OK, let’s start by saying this. If you would
like to do this blog let me know. Again, I do this for the fact the information
needs shared, I am no writer and I make mistakes. Eric Eales is posting
comments and results from the games and that is fine. I do my best to provide
timely, fact based information and I leave my opinion out the best I can. I
post the first game of each day because it does not take me until 3am like the
second game does. Eric is able to provide a “timelier” wrap up because he is in
BC where time is on his side. End of story, you don’t want to read this blog,
don’t read the blog……I work as best I can with Eric at times to provide the
information. Enough said.
Standings (Round Robin) after 6
draws
In the WCblog2 standing once WIN/LOSS is counted we rank based on points for then in event of a tie we use points against. We use this to try and give a little better picture of the standings.|
Rank
|
Team
|
Games
Played
|
Wins
|
Loses
|
Points For
|
Points Against
|
|
1
|
Slovakia
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
38
|
31
|
|
2
|
USA
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
36
|
25
|
|
3
|
Korea
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
41
|
22
|
|
4
|
Russia
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
30
|
27
|
|
5
|
China
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
22
|
20
|
|
6
|
Norway
|
6
|
2
|
4
|
38
|
41
|
|
7
|
Canada
|
6
|
2
|
4
|
28
|
31
|
|
8
|
Scotland
|
6
|
2
|
4
|
25
|
36
|
|
9
|
Italy
|
6
|
1
|
5
|
25
|
43
|
|
10
|
Sweden
|
6
|
1
|
5
|
22
|
33
|
China broke USA’s unbeaten run on Tuesday,
The MacDonald Team had notched up a further win in
the morning 6-4 against Scotland, but in the afternoon the Chinese took
advantage of missed last shots to win the game 7-3.
“With my key stone in the last end, I missed,”
explained Chinese skip Wang, “I felt as if I’d fallen from the heavens - it was
terrible.”
As for Canada; the needed
experimentation continues. With Armstrong gone and Neighbour day to day; Gaudet
continues to skip and throw lead rock. The problems may have occurred with what
we have noticed out of Canada all week, slow play. Canada had 3 stones to play
with just over 3 minutes left. Calling a time out; the discussion with Coach
Rea was to try and out draw the Norway stone. With just 40 second left the
stone over curled leaving just handshakes.
Canada now needs to be VERY
careful. With 2 wins and 4 loses the idea of a podium has become a bit of a
distant reality. Canada needs to focus more on survival; from here Canada faces
a few tough matches which mean life and death to both them and the opponent. The game against Sweden is a total MUST win
for both teams but even more so for Sweden, Canada should have the upper hand.
The game against China in draw 8 does not look so good for Canada unless
Neighbour can find a way to get back in the fight. China has the upper hand in
that one which could see Canada at a 3-5 record by that point; a record which
would not be good enough to hit podium. Then we see Canada take on the leaders
USA in the final game of the tournament. With the USA stream roller I don’t
think Canada can pull off that win which would put them at a finish record of
3-6. The worst record Canada has ever had at a worlds. Were that would place
them is all up to the bottom of the pack teams and if they win. Canada could be
relegated to attending world championship qualifiers for the first time in
history!
Let hope not!
15 comments:
in defence of Canada, it is tough to lose your skip,and then your vice part time. This is not the way they would have trained, with one or two newbies also starting every game.
Let's hope for a middle of pack final and move n to next year...
It has sgown that the replacement for Jim is still years away.
Finally a very good point from the blogger above. It has been extremely difficult for Team Canada under the circumstances. They are trying as hard as they possibly can with what they have been dealt with...
Both bloggers are on the money. I don't think anyone on the Team ever suggested they would be anywhere near the same team without Jim.
Does make you wonder, though, if Joe's coaching, with all his awards of late, are deserved, or should be shared with Jim.
Anyonme that has seen the team play or has been to a camp, sees Jim Leading the strategy sessions, and with games seems integral to the post game wrap up.
Let's just get Team Canada through this week, andlearn from the experience.
I supect it will make them humgrier next year, it complacency was slipping in. Three straing years of winning can make you a little complacent.
This week surly show how much the skips of Team Canada have had to do with the ultimate success of Team Canada at the big shows.
Chris Daw when he was skip, started it off and got the team through the ruff years and won. Then Jim has built on that success.
We shoudl all imagine what these 2 guys could do together. Chris is still very young and Jim could prep him to take over again once he is ready to retire or coach. Why has the CCA never allowed this to happen?
Oh, I bet it has something to do with Joe Rea.
The problems between Chris and Joe are well know and documented. The CCA just choose Joe over Chris at the time. and well when Jim came along, he just side steps Joe and puts him in his place.
Let use the new talent and re develop other talent in Canada as well. Let's get Jim to mentor Chris, play a few remaining years and then nothing like this would happen again.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
We are not saying for one second Canada is not doing their very best under some very never thought of circumstances.
But the planning of what is going on does not make much sense.
Sonja has never really skipped anywhere before and other players like Jack Smart have. Why is he not skipping. The whole think is stupid. The CCA needs to have better pallning and a smarter outlook. Chris S. or Bruno should be there and skipping.
Not Sonja!
I disagree with the top blogger.
I think the replace for Jim already exists and has one. The 2 guys that could do the job just don't play.
Look around the answer for this already is there, staring you in the face.
Go Canada Go! I want to say play hard! It is what will show fight or flight.
I know it must be difficult. I could only in my mind imagine Team Nova Scotia playing last year without Mike Fitzgerald and myself.
Only so much planning can be done as to whom to take to the Worlds. What players who suddenly have personal problems or health problems that before the trip were not known. Cannot fault any coaches for the unknown.
The future for Team Canada must be decided soon but should include playing in the National Championships as it is the best wheelchair curling competition in the world.
Let us focus on supporting the team and then afterwards the future.
Having been spectacularly wrong in my choice for relegation candidates, the one thing I have got right (though I may yet still get wrong) is my feeling that this wasn't to be Canada's year - written even before anyone knew Jim would not skip.
Canada's preparation was not as intense. There were good reasons for that. Resources were spent on prospective players, rather than international warm-ups. Jim moved to Ontario away from his league play with Darryl, plus the external pressures on Jim have to have exacted a toll.
Another factor, once it appeared Jim would not play, was other teams believed that Canada could be beaten.
I'm in the fortunate position of being in a far more convenient time zone than Chris. I am also only maintaining my website's major event archive, and no longer having to deal with day to day news, or the often spiteful anonymous comments that plague any blog.
Chris has my full support.
I thank Eric for his support and the fact the Eric submits post trys to tell people this is a co-operative approch on story posts.
Eric has the right to post what ever and when ever he wants. The fact the he just happens to have a better time zone for this type of event is his bonus.
I will continue to do my best in reporting and telling the sotries, results and items which I hope makes a difference for all of us who love the sport.
I apologize as I failed to wish our friends to the south all the best. It was a pleasure to play you head to head last fall in Utica.
Chris
Don't let a few negative comments get to you, especially from those who don't sign their names!
I appreciate reading all signed comments. I hope with time more individuals will make positive contributions.
Dan
I would like to congratulate you Chris on this blog! I am sorry to see all the negativity by some guests, but hopefully we can just let all that slide and enjoy the benefits of this site. Simply, if people don't enjoy the site they certainly have the option of not visiting it. As well,I think we should all be supporting Canada. I do think, however, that if it had been known that Jim wouldn't be curling, there would have been many other options for players at the Worlds. But due to last minute circumstances, that wasn't an option. So let's suck it up and support our team! Again, great site Chris!
Team Canada collapse has everything to do with, I think, a complacent attitude with Jim at the helm. He came to the sport four years ago, but, ignoring his understanding of the game, worked hard at the technical end of throwing....no advantage to him over virtually anyone else. He learned it from point zero.
The advantage of strategy and ice reading was always an unknown factor, his throwing has improved every year, and the program enjoyed the results.
I hope he is back soon, not for just the Canadian Program, but for the health of the sport.
I don't think anyone has worked harder than Jim...he provides a work ethic that the rest of us, lacking experience, never knew existed or was needed.
It will be a travesty to see the Team Canada Program fall so far in one short week.
How about a full blown individual tryout camp......
YES, ALL 5 POSITIONS ON THE LINE......EVALUATED BY THE TOP 6 WHEELCHAIR COACHES IN CANADA.....
OR HOW ABOUT A BEST OF FIVE CHALLENGE NOW?????
These are quite curious results, I have always known Slovakia has great potential, yet I favor Canada most of all and root for Canada.
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