Author: Sean

p>This has nothing to do with curling but I’m still going to say it because Ole gave me a password to something that a few people read… I hate the F’in snow!

Now, on to Week 9!

Things are staying really tight with almost 1/3 of the league in the running for the top 2 spots and it looks like there are some real tough position shifting matches coming up as we approach the new year and move into the second half of the season… Here goes the picks.

• Sheet 1, Gabrio – Hoven: I’m always rooting for Gabrio because they are a solid rink just getting the hang of the Metro Leauge. Unfortunately Hoven figured it out already and they’ve had some great matches so far this season. I think Hoven will continue that streak.
• Sheet 2, McLaughlin – McGovern: Ole said he’d take away my password if I pick against McGovern. I don’t think it was a necessary threat, more just a show of power. McGovern wins.
• Sheet 3, McLellan -?Lawrence: Lawrence doesn’t stay down for long… because there might be a locked knee if they do. But seriously folks,?Lawrence will be on this week because of their Red jackets.
• Sheet 4, Crotty – Long: Long has had some tough matches this season so far and Crotty is going to keep that streak alive. Crotty picks up a much needed win after playing two of the top teams in the league the last two weeks.
• Sheet 5, Rohde – Dveris: This should be an appropriate center ice match. Both of the teams are better than there records show and if A games are brought it could be a real glass banger of a finish. Rohde takes it in 9!
• Sheet 6, Anderson – Lockwood: OMG MEGA-MATCH! Anderson is hot with a big zero in the loss column so far. Lockwood may have a one in that column but don’t think that means they are going to call in sick or make up some lame Holiday family get together excuse to get out of playing an undefeated rink… they wouldn’t do that. I don’t think that Anderson’s going to be able to keep it up with all the pressure of week 9 crushing down on them and Lockwood will make sure the L column doesn’t turn to a crooked number.
• Sheet 7, Dubois – Boomer: Boomer played a tough match last week and nearly pulled it off a big comeback upset win. Dubois better not underestimate this opponent if they want to make a move up in the standings. Dubois takes it but Boomer will have them sweating.
• Sheet 8, Moll – Sonnabend: Moll and company are showing that with or without Beranek they are a force to be reckoned with. Sonnabend has been scraping by with some luck on their side but they will need more than just luck this week. I predict that Sonnabend shakes after the 3rd end… then after he’s done taking a leak he’ll get back on the ice to finish all 8 ends. Too close to call!

See you on the ice!

Sean here again this week with the picks.

I was at the club last week but I paid almost zero attention to the few games that actually were played. If you happened to play a match last week please reply with the results so that Ole can update the standings.

Here’s my take on this weeks matches:

• Crotty – Sonnabend, Sheet 1: Crotty has had some big wins so far this season against some of the Metro League?perennial?favorites, hopefully Sonnabend can show up this week with their A-game in hand after 2 weeks off. Not wanting to play favorites so I’ll just say this one has potential to be a real doozy.
• Anderson – Long, Sheet 2: Anderson won their scheduled match last week as well as their make-up game against Boomer to remain undefeated. I think Jarett must have been studying film from last season over the summer and he isn’t going to make ANY mistakes this year. Look for Anderson and company to remain undefeated as we move closer to the end of the first half of the season.
• McLaughlin – Lockwood, Sheet 3: Putting aside the fact that the Lockwood Rink are a bunch of yellow bellied good for nothing family loving game skippers, they are actually a pretty solid rink and I think that they should be able to put together another win this week is all the Mrs. Lockwood‘s let them out of the house this week.
• McLellen – Dveris, Sheet 4: Dveris is the most humble rink in the league… so humble that sometimes they won’t even let themselves win a match for fear of seeming like poor sports. If McLellen can play the psychological game they can keep the Dveris guns in their holsters, but I think the guns are coming out this week.
• Lawrence – Jansen, Sheet 5: Battle Royale on center ice! How do you even call this one? Lawrence has a lot going for them but so does Jansen! Lawrence has the uniforms but Jansen has the things that counter uniforms. A lot of rocks will be thrown during the course of this match but none will be more important than the rock that everyone universally agrees as the one that decides the outcome of this draw.
• Moll – Lichty, Sheet 6: Moll vs Lichty will be the game of the night. These rinks are evenly matched in skill, tenacity and desire to win, but even if things get a little heated on the ice the post game beers will cool things off again. I think Lichty will be victorious in a close match that goes down to the wire… this game may even go longer than Sonnabend’s match.
• Boomer – Gabrio, Sheet 7: Gab-Ri-O… Gab-Ri-O… Gab-Ri-O! I like both of these rinks but I think that Gabrio is going to chalk up their first win of the season this week.
• Hoven – Rohde, Sheet 8: Rohde has had a bit of a rocky… er, road so far this season and Hoven isn’t messing around. I think Hoven has a big end in them but ultimately Rohde will knock this one out of the park.

 

p>T-day!

The great thing about this week is that no one has to get up early for work the next morning… the bad thing is that half the teams go running off to “spend time with their families for the Holidays”… lame [I’m talkin’ to you Lockwood]

If you are like me and your opponent is using Thanksgiving as an excuse to avoid certain defeat, you should come down to the club anyway and we’ll get a few pick-up games organized. It will be fun, we’ll put money or beer or shame on the line.

Here’s my take on this weeks matches:

• Long – Dveris, Sheet 1: I haven’t heard?definitively?that this game isn’t happening so I’ll pick it like it is. Long and Dveris have both faced tough opponents so far this season and they are both looking for their first “Dubaya”… one of them will get it tonight and my money/beer/shame is on Dveris. These guys are tough to beat unless you can take advantage of their infrequent mistakes. Tonight, even with turkey on the brain, Dveris makes no mistakes.
• Crotty – Dubois, Sheet 2: Crotty and Dubois look to be pretty evenly matched on paper and Crotty is a bit of a dark horse being new to the league this year. I believe the full Dubois lineup is in effect tonight and that tends to bode well for them. I’m picking Dubois to close this game down early so they can start working on their All Goblers Eve Bar Crawl route… count me in!
• Moll – Gabrio, Sheet 3: I feel like this match isn’t happening but if it does I gotta pick Moll because it looks like they are starting to get a hang of their new lineup and hitting their stride.
• Jansen – Rohde, Sheet 4: Rescheduled – When this match does happen it should be a good battle, the Rohde Rink is solid but Jansen always seems to have a few Aces up his sleeve.
• Sonnabend – Lockwood, Sheet 5: Rescheduled -?I guess playing against the Back-2-Back league champs on center ice was just too much pressure for Lockwood and company… sure, they’ll say that they have families and that their families are important to them and that their wives all told them that if they show up to Thanksgiving dinner hungover and smelling like Dubois’ cologne and defeat one more time they’ll be sleeping in the garage for the rest of the year, but we all know what it’s really about.
• Lawrence – Boomer, Sheet 6:?Rescheduled – Lawrence is old and he got confused and thought that seeing “Boomer” on the calender was some kind of warning that there was going to be an explosion so he’s not coming.
• Lichty – McGovern, Sheet 7:?Rescheduled – I heard rumors that all 8 of them woke up this morning in a bathtub full of ice with their kidneys missing… on a related note, anyone need a kidney?
• Anderson – McLaughlin, Sheet 8: On! Anderson gets to play! McLaughlin has a few wins under their belts but Anderson isn’t messing around this year. They aren’t sure when their next match is going to be so they are going to take every point their can get their hands on. Anderson!
• Anderson – Boomer, 7pm: Anderson is calling in all their chips (I’m not sure if that metaphor works here) and trying to get back in the running. Sure, they are undefeated right now but they’ve only played 2 matches. Ole picked Anderson to win this match back when it was scheduled for week 1, I’m sticking with that pick and saying Anderson will have two more double yous on the board at the end of the night.