Reign as Lords of Rings over?
Not quite yet but world is catching up
By PAUL FRIESEN -- Winnipeg Sun
They've already laid claim to a good chunk of our national pastime. Now they have designs on the Roaring Game.
What's a beleaguered Canuck to do?
Remember when hockey used to be our game, back in the day when the NHL's top players were Canadians, winning the World Junior Championship was a given and any thought of using our best players in the Olympics, and losing, was incomprehensible?
Beginning with 1996's shocking loss to the U.S., in the inaugural World Cup of Hockey, that began to change.
Two years later began a chain of events that sparked a national inquiry into the state of our game. First, we sent our best to the Olympics and lost to the Czechs. That same year marked the start of a world junior gold-medal drought that continues today.
No self-respecting hoser even dares look at the scoring leaders in the NHL anymore, at least, not until it's playoff pool time.
One shudders to think what might have happened had Team Canada not claimed Olympic gold over the Americans at Salt Lake City a year ago. For the time being, at least, we have control of the puck again.
Which leads us to the following question: could it happen in curling, too? Could the Europeans or the Americans, or heaven knows who else, steal our stones?
Few would argue Canadians are the reigning Gods of Granite: we currently hold five of the six world titles.
With the exception of Scotland's win in the last women's worlds and Norway's upset at the Olympics, Canadians are the Lords of the Rings. This week's World Championships, so far, aren't providing an argument to the contrary.
'END UP LIKE HOCKEY'
But no less than Don Duguid, the two-time world champ from Winnipeg, says we'd better not get complacent.
"I think we've got to be very, very careful," Duguid, here covering the worlds for American TV network NBC, was saying yesterday. "They're getting very, very close. All it is is competition. It could end up like hockey, who knows?"
Now, before you go branding Duguid a turncoat (in or out), you should know he still thinks there are 10 Canadian teams who would win the worlds nine out of 10 times.
But he says these worlds have provided a few signs of a potential challenge to Canadian supremacy.
Duguid points to someone like Finish skip Markku Uusipaavallniemi, one of the hottest shooters at the Arena this week.
"He's a great thrower of the rock. If they spent some time here against the best teams, or played in the Skins games, he might be unbeatable."
Check out the mechanics of the Russian women's team, Duguid says. These gals look like they were born and raised in the hack.
And look at how seriously countries like Japan are taking the game, sending teams to B.C., to compete on a regular basis.
TSN curling analyst Ray Turnbull expects the biggest challenge to come from the Americans, because of their proximity, which gives them more opportunity to compete against us.
Our analysts agree on one thing: because of the Olympics, this is a whole new ball game. Put the world's most coveted gold medal on the table, and suddenly countries that thought a double-takeout meant fast food for two are wolfing down their dinner and heading straight for the curling rink.
According to Team Canada men's skip Randy Ferbey, they've already arrived.
"I really believe they have (caught up)," Ferbey said. "This is a lot more difficult than it appears out there."
We can only hope Ferbey is wrong, and proves it this week. Because nobody is ready for another session on the sports psychologist's couch.
