That Curling Show: 2023-24 season wrap with Chelsea Carey, Brad Gushue and Marc Kennedy

Wrapping up the dramatic 2023-24 curling season.

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turling now enters the sports weekend
Spotlight 1963 when they took the Brier
to
Brandon hi everybody I’m Don Whitman
with Don duga two time world
champion
willame not a question about fight on
the those that never wavered a little
bit of curling history for you high
drama high intensity
well this is it call for the final time
this year I’ll believe that when I see
it okay because you know something else
is gonna happen and you’re gonna say we
should fire up that curling show
probably in the middle of the Olympic
Games for you well I was gonna say uh
not from an airport that was a little
harrowing last show fun that was fun
good to see you we still have lots to
talk about uh never a dull moment uh you
and I have always said and we’ve done
this for a few years now call uh and
hello to all the curling fans but we
always said never a dull moment on this
curling bead and of course uh there are
still pieces to fall into place as teams
figure out what they’re going to look
like next year but of course since we
last talked well what did we learn about
a big change on the women’s side
everybody was wondering who was going to
take over Jennifer Jones team or if they
were even going to stick together call
and is not the most natur natural fit in
the world being Chelsea Cary and uh you
know so obvious and she of course beared
with them this year too so um I know she
was at the St Sals in Halifax I think
they won that event uh she’s such a
great player was so much more game left
in her it’s good to see Chelsea carry
back you know what’s interesting to me
and and we didn’t have our usual chat
before the show so this is fantastic
we’re going through it right now but
what as you say that you know and as we
see these teams take shape and the
pieces move and people figure out where
they fit into to the landscape um there
are a lot of people who have left the
game who are returning and a and a lot
of young curlers as well that was a
point made on social media circulating
leaving the game young people leaving
the game and I wonder if you have any
thoughts on that well it’s kind of
disappointing and then needs to be a
solution to it and it needs to come real
fast because what’s happened with the
cost of living um the kids are going to
University they’ve got a huge tuition
bill to pay they’ve got huge rent to pay
and they can’t afford to take time off
of new jobs so if only there was another
way not just for the under 25 crowd but
really the under 30 crowd to make sure
they’re motivated to stay in and this
whole chasing of points that I know is
never going to go away but I thought it
might go away when Murdoch came on board
and thought we need to train more we
just can’t be in this pursuit of points
all the time we need training time to
get better that maybe that would take
some pressure off of The Young teams
we’re seeing a ton of teams disbanded in
Nova Scotia if we’re able to field a
four team Provincial Championship
that’ll be a miracle down from eight
teams so those kind of numbers are
staggeringly frightening um and it’s
happening as we see in Saskatchewan and
Manitoba right across the board and it’s
the it’s the kids coming out of Juniors
uh that feel the pressure to get their
careers going
well that’s why we have Chelsea KY on
the show because she always seems to
solve the problems for us and I’m sure
she’s laughing right now so why don’t we
bring her in uh Chelsea
hello no pressure or anything thanks
guys nice to see you and nice that
you’re back at the tea head and uh
skipping such a formidable team
congratulations thank you very much I’m
really
excited uh maybe some initial reaction
let’s start there Chelsea just about
some of the conversations that were
happening and and uh I mean this there
was a big opening there that was going
to be no secret and how it all evolved
and how it came to be and making this
decision yeah so um you know when when I
saw Jen’s retirement announcement was
right before the Scotty so I didn’t
reach out to the girls because they had
more important things to focus on for
that uh that time frame so I waited
until the Scotties were over uh and then
I gave it a week or so before I sent
them a message and I just said you know
I’m not sure what your plans are but I’d
love to be considered um you know we had
we had a good run together in a couple
of events and and that kind of thing and
then week or two after that we had
basically an interview and then a couple
weeks after that they uh called and
asked me to join can interview this
that’ be nering I know I know I want to
jump in because I’ve heard about these
interviews before what’s that like like
a job interview what what kind of
questions you don’t have to get into
details or you could but I I just what
what considerations are there there
chelse yeah so I mean this one was it’s
the first time I’ve ever had that happen
for for a curling team obviously this is
a bit of a unique situation um you know
with with the vacancy that that happened
to be there and the profile of the team
and everything so yeah new experience
for me but and a lot of it for me
because I had played the two events with
them they kept saying like well we know
where you stand on this and we know
where you stand on that because they
they got to like because I played with
them so it’s a little bit different I
imagine that for other candidates that
they hadn’t played with there would have
been more questions but um yeah it was
it was just sort of like general you
know so what do you think for schedule
who you know who who would you want
involv as far as coaching as far as
support staff that kind of thing it was
it was more just kind of a chat about
you know what what I would think it
would look like and what kind of my
ideas were um if I were to be the the
candidate so yeah it wasn’t it wasn’t
anything crazy it was and because I was
already like I knew them and I was
comfortable with them it didn’t feel
like an interview like it wasn’t it
wasn’t like that but um yeah just kind
of General stuff like that
soorry it was a new we’re so into
practice Devin Go call you said it was a
new experience for you yet this is all
hat for you being two times Scotty’s
Champion how revved up are you to get
going at this again after a little bit
of a Hiatus except for filling in last
year yeah I’m really excited I didn’t um
when I when I decided not to put
together a team last year like a
full-time team I sort of figured that
the rest of the cycle I wouldn’t play
and I was okay okay with that it just
didn’t seem like the best use of time to
start from scratch in the middle of a
cycle that’s just really hard when
you’re chasing points and having to do
all that kind of stuff and it’s already
partway through and it just makes it
really tough so um and I’ve just you
know I’ve I’ve been through the through
the ringer enough times that I was like
yeah I just don’t need to do that so it
was basically like I’m not going to play
unless something exceptional happens um
without expecting anything like that to
happen um and then here we are so yeah
really really excited to get back into
it didn’t didn’t anticipate that but um
but really looking forward to it it’s a
great group of girls and we had so much
fun together and they impressed me so
much in those two events that I played
with them that I’m really looking
forward to it uh it’s interesting to
hear you say that Chelsea because this
is a a grand opportunity no doubt um but
you’re stepping into a landscape that
Colleen and I were just talking about
before you were on the show about a lot
of questions about the future of curling
and where we’re at in the landscape of
the country how much despite the
greatness of the situation did you have
to consider everything that comes with
what it means to be in this Arena today
I I think less so because of the team um
because what they’ve already earned
points wise and that kind of thing so
it’s not chasing points they they
already have the points it’s not that
where if I were to put together a new
team that’s what was sort of holding me
back from doing that because you’ve
already missed out on the first year to
get yourself into slams to put yourself
in a position to you know be at the
trials and that kind of thing it’s just
as hard to change in the the middle of a
cycle and start over from scratch so
joining a team that already has that
status is not something I expected but
that means I have to think about that
stuff less it’s not so much a points
Chase for us we’re we’re already in the
Scotties um good chance we’re in the
trials so you know it it that’s makes it
totally different and is you know a big
part of the reason why I why I was
excited about it why I wanted to do it
because that points Chase to to try to
catch up after you’ve missed a year or
two is just really difficult so suddenly
the Olympic dream is back on yeah yeah
that was I was thinking it was going to
be doubles or or nothing and and now
it’s uh now it turns out it won’t be
doubles it’ll be it’ll be fours so uh
yeah I’m really obviously really excited
about that that’s a headline doubles or
nothing yeah know came out of my mouth
and I was like oh that actually worked
out really good I started writing a
story Chelsea um a a a word on the youth
movement and what we’re seeing in the
retirements and and where we are you
know one of the comments and
conversation I was having in the wake of
the seasons is you know a lot of our
great curlers a lot of the names that
are in the final weekend of the Scotties
and Brier they’re getting to the ends of
their career who are those names who are
those teams next that was a concern with
the person I was speaking with maybe
some thoughts yeah I mean I I I do think
it’s a concern I think you’ll start to
see it fill in I think part of it is
that those teams have been so dominant
for so long that it’s it gets hard to
want to chase it you know um where if
that starts to open up a little bit
maybe maybe some people come back from
not having played in a couple years you
know people that just started a young
family or got a job or whatever out of
Juniors maybe you see them come back I
mean obviously my my teammates now are
will be in the mix there they’re they’re
young and talented and and that kind of
stuff but hopefully we see some more
teams kind of along those lines I mean
some of them are are still a ways away
from I think being done like a team like
Caitlyn laws is younger you know they’ve
got a little bit more time in the game
still and and pieces of other teams like
um car Anderson team isn’t that old
either and so it it it’ll be interesting
to see um how how people react and what
happens after the cycle but yeah I do
think that that it’s a concern but
hopefully when you start to see some of
those people retire and you see maybe a
little bit of a Changing of the Guard
that inspires some younger players to
stay with it and and to keep going you
were at the Scotties of course in
Calgary watching and I’m sure you
watched the worlds too and just the
dominance of Rachel hman even though
Jen’s team was really close to beating
them in that final game um what does it
take to beat Rachel now how dominant has
this team become on the women’s scene
yeah I mean obviously that certainly
this year and and you know even the
couple years before that they couldn’t
they they didn’t manage to win the final
in all the Scotties finals that they
were in but they were always there and
they were winning slams and they were
doing all that stuff and I think that
what you’re seeing you know I think
Carrie Anderson’s team kind of pushed
the the boundaries in the first place
with all the skips and all that stuff
and we saw them have success and then
now you’re seeing teams like Rachel pick
up Tracy flurry so we have and and you
know Sarah wils goes from playing third
you know winning the Scotties to playing
lead on that team and that’s just their
commitment same with Emma I mean Emma
undoubtedly one of the best thirds in
the game for most of her career and and
then now it’s playing second but that’s
just the kind of stuff that it takes
it’s it’s what Mark Kennedy said about
about the guu effect it’s the same in
the women’s side and you’re seeing it
from Rachel Holman this year so how do
you catch up don’t know haven’t thought
about that far yet that wasn’t in the
interview that wasn’t in the interview
I’m just I’m just excited to be back in
The Fray now got to figure out how to
try to win that’s a that’s like that the
whole Next Step yeah and we and we and
we know a lot of Summer Nights will be
spent trying to figure that out Chelsea
uh we know you’re a proud manitoban and
of course the Lots were representing
Canada um at the world mixed Devils
Championship a fifth place finish that
thing is so hard to win Canada has never
won it but uh we didn’t address that off
off the top but maybe some some words
and some thoughts on on this team who
got to where the Canadian colors and
we’re so damn proud to do that yeah that
was really cool they’ve been a top team
in mix doubles for a long time they’ve
been in they they beat us Colin and I in
a semi-final in like 2017 I think uh in
leuk and then lost the final to Laura
and Kirk so they’ve been knocking on the
door forever and and it’s you know they
they obviously deserve to be there and
they had a great performance and that’s
the thing once you get into the playoff
stage like it’s one game and Estonia
obviously was I didn’t see the game but
obviously they were pretty hot like they
ended up going to the final so you know
you get to the quarterfinal and it’s
sudden death game and you don’t win it
but they had a great run they played
from what I saw they played great all
week and it was awesome to see them get
to get to finally go there because
they’ve been so close a number of times
nice 2017 how old were they 17 yeah very
young yes I hope everybody’s basking in
the sunshine that’s coming in my window
I should really go close the blind but
I’m enjoying it too much well Chelsea I
think our conversation at the patch or
the heart stop during Scotties came true
hope and let that body hold up body’s
fine right oh yeah it’ll be fine it’s uh
it’s it’ll be you know management of of
you know my knee and stuff but it’s it’s
okay actually felt really good all year
this year so I’m not uh not too worried
about that awesome see this team no
kidding and kurling is better with you
in it Chelsea so congratulations uh
we’re excited to be once again watching
you uh in a full-time role with this
four-person game congratulations thanks
guys I’m excited to be back nice to see
you Chelsea
take care
bye I always found it weird that such a
great curler was not playing you know it
just was she’s just too good um and so
it’s nice it’s nice that she’s back and
found a real comfortable place with a
with a team that’s so solid because
kidding that young team is they are
indeed well col uh you and I have talked
about this the country uh all across the
country from coast to coast to coast has
been talking about this last Wednesday
we lost uh a broadcasting great somebody
who uh whose voice was a soundtrack of
so many Great Canadian moments for five
Decades of course Bob Cole dying at the
age of 90 incredibly call he died on the
exact anniversary 50 years to the day
that he made his CBC Radio hockey
broadcast debut a Boston Bruins and
Montreal Canadians game Maurice Rashard
he called the winner that night um and
of course B Cole so many people
reflecting on stories um and here’s a
beautiful Montage that was put together
by Tim
Thompson was a dream you would never
imagine could have happen I was there
sound of Montreal Canadians or the
Toronto May police there is a terrific
buzz in this building
tonight I’ll tell you here in the City
of Brotherly Love dick you get the
feeling that it doesn’t really matter
what has happened so far this this can
be a long long Series this is hockey
baby this is the playoffs and this is
Montreal he’s as perfect as anybody
would ever hope to be goodbye Wayne
thank you for all those great moments
the picture for now will treasure
forever Benny all best
Douglas the Lea and the Canadians on
hockey night in Canada you can’t beat
this here we go on a Saturday night when
I watch hockey and I don’t hear anybody
else doing the play bypl Bob Cole’s in
my head good evening everybody well this
should be a Dandy out he comes nice play
Oh What A miraculous save by can’t
reckon what a save that was tremal kot
they score wa what a goal oh T is
nailing M for one down what goold
tending unbelievable
K
scores oh
Kara can’t you believe it oh my goodness
Curtis Joseph power Chuck
beautiful what a night
tonight in Montreal try to shoot it it’s
another shot Henderson right in he guard
Henderson they’re going home yeah
they’re going home it is
joeck scores Joe suck
scores D that’s a great shot by B Cole
we see them Slide the puck inside it’s a
one-on hockey game oh frankon ever heard
you doing this p
oh that was beautiful and what Alan
Doyle said the soundtrack of your life
when you hear a hockey game you think of
Bob Cole it’s so so true he’s beloved hi
Brad hey Colleen how are you see you
congrats on all the worlds and the
finale there at the Grand Slam and tell
us about your friend Bob Cole no thanks
uh I guess you missed the memo on the
green sweater but uh yeah it’s Bob Bob
was Bob was a good friend of ours and a
big supporter of our team he was a a guy
that really loved the game of curling
obviously loved the game of hockey and
and got to live out his passion
broadcasting the game and uh you know
got to do it for 45 years which is
incredible and you know I remember the
conversations that that Bob and I have
had over the years and and there was a
couple of those that I I think were
pretty instrumental in my curling career
and uh definitely going to cherish those
and chish cherish the friendship that we
developed really in the hockey lockout
you know a number of years ago when he
wasn’t broadcasting games he’d come down
and watch me
practice uh Brad in the hoopla of the
Brier your first in St John’s there was
Bob Cole uh at the rank uh watching most
of those games he had to fly out on
Championship weekend which he was not
happy about but I wondered if if you
ever got a moment I wasn’t I haven’t
ever been able to ask you that if you
got a moment with with Bob because he
was so proud of you that week and so
proud of of the entire community and the
party that went on out there
yeah leaving up to that you know he was
super excited to see the Brier coming
back to St John’s and throughout the
week I know he was there and you know I
got to have a a one-on-one conversation
with him the Friday morning he was
flying out that afternoon to go do a
game in Montreal I believe and um that
week we had a loer room to ourselves and
and I was over there I just finished
getting some treatment and I was in the
locker room sitting there and Bob just
kind of strolled in and we had a
conversation that would have lasted
probably 15 20 minutes maybe even a half
hour it was it was a longer conversation
but definitely one that you know left me
with a lot of confidence in myself and
and the one thing Bob really provided me
he was he was very complimentary of of
me and what we’ve done for for the
province in in the sport of curling and
when you hear that voice and someone
that has such a distinguished career uh
you know paying you compliments and
really building you up and lifting you
up you know it’s hard not to go out that
evening with with a lot of confidence in
yourself and a lot of confidence in the
team and you know that really got us on
the right page for for that final
weekend when the pressure was really
gonna ramp up for us not only was he
such a proud new finlander and loved the
province but his humility you know for a
person that was always at the top of his
game his humility is what struck me did
that rub off on you in anyway when you
see such a legendary new finlander being
so humbled and dignified and kind all
the time uh you know I I I hope so um
certainly he was one of the first people
that when I was growing up I looked up
to as as a newlander that really made it
on a on a big national International
stage you know and growing up in in my
generation you watch hockey night and
Canon on Saturday night especially you
know a young adult young male adult like
myself or or teenager uh and to know
that the guy broadcasting that game was
from the same community that I’m from
that was pretty awesome and really gave
me the belief that you could achieve
something on a on a bigger scale and you
know we’ve been fortunate enough in this
province now over the last 10 years to
have you know many people in the Arts in
sports uh in business uh that have done
that but certainly when I was growing up
Bob was the the one guy and and one guy
that I got to see every Saturday night
or got to hear every Saturday night and
gave me that belief what’s it like uh in
St John’s and in Newan land right now in
in the wake of this uh we’re seeing the
tributes we’re hearing the stories but
what’s it like day-to-day life in the
coffee shops is it what anyone is
talking about there yeah I think
everybody’s talking about it but you
know I the people that I’ve talked to
about it you know it really is he lived
a great life like 90 years old got to
really live out his dream and got to
travel travel the world travel the
country broadcast in a game that he
loved meeting athletes that he loved and
and uh you know if if you could do that
in your life do something you’re
passionate about for 45 years no matter
what it is you know I I think you you
can call yourself a success no kidding
and he loved curling all the time I mean
I remember at the 2005 Scotty’s talking
to him there having a great conversation
with him and times I would run him to
him at the broadcast Center in CBC
always asking about curling what what
was up with that do you think like what
do you know about the curling background
other than the clip we just saw when he
went to the Brier yeah he played in a
couple Briar a couple can mix like he
was a competitive curler and then once
the Hockey Night in Canada uh job became
available to him that had to be put on
the back burner but his love for the
game never really left and and he
followed it you know week in week out
and and even over this course of the
Year course of the last year as his
health deteriorated he would call me
every couple weeks and just say Brad
when you on TV he just wanted to know
the schedule know when he could watch us
and follow our team and he was
passionate about it you know I even
talked about during the hockey l lock
out a number of years ago you know he
would come down to the come down to the
club and watch me practice like practice
is not
that he would grab a drink and get some
peanuts and sit down and watch and you
know when I finished up we we go in and
we’d have a chat for five or 10 minutes
and asked he’d asked me what time are
you coming down tomorrow and we did that
during the the whole walkout and you
know that’s where our friendship really
started and um you know I would talk to
him I would say at least once every
month or two uh if not more frequent
nice and by the way when Bob calls do
you have to say who is this or it’s just
instant it was the greatest thing when
he called and occasionally when the guys
are around i’ put it on speaker and I’d
let him know he was on speaker but just
hearing that voice come through the
phone was absolutely incredible and the
one thing um you know you show the
picture with our whole team with Bob uh
he actually called Sydney Crosby when we
were uh there around the table and uh he
he told me for uh uh for Sydney he put
on his voicemail it was actually his
voice that when you call Sydney Crosby
would come up I I think that happened
for a while like how could you imagine
that’ be so awesome to have your
voicemail is with Bob’s voice like it’s
just such a such an iconic voice and
something again that my generation grew
up listening to every Saturday night uh
it seems fitting that you closed out
this season at Maple Leaf Gardens with a
win a place where Bob Cole spent so many
iconic nights for so many years Brad so
why don’t we transition to that where
you come off of silver medal at the
world championship and go right into the
belly of the beast at Maple Leaf Gardens
and you win that how did you do that and
how much of a grind was that you know
what it it was quite a grind I think
from a curling perspective i’ I’ve never
been as tired coming off of that stretch
because you had the time change jet lag
and then you know all the games that we
played and uh it never felt like we we
got a never felt like we blew anybody
out we got blown out a couple times but
most of the games came right down to
last Rock
and that can be a grind as well so so
you know we were happy to win the last
event and off the season on a good note
but it’s funny how the game works you
know we play the world championship and
Nicholas’s Rock stops by you know this
much for him to win and then we turn
around we play the the next week and you
know I have a shot that you know stops
this much or just enough for us to win
uh and really that’s where we’re at
right now in the world of curling it’s
just a matter of inches and sometimes
it’s just the right day the right game
you know the right Miss and um you know
you talked about it earlier with Rachel
and Jen like any given day it could it
could flip around and it’s just a one
game one shot sometimes situation
between winning and losing it’s always
been a game of inches hasn’t it y oh
drive you crazy sometimes I know that’s
it’s frustrating but you know what I as
frustrated as we were to to come off the
worlds with that like just knowing that
it was just a couple
inches it made us feel a whole lot
better when the the you know the script
got flip the script got flipped for us
in uh at the Players Championship where
you know we hang hung on by a couple
inches at uh you know we forgot about
the world final pretty quick after that
oh well you guys were amazing you guys
had a great week and it and it was a
great game and he made an awesome shot
what can you do yeah can you do so the
summer
now what do you do no thinking of
curling or what we uh no the last couple
weeks uh we we’ve still been
involved in it trying to figure out what
next year’s going to look like and and
start laying the groundwork for that I
think you know we’ll start getting into
more detail planning now probably in a
month or month or so I think uh the
intention is really to take as much as
June July and August off as possible um
we’re heading on a European cruise and
and vacation my family I think Mark’s
heading to Florida Jeff was in Mexico
I’m not sure what AJ had planned but
we’re all trying to get away and and
really just spend some time with our
family and and uh and get ready for
another curling season it’s going to be
here before we know it and and you know
as I’ve gotten older and played more
years the season starts earlier and ends
later so I know by mid August we’re
going to be looking to get back on
out and and when you keep winning uh the
seasons continue and continue and that’s
that’s probably a good problem you want
to have and are you looking at the
changes that are happening on the men’s
side especially with botcher team and I
know Mark Kenn where he’s coming on
later but he spoke about the gushu
effect that everybody knows they’ve got
to kind of catch up to you guys so how
do you make sure the gushu effect stays
here while they’re chasing you up the
ladder yeah and that’s really been the
discussion over the last couple weeks is
is how do we how do we improve you know
I I think everybody is is going to try
and do their best because this is really
the last chance you have before the
trials like you want to give yourself
you know 18 months to make sure you’re
ready for it and and make sure your team
can develop so this is really the last
chance to retool before you head into
that so I’m not surprised to see some of
these changes and I I would imagine
there’s more to come because you know
brandan who’s one of the best skips in
the world is still out there and
available and and there’s going to be uh
you know a number of teams looking to
bring on his Services uh so you know
we’re going to see more of it and I
understand it because we all want to be
as ready as we can for November of 2025
when when those Trials Come Around well
and of course that big change you just
said it it’s a one game Showdown but the
big change it’s a best of three which I
I haven’t even got reaction on but I’m
I’m assuming you like that because it
takes some equations out of it if you if
you can win two games right yeah
certainly I I think right now we’re in a
situation in the country where we can’t
really afford to send our second third
or fourth best we need to S send our
best team and I think in that situation
you’re you’re really reducing the chance
of you know a team that’s maybe fifth or
six kind of getting on a hot week and
then you know Finding their way through
and and to be honest uh it stops a
situation like us in in 2006 where we
were you know the sixth or seventh best
team in that field we got really hot
that week and and found a way to win but
at that time Canada was in a situation
where we could send her seventh race be
best team and win an Olympic medal we no
longer have that luxury so we have to
send our our top two or three teams and
you know I think that best two out of
three final reduces the chance of of
seeing that kind of Cinderella story
that we saw in 2006 or or even even 2014
with with Jacobs they probably weren’t a
top two or three team at that at that
point um but were able to go on and win
an Olympic gold but you know the
Miracles on Ice uh you know you don’t
think that can happen with a number five
team in Canada for example no I I I I
think it can I Love A Cinderella Story
it I absolutely it can um I I think it
reduces the chances of it is is the only
thing I still think in our country like
between number one and number eight
there’s not a whole lot of Gap so it it
it just means that whoever’s you know
seventh sixth seventh and eth they’re
going to have to play really well and if
they get through that Gauntlet and and
then get to that best two out of three
and win that I think they’re going to be
a team that can go off and win an
Olympic medal so I I think we just kind
of give ourselves the best chance
ourselves as in Canada the best chance
to win a medal when we go to the
Olympics great stuff BR um thanks for
your Bob memories those are fabulous and
boy what a wonderful wonderful
Legend we’ve
lost yeah he’s he’s going to be missed
um but I think hopefully over the next
week I know i’ I’ve read today that the
funeral announcements were announced and
and really over the course of this week
I’m sure there’s going to be more
tributes to them and I think those are
welld deserved and you know everything
that um all the kind things people say
about him is is welld deserved as well
so he’s going to be missed I’ll never
forget what he said during that Brier
week he said what’s good for guu is good
for Newland and Labrador he was so PR
proud of you Brad so thanks for sharing
your memories and uh enjoy some downtime
enjoy your European Cruise yes and have
a great summer guys and look forward to
next season in a couple months yes yes
thank you br all right take care guys
okay right we won’t be bucking him this
is our last show yeah right uh let’s go
right to Mark Kennedy because I know
he’s to talk about Mark wonderful to see
you mark hi guys how are you thanks for
having me thank you nice to see you are
you looking forward to downtime this
summer too oh yeah absolutely U but look
before we start can we give a quick
shout out to our world senior Champs yes
weekend how about that shot by Paul
Fleming Paul Fleming amazing I mean I
I’ve been used as a clubmate and as a
former mixed teammate with him I’ve seen
him make those kind of shots but to win
a world championship on that run back
was nerve-wracking yeah had the chance
to play Paul many times over the last 20
years and there is no nicer guy in
curling so to see his uh celebration and
reaction was pretty pretty how good was
the s e so good that was a tough shot to
win right and you could tell he was
super excited for his guys so yeah just
great to see Canada do good on the on
the world and there’s a Burgess on the
team Peter Burgess is the third so of
course you got the lucky Burgess and the
lucky and talented combo there that’s
right and my wife Nicole actually has a
connection with the leag Chris
granchelli so we kind of keep in touch
with Chris over the years so yeah and
Martin Gavin at one tweet I said Peter
Paul and Mary or Marty and they said we
thought they were talking about Peter
Paul and Mary the old group from the 70s
you weren’t born Mark you wer born but
it was great to see and the Lots played
amazing too I was up at 5 am for a lot
of those games just for fun and um they
they had a great week so sudden death is
a frightening frightening spot to be in
sometimes in an 8 end game especially oh
yeah yeah but they represented us well
too that’s a great team I think that’s
going to be a great experience for them
you know if they get the chance to
represent Canada at the Olympics they’ll
certainly be a good representative so
good for them yeah anyhow
congratulations on your uh new team do
tell tell more when you threw that glove
at Brad Jacobs when we were at the Brier
were you were you already sending us a
message there oh no no absolutely not uh
you know hey Brad and I had kept in
touch over the years we had a wonderful
three years together uh got to within a
few shots of going to the olymp PCS in
Beijing um won three slams together so
we’ve always stayed close and been in
touch and you know to to see him be
successful I’ve been happy for him so uh
yeah I’m really excited for the
opportunity to get a chance to play with
him again because we were just starting
to figure each other out so I’m looking
forward to seeing what we can do Mark uh
Paul obviously was on the show we talked
about the the emotion of this human toll
all of this take and and navigating this
I also heard Benny talk about the goal
the Brier was to win and we failed as a
team so you balance being a team the
human toll with wanting to win yeah can
you take us through how you navigate
that or do are you still figuring that
out no no you you summed it up really
well that’s the tough part when you make
these big decisions um you know I I have
a ton of respect for brandan um he was a
terrific teammate uh he was my buddy up
here in Edmonton you know we practiced
together every day we got to know other
well um he’s a good friend and he worked
really hard and and I loved playing with
him and that’s the tough part is you
know we we didn’t we didn’t accomplish
our goals as a team and so you have to
make a decision you know do we make a
change or or stick it out um and we just
felt as a group that we just needed a
little different energy a little
different Dynamic out in those big games
um and you know what this doesn’t all
fall on Brendan like
you know to be honest with you I don’t
think we’re the easiest team to lead
right we we got three pretty big
personalities um we have high
expectations we’ve accomplished a lot
and we maybe didn’t set Brendan up for
success in some of those moments so you
know at the end of the day this might be
a good thing for brandan to refresh with
a new group as well that can get the
best out of him um but yeah those are
the things that we weigh when we make a
decision like this and at the end of the
day there’s a little bit of time
emergency here especially for Ben and
myself with with you know two years left
to really give it our last goal for an
Olympics and we just at the end of the
day felt like a new energy a new spark
um is what we were going to need to
compete against these you know the gushu
the RoR as the moetz they’re tough to
beat and and we were struggling in some
of those big games to to be successful
so we had a couple of question marks and
and you know therefore we have to make a
decision and when you look at the
question marks
um do you guys work with a sports
psychologist on a regular basis because
when you talk about you know may we’re a
tough team to lead how do you once
you’ve sort of address that that could
have been an issue how do you kind of
work to uh as good a teammate as sure
you are become an even better uh
teammate so that that doesn’t alter you
know any of the team members going
forward yeah that’s a great question we
we were working with a sports
psychologist and I think each of us was
working with one individually as well to
focus on those you know situations when
you get in those tense moments are you
doing the right things for the people
around you so we worked hard and look we
we had some success as a team you know I
I read people say you know we didn’t gel
didn’t have chemistry sure number four
in the world well list we were number
one for a while we were HS for most of
the year we won two grand slams you know
we were bronze medalists twice at the
Briar so we were a very good team um and
just something was a little bit off in
those big moments and and you know when
I talked to Ted Wyman at the Toronto Sun
I called it the gushu effect like Brad
has pushed teams to the brink here to
really think about whether they have the
right lineup um to compete against the
best in the world day in and day out and
not just compete but to be successful
and and we felt sometimes against those
really big teams in big moments we were
just lacking a little something so can
you keep working on it and keep getting
better and keep trying and trying trying
you AB absolutely can and that was on
the table for us to do that you know or
do you try to mix it up with a new
energy and a new chemistry to see if
that gets you over the hump and you know
we’re at the stage in curling where you
see it in other sports all the time you
know you see it in the NHL where they
they trade a goalie because they just
they need a playoff goalie or they they
make change on their fourth line to
bring a different spark and you know
curling’s at that point um and we just
you know felt like we had to have a
little courage here to get a new energy
and you know bring in Brad into the mix
it’s it’s very exciting for us we know
what he brings to the table and we think
it’ll help us in those moments I I’m
sure there’s been a bit of a cooling
period for all of you and and there’s a
lot to to navigate in these in these
early moments after this this seismic
shift Mark but I’m I’m thinking about
the early days of this botcher team and
the The Hope and the optimism and the
the wanting to figure out what works and
doesn’t work so now you’re doing this
again do you come as a team you say
these are the things that worked and
didn’t work because you got to kind of
speed that up now because you’ve got one
year yeah yeah yeah we’re yeah you you
nailed it exactly but the nice thing
here there’s a couple things that are
working in our favor I believe we’ve
really created a good foundation here as
a team you know Paul Webster down at the
Glen Co Club um you know our our
practices our fundamentals what we work
on as a group what we talk about that’s
all in place um you know it’s it’s kind
of up to us bringing Brad into the mix
letting him know what we do how we do it
but also giving him the space to bring
his knowledge and expertise to help make
that Foundation even stronger so we
don’t really feel like we’re you know
pulling from everywhere to try to make
this work we have the pieces in place
Brad’s is just another piece to the
puzzle that we think can really help us
so we feel like we’ve already got a bit
of a head start here um and then again
my relationship with Brad I I think
certainly helps I know you know Brett
and Ben both came to me and said you
know what are we getting in Brad and and
I I had a list of things that they’re
absolutely gonna love and I think Brad’s
going to thrive in this environment I
really do um and I love that you know
it’s one of the First Things We Said to
one another is I just I’m grateful for
the opportunity to play with you again
because you know Co interrupted our
tenure together a little bit um and by
the time we got to those Olympic trials
in Sask tun we were a pretty uh
fine-tuned Team so I’m looking forward
to seeing if we can build on that with
this new group of of guys that are you
know we’re ready to give her we’re ready
to try to win and and try to get one
more or two more steps up the podium and
um yeah we’re going to give it all we
got here with with only a couple years
left nice yeah I have to say I love your
cap RT and mug what is on the Brad
what’s on the Brad
list uh that makes him so powerful when
he’s on well s my wife from keep yes we
all know that yeah okay the best place
yeah the best place the absolute best
place um listen Brad is a not he’s an
exceptional shot maker you know I think
most curlers out there will say that
Brad Jacobs is one of the best shot
makers in our game um but the other
thing a lot of people don’t know is is
Brad’s an incredible teammate Brad’s a
really great teammate you know he takes
a lot of accountability um he he just
thrives under the right support um he’s
just a great guy to have around and he’s
you know he’s got a great energy um you
know we we all remember Brad with all
his fist pumps but but he goes out there
with a confidence and a wanting to win
and I think that especially my teammates
Brett and Ben are going to thrive under
that type of energy so you know we’ve
had a couple teams or a couple of zooms
as a team and you know even in the
couple years I haven’t played with him
you can just tell that his leadership
skills have come a long way and um I
think he’s gonna have some guys that are
ready to run through a wall for him so
he’s um yeah he’s he’s gonna be good in
this group can we have more fist pumps I
want more Joel R returna energy out
there so I don’t think you’re gonna have
to beg for them with this group now I
think they’re gonna hopefully we see a
lot of fist bumps it means we’re making
a ton of shots and winning but I I know
that we’re gonna have a lot of fun and
uh yeah it’s gonna be it’s gonna be
great I think it’s a beautiful thing I
think specifically for you and Brad you
both stepped away from the game you came
back to it you remembered what you loved
about it and and and what I can hear
from you is that ‘s this understanding
that this is this is all winding down
and we’re going to go out in a blaze of
glory and that’s that’s a pretty cool
thing to know that you’re all in this
going and pushing towards the same thing
and knowing the stakes and sounds like
there’s some pretty magical
conversations happening for you guys oh
that a that a good summary Devon I think
you’re right I think there’s a couple
things with Brad too that you’re right
about the year off I think that has a
pretty incredible impact on somebody
that when they come back into the game
you’re doing it for the right reasons
you’re doing it because you miss it you
love it and you you want the camaraderie
back and you want to go to battle with
teammates and I think he’s experienced
that um and you’re right I mean he’s
he’s my age right he’s getting towards
the end as well and he knows that this
might be his last tick at the can and um
so we’re kind of coming from the same
perspective and um yeah it’s going to be
exciting it’s going to be it’s going to
be tough I know I was just listening to
Brad comment on the the state of curling
in the world and you know you guys are
talking about inches and I’m thinking
and it really comes down to centimeters
and millimeters and one miss here and
there um so you know you’re trying to
find the right formula to make it work
and um yeah hopefully we can find some
magic here with this new group nice
you’re talking like you’re getting old
by the way but you’re aging backwards
like Benjamin Button so get out oh I
wish I wish these rles would tell you
otherwise but I’ve got two teenage girls
in the house now so still look like the
18yearold I met when you were first
curling Junior so oh that’s very
kind and yeah nice to see you
congratulations on the
team thank you guys and good luck with
your last show hopefully maybe it’s your
last show oh you wait he’ll be phoning
saying got do another one well as you
know there are still some some
things pieces some dominoes to fall as
we there are it will be interesting to
see where Brendan botcher winds up
because he is too good not to be making
an impact still yeah and just you know
on that note again he’s an incredible
player and a good friend a good teamate
and I hope he lands somewhere great
because I think he’s going to win a lot
in his career and um yeah we wish
Brendon all the best always thoughtful
always measured thank you Mark say hi to
Nicole maybe she can hear us in the
background but uh it’s always wonderful
to see you and her uh at a curling event
and we’ll look forward to it again in
the fall yeah sounds great thank you
guys have a great summer take
care do we ask he’s going on a European
Cruise as well well I’m sure he is I
thought that’s what all the curlers do I
see Carol in the background I think she
was attacking my sofa I heard her with
her claws better the sofa than me okay
yeah that’s true she is an attack cat
yeah she is listen you had such a great
speaking of trips it wasn’t a European
Vacation but the work you did with Colin
Hodgson um and the Kies and
hackner and who else was there Mike
marille
Carrie uh what an event what that the
wallingham siblings 10 indigenous
curlers for the first time ever you know
what struck me a lot of things did call
about this in the creation of Chasse and
and they should be so proud the ice is
still in Darren molding set it up
beautiful artwork on the ice this is a
really holistic event uh the youth were
on the ice the adults were on the ice
for the first time ever 10 Elite
indigenous curlers playing in this game
you know what struck me look at the star
power uh star indigenous curlers in this
country since you bring the koes into it
you’ve got it right but there look at
that I now Cary four time Scotty’s champ
Al hackner two time Brier champ two-time
World Champ it’s it’s wonderful to see
so congratulations to Ronda Spencer and
Roy nappo they were the driving forces
in the community along with Colin Hudson
the curers showed up the community
showed up they made it very clear they
want to be the community that has
indigenous representation in curling for
Canada at the Olympics and and Dare To
Dream right and and have this event and
to see the youth to see the adults come
and learn to curl with our great
indigenous indigenous curlers a
beautiful thing and it’s just the
beginning we had a chance to to talk
with El hack
who you know call revealed to me that in
a lot of his career and life he was just
kind of Al hackner and look at this
photo how good is that he told me that
was from the mid
80s um looks like it yeah but but he
said he never really celebrated and
talked about being indigenous but that
he was here at this event to celebrate
it here’s a little bit more from El
hackner I I think it’s a it’s important
and it’s a big jump like for many years
I was known as you know Al hackner the
curler not Al hackner the indigenous
curer at all uh even though in our own
Community I’ve been involved with that
we call it the Northern Ontario native
mix bons it’s been going on for 47 years
and I’ve been chairman or co-chairman of
it for close to 30 of those years so we
bring indigenous curlers into thunderbay
uh half the field is I from away and uh
getting them to embrace curling and
being and feel welcome cuz sometimes a
lot of them are still on the shy side so
we try to do everything we can to make
them feel welcome uh
uh even giving them some curing glasses
to get going and uh some of them have
been coming back for years so it’s it’s
uh it’s there in thunderbay at our Spiel
but you don’t see much of it else around
so just recently we’ve been it’s getting
out there and uh that’s a good thing you
know when I first started curling I
never thought of being a Canadian
Champion I just want to go through them
rocks and have some fun and uh then it’s
evolved from there I know when I first
got going I was pretty shy too I didn’t
say much that’s probably where some of
the Iceman comes from I wasn’t so much
that cool I was just didn’t say much
that was it I used to we we we’d win a
Spiel or something and you’re supposed
to go up there and say your speech to
the end I would just hand the mic over
to Rick Lang here you
talk but I’ve obviously been thrust into
the Limelight so many times now over the
years that I’ve gotten used to it I’m a
little better at it and I’m not afraid
to get up in front of a crowd and speak
so it’s a it’s been a an evolution of me
the shy guy too who I am now so um I can
understand where some of these younger
children are coming in and they’re shy
and they’re a little apprehensive about
meeting people or trying something new
cuz you know I was there too I was that
guy and uh kurling has helped me evolved
over the years to here I am
now beautiful
I hope more there are more events like
the one you were at um so important so
good that all of the the hackers and the
koes and and Carrie uh and uh Mike gave
of their time and Colin Hodson and
Darren molding too uh so good to see
more is needed more and they’re planning
more so you and I got to talk maybe we
get up there do a show from there next
year something like that so
congratulations so thrilled and honored
to have been a part of that
okay this might be the last show of the
season this might well we’re gonna see
what happens there’s so many as Mark
said the dominoes are still to fall for
some teams to see who’s going to land
and where does Brendan land what happens
with Reed K’s team now that Jacobs is
gone there’s question mark still out
there for sure I love that shirt you
have that’s new well thank you vintage
is it vintage is it vintage new or
vintage v vintage new but it was a men’s
medium big and I the sleeves and I’m
wearing it backwards and I belted it
okay so hello what can’t you do Colleen
Jones I just belted
it I love it I love it it was too big
for me but talk about vintage
1973 wow is hackner winning then no 82 8
I was gonna say 82 yeah 82 was his first
yeah and of course the hackner devil
1985 in monton that was a shot that was
hard those shots were hard when you
think about the lack of sweeping and
everything and the rocks and the ice and
everything Rock that’s how hard that’s
that might be real makeable now not so
makeable back then uh what do we want to
wind down with um this have a great
Olympic
games no what else do you want to wind
congratulations to all the Team Canada’s
winning the worlds we’re looking forward
to next year well no kidding no kidding
I mean it is going to be dramatic and of
course the uh mixed doubles Olympic
trials are in Nova Scotia in November or
December late December the mixed doubles
yeah that’s gonna and it’s interesting
to see the format changes for that is
they have three events to kind of
qualify right for a lot of the people
that are four person curling they got a
Juggle trying to get into that in order
to if they don’t have enough points to
get into the uh showdown in Liverpool
but there’s a lot of great mixed doubles
teams in Canada even though we haven’t
won the worlds yet we’re
close wild to consider that it feels
like we were just in Saskatoon as the
pandemic was sort of kind of winding
down for the Olympic trials and here we
are after this summer in the Paris
Olympics we are fullon winter o where
did that time go I think I think curling
when you talked about wrapping up I
think like what’s gone on with um Nick
purchasing the grand slams I think it’s
going to be really interesting to see
what change happens we always hear that
change is happening and yet change seems
to you know just kind of the granite
rock turns slowly it does sometimes so
it’s going to be interesting to see what
kind of energy they can bring especially
back into the Arenas you know we were at
if we could just have the energy that
Rachel got to play with at the world
Sydney where it was so loud and so
entertaining and so fabulous and the
crowd was just on it all the time at all
of the events how do you encourage that
from the fans how do you bring some of
that for you know make it loud make it
noisy make it an event I think that’s
what’s got to kind of change and curling
I feel like that’s the new slogan for
this show uh and and I feel I feel like
we’ve made an event listen uh I’m so
proud of what we continue to do I’m
proud of Sophie I’m proud of you I adore
you both this is a blast you too we have
so much fun we really do and of course
we do it for you curling fans so just
have a wonderful summer um it’s not
going to be long before we’re back and
we’re doing this all over again but just
good health to you all take care and
again s call Adore You grateful for you
both see you again thanks producer s
love you love you curling now enters the
sports weekend spotlight
s
[Music]