Curling Fans, Players On Collision Course

ST. JOHN’S—The ongoing battle between curling traditionalists and agents of change is nothing new.

Just witness the constant push-and-pull to get fans online to watch livestreaming coverage.

But it’s safe to say today’s high-performance athletes are fully on board with where The Curling Group, owners of the Grand Slam of Curling series, want to take the Roaring Game.

This includes various traditions, such as the proclamation that one cannot cheer for an opponent’s misses.

Team Brad Gushue, beloved hometown heroes, are the occasional beneficiaries of super-enthused crowd support during their games at Mary Brown’s Centre.

In their second pool victory over Reid Carruthers, the Winnipeg foursome heard lusty cheers ring out when they missed a shot.

That is, traditionally a no-no… but the players overwhelming say it doesn’t bother them.

This sounds like a new age of curling.

“I’ve curled my whole life and (that) never bothered me at all,” said John Morris, now a strategic advisor to The Curling Group.

“You could do jumping jacks in the crowd and I’m fine with it. When you’re dialled in, you’re dialled in.

“Making noise, expressing yourself is fine in other sports. We need more of that in curling.”

The Curling News ran some online polls, and the results overwhelmingly favoured the traditional view: Fans shouldn’t cheer for misses, only made shots.

The overall inference? 

Ssshhh.

Australian skip Jay Merchant chimed in online.

“At the Pacific’s in Kazakhstan, I flashed on a stone peeking out a couple of inches,” wrote Merchant. “The crowd was full of Kazakh army members, and they lit that place up. It was kind of awesome!

“Roaring after a miss… didn’t bother me one bit.”

However, Team Gushue lead Geoff Walker doesn’t believe that’s a black and white scenario. Moreover, Walker believes increased fan enthusiasm can go a long way in creating a better in-game atmosphere.

“I think it’s great for the game and trying to change the culture around that a little bit,” Walker said.

“Fans aren’t necessarily cheering for misses, they’re cheering for the team they want to win, in like any other sport when ‘your’ team is playing.

“We need more environments like this to play in to get more new fans interested in the game because it’s such a fun environment to be a part of.”

The avalanche of newfound enthusiasm has clearly bled from the Slam owners to the athletes. With little prodding, today’s players are fully engaged in TCG’s efforts to bring about change.

For one thing, the Slam’s new social media brigade has been engaging more directly with followers, and they aren’t afraid of employing some occasional snark.

In another example, Thursday night’s men’s draw saw the Mike McEwen foursome literally challenge Gushue’s hometown supporters for their favour.

During the pre-game ceremony the Saskatchewan boys weren’t lined up on the ice alongside their Team Gushue opponents; when announced, they charged onto the ice surface waving flags, pumping fists to the crowd and waving a Newfoundland tradition—the “Ugly Stick.”

McEwen, who defeated the host team for the fourth time this season, even wore a hat with a live camera strapped to it, and only took it off when he literally overheated—from both the camera batteries and the sellout crowd.

Walker acknowledged the support this week at home hits at a new level compared to their travels on the road.

“I think it happens in all other places we go but to a lesser extent, because the buildings are much smaller,” said Walker. “And the support is spread out amongst teams a bit more, and not focused on one specific sheet.

“As long as fans aren’t yelling or heckling in your delivery, I think it’s all good.”

Actually, some of them are getting heckled. And one fellow who got the raspberries was just fine with it.

U.S. competitor Colin Hufman is the tall, lanky front-ender for Saturday qualifiers Team John Shuster. 

Hufman described playing against Gushue at the 2018 world championship when he got the business from fans while in his delivery.

This was in Las Vegas, i.e. the Americans were the home team.

“People were yelling at me, I mean really at me,” Hufman emphasized with a laugh. “I just smiled as I was throwing, because it didn’t bother me.

“Trust me, we love it. And we want more of it.”