mike McEwen of Winnipeg and Jones and her partner Brent Laing were all hoping to give their relationships an Olympic touch. How does a combination of a diamond ring and a gold medal sound?
The 2013 Olympic Trials also featured off-ice drama worthy of a Hollywood scriptwriter. Long-time Martin third John Morris left the team following a spat this past April, and joined Jim Cotter's B.C. rink. Such a late switch would normally be a killer in Canadian curling circles, but Cotter's rink earned one of the two Trials' berths at a pre-trials event and matched Martin win for win all week, coming from behind to beat his long-time team-mate in the semi-final. Curling fans loved the irony of a Martin-Morris elimination game - almost too delicious to imagine - but having it happen on Saturday and not Sunday took a little edge off the rivalry.
Jacobs, the defending Brier champ from Sault Ste. Marie, who skipped Canada's best rink in 2012, proved he truly was the leader of the new wave - the post-Martin, post-Stoughton, post-Howard triumverate.
In the end, of course, it was Jacobs and Jones who earned the right to wear Canada's colours in Sochi. Naturally, we knew all along that's how it would play out.
Blogger Torben Rolfsen: "The CFL is serious about exploring the viability of an expansion franchise in Atlantic Canada. Next week they are going to pitch their idea on Dragons' Den."
Blogger TC Chong: "The new NHL television deal will probably be the end of Don Cherry with CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Look for Don to re-invent himself with Rock'em Sock'em Curling next season."
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: "In the upcoming CFL expansion draft, each team can protect one quarterback. Except the Bombers, who won't need to."
Brad Dickson of the Omaha World-Herald: "The Spurs-Timberwolves NBA game in Mexico City was canceled and the teams evacuated after smoke filled the arena. They had no choice - with all that smoke the refs could've missed a travelling call. The players said they hadn't seen air that bad since the last time they stepped outside of Staples Center."
Comedy writer Jim Barach: "Three networks are reportedly bidding to get Tim Tebow as a football analyst. The three networks are CBS, Fox Sports and The 700 Club."
Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: "Tiger Woods, Tim Tebow, Danica Patrick and Lindsey Vonn were the most-searched athletes of 2013, according to Yahoo.com. What, no Aaron Hernandez?"
From Fark.com, on Georgia Â鶹ÊÓƵern serving alligator meat on campus after its 26-20 upset of Florida: "Hope they never beat the Bulldogs."
Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: "Robinson Cano to the Mariners $240 million. With the added bonus of no playoff pressure."
Hough again: "The Raptors blew a 27 point third-quarter lead last night in losing to the Golden State Warriors. It was the most embarrassing thing to happen to Toronto recently not involving Rob Ford."
Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg, on the NFL's new rules of tackling: "No helmet-to-helmet hits; no spearing with the helmet; no tackling the quarterback above the shoulder pads; no tackling anybody at the knees; no tackling defenceless receivers; no horse-collar tackles. If you are lucky enough to tackle someone in the nine to 11 inches you are allowed, you must write a hand-written note of apology."
Ian Hamilton of the Regina Leader-Post: "Briquettes Smokehouse in Ashtabula is offering a Brandon Weeden burger in honour of the inconsistent Cleveland Browns quarterback. According to the restaurant's Facebook page, the burger is 'a tender all-beef patty, cooked perfectly, and smothered in toppings which we systematically pick off right before your eyes while you watch helplessly; all before dropping the burger on the ground right before it is set down in front of you.'"
