More USA Curling Changes, Niklas Edin has Surgery, Pan Continental Takes Shape, & Fitting in with New Teammatesing

In this episode, Scott makes his triumphant return to the pod to chat with Sean about the USA Curling situation, including even more changes to the organization. They also talk about the on-going Pan Continental Curling Championship, including the poor attendance, the impact of China not participating, and the teevee coverage. They wrap up by talking about the best ways to incorporate new players into your team and how communication and expectations are key before Sean vents about an esoteric pet peeve.

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News Update: Plush is Out, Pan Continental Championship is In

In this episode, Sean talks about the resignation of Jeff Plush from USA Curling, how the decision was announced, and what this means for the organization moving forward. He also talks about Niklas Edin's injury before previewing both the A & B side of the inaugural Pan Continental Curling Championship. He is then joined by a special guest to make their picks for the week.

That's a Wrap! Full Olympic Curling Recap

The Beijing 2022 Olympics are done, but Sean and Scott are just getting started as they look back at all the curling stories from the past 3 weeks. They start by talking about the women’s field (5:45), including Eve Muirhead’s dominant performance in the gold medal game, a great week for Satsuke Fujisawa, another medal for Anna Hasselborg, and what went wrong for Team Canada. They then break down the men’s field (33:30) from Niklas Edin capping his career, a Bruce Mouat’s silver, a great week for the Americans, and the end of Team Gushue’s remarkable run. They wrap up by reflecting on the mixed doubles event (57:25) and how Team Italy dominated the field, the strange circumstances of Team Australia, and what the expectations should be for Canada moving forward, including the role fans have in supporting the athletes.

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High Expectations!?! Who has the Edge in Mixed Doubles at the Olympics

In this episode, Sean and Scott look ahead to the mixed doubles competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics. They go through all 10 teams competing in Beijing and discuss what will constitute a successful week. They also go through some key stats for each team and make their picks for who will stand on the podium at the end of the week.

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10 Burning Questions Heading into the Olympics

In this episode, Sean and Scott look ahead to 2022 Winter Olympic Games by addressing some of the biggest questions heading into the competition.

Will everyone be able to play? (5:20)

How will the ice conditions be? (9:36)

What is the magic number for losses to still make the playoffs? (13:16)

Will one player win two medals? (14:57)

How will the Chinese curling team perform? (18:33)

What style of play should we expect? (23:07)

Is this the best American curling contingent ever? (28:10)

Will there be an upset? (32:33)

Does Canada have to win a medal? (35:20)

Will one country sweep the gold medals? (42:02)

Are there any players you want to see win? (44:15)

Let us know what you think of these burning questions on social media @GameofStonesPod

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Best of 2021

This week, we look back at some of our favourite moments from 2021. From great guests to an accurate prediction, we re-visit the moments that stood out to us from the year. Thanks to everyone for listening and we wish you a healthy and happy 2022!

Clips

Advent of Rotation on the Stone: 2:35

Jason Chang on PACC: 7:25

Scott's Bold Prediction: 9:35

Greg Smith on LGBTQ2+ Representation: 13:28

Elena Stern on Switzerland's same-sex marriage referendum: 15:10

Katherine Henderson on Curling Canada's Equity and Diversity Initiative: 16:42

Annette Norberg's Greatness: 21:22

Kirk Muyres on Players on TV: 25:36

Nevin Demiliano on Social Media in Curling: 27:27

Use of Unbelievable in Broadcasts: 31:34

You can find all of our past episodes at GameofStonesPod.com

Weird Weekend: Cancellations, Qualifications, & Explanations (Plus, a Sex Toy 'Controversy')

In this episode, Sean and Scott talk about a weekend when the world of curling really went off the rails. They start by talking about the cancellation of the 2022 Continental Cup, which was scheduled for January in Fredericton before moving onto the Olympic Qualifying Event talking place in the Netherlands, including the playoff matchups for the mixed doubles and the fields for the men's & women's qualifiers, which kick off on the weekend. They also get into the sex toy sponsorship 'controversy' that disrupted the broadcasts. They then move to the Canadian Senior Curling Championship taking place in Sault Ste Marie and the absolutely loaded women's field. They also discuss the coverage of Team Bottcher's announcement that Darren Moulding would no longer be on the team and how business arrangements could infuence team dynamics moving forward. FInally, they debate who would win an all-curling version of the Lou Marsh Award.

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That's a Wrap! Recapping the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship

In this episode, Sean and Scott recap the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. They talk about Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds' win, a great week for Norway, and some missed opportunities in the gold medal game. They also talk about the teams that qualified for the Olympics, relegation, and the struggles of the specialists.

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Olympics on the Line: 5 Things to Watch at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship

In this episode, Sean and Scott look ahead to the 2021 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Aberdeen, Scotland. They talk about Olympic qualificaition, potential bubble hangovers, and the advantage of mixed doubles specialists. They also talk about some of the less known teams, the countries who haven't been represented at a world championship so far this year, and the playoff format.

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Recapping a Big Curling Weekend: Tour Challenge, Canadian Mixed, and Pacific Asia Curling Championship

In this episode Sean and Scott break down a HUGE weekend in the world of curling. They start by talking about the Tour Challenge Tier 1 and Tier 2 events in Pictou County, NS, then talk about the great field at the Canadian Mixed Curling Championships played out, and then chat about what happened at the Pacific Asia Curling Championship.