While hundreds of hoop fans were roaring at the Foothills Athletic Council finals at the Comp last weekend, I missed it because I was at the roaring game.
I invested in a pair of tickets for the Brier final weekend and it was money well spent – highly entertaining at a good price.
I’m just a casual fan, but my first Brier was rooting for my then fellow longhair Paul Gowsell at the 1980 Brier. That Brier was revolutionary.
Apparently, not only was it the first time push brooms were used, according to the Tankard Times, it was the first Brier that smoking wasn’t allowed on the ice.
Wow, have times changed.
The curlers of today, especially the Brad Jacobs rink, are in shape. Fortunately, the fans haven’t changed that much.
I quickly learned a double-takeout meant downing two beers at the Brier Patch.
Uh, the Brier Patch. The place where know-nothing curling fans like myself can, over one or two beverages, second guess Brad Gushue for missing a half-a-millimetre shot, yet won’t remember where they parked their cars (the hotel, I took the c-train...)
Of course, I got some souvenirs. I spent $18 for three beer tokens I never used. Those will match nicely with my other over-priced beer tokens from Grey Cup parties, Calgary Stampede bashes and other sporting events when I thought I was the greatest partier since Charlie Sheen (Who knew listening to curling rocks collide can cause a headache, and strangely, a dry mouth…)
While the atmosphere at the Saddledome was electric and fun – a decked-out Newfoundlander doing a Y-M-C-A to rival the Dawgs’ Grant Sullivan for example — I did miss the TV coverage telling me what was going on.
I felt sorry for the curling buff next to me, who I kept asking: “Why did he do that?”, “Now what are they doing?” or “Have you tried the Copper beer yet?”
But, it was way more fun being there than in front of the tube. Like a lot of fans, I cheered on my favourites. Chants of “Morris” for Team Canada’s John or “Newfoundland” when Gushue stepped in the hack were common.
However, my date wisely stopped me from booming ‘Lib-bus’ when Black Diamond curling guru and ice technician Mike Libbus stepped out to clean the sheets.
Even without Cheryl Bernard’s, TV commentary, I have learned a lot and I hope to see a Brier again.
The most important lesson? Only buy the beer tokens as you are going to use them.
