Improving Curling Social Media featuring @TeamBottcher

In this episode, Sean and Scott are joined by Nevin Demiliano, who runs Team Brendan Bottcher's social media accounts. Nevin talks about how he got involved with the team, their use of train GIFs, and how Brendan's socks became a thing during the World Championship. He also discusses interacting with fans without encouraging trolls, the epps and flows of social media during the curling season, and offers up some tips for curling teams looking to improve their social media presence.

For more on Nevin's experience with Team Bottcher, check out the blog post he wrote in the spring.

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Curling on TV: Players, Personalities, & Perceptions with Kirk Muyres

In this episode, Sean and Scott are joined by Kirk Muyres, second for Team Dunstone, to talk about how television coverage can influence fans' perceptions of players. Kirk talks about learning to play with cameras and fans, how teams are interacting with fans in an age of social media, and how TV games can shape that engagement. He also offers some insight into how players think of TV games, the differences between players' real-world and in-game personas, and how fans can distinguish between the two.

If you would like to watch our chat, the video is available on our Facebook page.

For more, please visit us at GameofStonesPod.com & follow us on social media @GameofStonesPod

Best Players of the 2010s

In this episode, Sean and Scott wrap up their series ranking the top curlers by decade. This week, it's the 2010s! From Vancouver to the start of the pandemic, they talk about who they think stands atop the rest of the past decade. Disagree? Do get in touch @GameofStonesPod

Be sure to visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

Best Players of the 2000s

In this episode, Sean and Scott offer up their rankings of the best players from the first decade of the 2000s. Agree with their picks? Let them know if they missed someone on social media @GameofStonesPod

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Elena Stern on Switzerland's Marriage Equality Referendum

In this episode, Sean and Scott welcome former Team Switzerland skip Elena Stern to discuss the upcoming referendum on same-sex marriage. We talk about the backgrounmd to the referendum, the state of the campaign, and how the curling community can support the LGBTQ2+ community. You can find more information about the campaign to support marriage equality here.

If you missed it, be sure to check out the roundtable hosted by the Global Initiative for DEI in Curling on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

Here are some of our past episodes on LGBTQ2+ representation in curling:

Great Smith LGBTQ2+ Representation in Curling

Curling & Pride

Behind the Scenes at the Canadian Gay Curling Championship

Be sure to visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

Best Players of the 1990s

In this episode, Sean and Scott continue their series looking at the best players by decade. Today, it's pop music and big clothes as they look back at the 1990s. They go through the decade and talk about the best performances from national, world, and Olympic championships to rank the top 10 players of the decade. Be sure to let us know what you think of our rankings and how you think the best players of the 1990s stack up.

Visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

Are Curling Skills Useful in Summer Olympic Sports?

In this episode, Sean and Scott talk about some of the key skills needed to succeed in curling and how they may be useful in some of the sports we've been watching as part of Tokyo 2020. They talk about balance, strategy, teamwork, and yelling, among others, and debate in which summer sports those skills would be most useful. From Beach Volleyball to Weightlifting they talk about how curling attributes can help Summer Olympic athletes while also doing a deep dive into the modern pentathlon.

Best Players of the 1980s

In this episode, Sean and Scott look back on the 1980s in curling to rank the top 10 players from the decade. The first decade with a full complement of Women's World Championships and the first time curling was in the Olympics (as a demonstration sport) was full of some of the best players to ever take to the ice. Do you agree with our rankings? Be sure to let us know if we missed anyone who should have been included.

Visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

Best Players of the 1970s

This week we kick off a new series of episodes ranking the top players by decade and we're starting with the 1970s. Who topped the world of curling in the era of bell-bottoms and platform shoes? The 1970s brought us the first women's world championship & some of the best players the sport has ever seen. Let us know if you agree with our rankings and visit us at GameofStonesPod.com.

Innovation & the Spirit of Curling

In this episode, Sean and Scott talk about some of the biggest innovations in the history of curling and how they were received within the Spirit of Curling. Some were deemed perfectly acceptable while others prompted accusations of cheating and going against the sport's integrity. These include the advent of turns, long slides, broom technology, and time clocks. The guys talk about each and what themes emerged and how the Spirit of Curling has influenced the sport's evolution.

Be sure to visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

Curling Comparisons - Tennis Edition

With Wimbledon in full swing, Sean and Scott offer up their curling comparisons for the top 5 players on the WTA and ATP tours. The break down each players' strengths and weaknesses in order to determine which top curling team has the most similar profile. Let us know if you agree with our picks.

Be sure to check out one of our favourite episodes offering our curling comparisons for some of the world's top golfers.

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Name That Shot! Bubble Edition

In this episode, we play another round of Canada's fastest growing game show, Name That Shot! This time it's shots from the 2021 Calgary Bubble. Play along as Sean plays clips of some of the season's best shots and Scott tries to Name That Shot!

If you missed them, be sure to check out our past Name That Shot! episodes:

https://www.gameofstonespod.com/episodes/2021/1/28/name-that-shot
https://www.gameofstonespod.com/episodes/2020/11/25/guess-that-shot

Be sure to visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

Greg Smith on LGBTQ2+ Representation in Curling

In this episode, Sean talks with Greg Smith, skip of Team Newfoundland and Labrador at the 2021 Brier, about LGBTQ2+ representation in curling. They talk about the importance of Pride Month, inclusion at the highest level of the sport, Greg playing John Epping in the first ever Brier game between two out skips, and the impact on young athletes.


Be sure to check out our episode visiting the 2019 Gay Nationals: https://www.gameofstonespod.com/episodes/2019/6/27/behind-the-scenes-at-the-canadian-gay-curling-championship


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2021 Curling Commercials Rankings

In this episode, we re-visit the most prominent curling commercials from the Bubble. We talk about all the overplayed ads to which we were subjected: Bad Coffee, Everybody Poops, 40 Years of Scotties and so many more and see how they stack up against each other. Agree with our picks? Think we're way off? Did we miss an ad? Be sure to let us know @gameofstonespod or GameofStonesPodcast@gmail.com


Be sure to visit us at GameofStonesPod.com!

Men's Postseason Power Rankings

In this episode, Sean and Scott look at where the men's teams rank after the 2021 season. Scott breaks down the numbers to offer up his rankings while Sean provides his reaction. Let us know how you think the teams stack up.

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Women's Post Worlds Power Rankings

In this episode, Sean offers up his power rankings of women's teams following the 2021 World Championship. Using the results from the Bubble and the eye test, Sean goes through his top 10 teams while Scott chims in with his thoughts. Let us know if you agree with these rankings or if you think Sean is way off.

Be sure to subscribe to Game of Stones wherever you get your podcasts and visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

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.

Join us at GameofStonesPod.com for all our past episodes and links to the merch.

Bubble Superlatives

In this episode, we dish out some superlatives from the curling bubble. We talk about the best team, best shot, best game, plus some fun categories included Strangest Oddity and Most Fun Character. Let us know if we got these awards right or if we missed some categories.

Visit us at GameofStonesPod.com for a full list of nominees and winners.

Be sure to check out Matt Sussman's article profiling some of the best bubble games: https://www.si.com/curling/news/the-11-most-popular-curling-bubble-games

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.

Be sure to subscribe and rate wherever you get your podcasts and visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

Swiss Dynasty: Recapping the Women's World Championship

In this episode, Sean and Scott look back 2021 Women's World Curling Championship. They talk about back to back wins for Switzerland and Silvana Tirinzoni, a strong performance for the Russian Curling Federation, and the first American medal in 15 years. They also talk about Anna Hasselborg's week, Denmark qualifying for the Olympics, and Kerri Einarson's and Team Canada's tough week. They finish by talking about Scotland's tough week, looking ahead to the Olympic Qualifying Event next December and what that could look like for Korea and Japan, and wrapping up the week for Estonia, Italy, and the Czech Republic.