Thus, I soon found myself trying to understand the goals, rules, and strategy involved in curling. I made futile attempts at deciphering terms like 'ends' and 'hammer' frequently spewed by commentators. I struggled to understand what the sweeping was all about and why they didn't always try to get their stone to land in the center of that big bulls-eye.
Perhaps if one watches any nationally televised sport long enough they will come to appreciate the amount of skill involved. The same goes for curling.
After a while, it's hard not to be amazed at how the thrower can put just enough force and spin on a stone to get it to stop in just the right place. When you realize just how precise they have to be in order to pull off a double takeout, watching someone attempt a clutch free-throw in the NCAA tournament pales in comparison.
Heck, I was just in awe over how they were able to move down the ice and frantically work their brushes without tripping over the stones already in play!
Slowly I began to understand, and suddenly it was even more fun to watch and cheer for those cute Canadian twenty-somethings as they made their way to a 2008 World Championship title.
These next few weeks will feature the men's World Championship tournament, and I must say that I'm looking forward to catching a few games on CBC. The eye-candy factor will be lacking, but the curling should be at least as exciting.
For those of you who don't have the privilege of accessing Canadian television, don't fret. It won't be long before the 2010 Olympic Winter Games are upon us, sure to give everyone in the States yet another peek into a truly endearing sport.
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