Curling? Yes Please

(Picture from http://www.winnipegsun.com/)

One of us in Canada, one of us is not. One of us is working for a living, one of us is not. One of us is sick of hearing about curling, one of us is not. Guess who is who.

According to wikipedia.com, Curling is "a team game with similarities to bowling and shuffleboard, played by two teams of four players each on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared ice." That it is, and after spending some time facebook chatting about our website, and watching epic videos on Youtube.com on curling, I think I might be in love.

I mean check this out-


How intense! These ladies are great. It is rivoting entertainment, and when you have Canadians who are longing for a Winter Olympic Gold medal, this can only make for great television. Add in the fact that there will be Japanese, Russian, and German women yelling like the Canadians in the video above and you have comedy and sporting gold. Are you serious? I love hearing these ladies yell. Who wouldn't, eh? Why wouldn't I relish the opportunity to get to listen to four japanese women scream against four Russian women? It's Drago vs. Mr. Miyagi, four on four in a silly, heart wrenching game.

It is chess on ice, so graceful and so unique. A perfect mixture of pure sporting athleticism and the National Spelling Bee. I mean how can you beat three people "Swiffering" ice? You just can't.

So ladies and gentlemen, meet your Men's and Women's U.S. Olympic Curling team:

Your defending bronze medal olympian men's roster:

Your lead (the guy who throws the first two rocks) John Benton- This 6'1" 200 pound resident of Afton Minnesota throws 40 rocks a day during his EXTENDED lunch break from his work as an IT engineer in preperation for this event. Purely dedicated, and a modern genius, John has even convinced co-workers to lend him their vacation time so he could attend the Olympics (some understanding boss he has). He was introduced to curling as a six year old. He is the oldest member on the roster at an amazing 41. He is a physical specimen seeing that he is still able to compete at the highest level with men who are in their 20's.

Starting at Second (the guy that throws the second and third rock, and sweeps for all other players), standing at 5'8", 175 pounds, from Bemidji Minnesota, Jeffffffffffffffffffffff Isaaaaaaacccccccccccccsonnnnnnnnnnnnnnn- He is the team statistician and historian, which comes from his passion and part time side job of molding young minds. At 27 years old, he can name the last 20 curling champions. He also supports himself with winnings from poker, a hobby he picked up in college. He's a pure two sport athlete!

Starting at Skip (go ahead people stand up and cheer, the Michael Jordan of curling is about to be announced), standing at 6'0", listed but not held to 195 pounds, from Chisholm Minnesota, John SHUSTERRRRRRRRRRR- The skip is the guy that calls all of the shots, and traditionally throws the last two rocks. He is usually the best player on the team. Shuster, the only returning player from the bronze medal team from 2006, is looking to lead a new team of cats to the top. The 28 year old comes from a family of recreational curlers, and manages at a bar in his free time. Curling and the Olympics introduced him to his now fiancee, Sara.

At Third, standing at a deceiving 6'0" 150 pounds, from Duluth Minnesota, Jason Smithhhhhhhh- The self proclaimed regular guy, works construction during the summer and bartends in the winter. He is 27 years old and is very very very good friends with Shuster (that is from the olympic curling site).

U.S. Men's Curling Schedule-
Feb 16 - 9:00 a.m. (PT) vs Germany
Feb 16 - 7:00 p.m (PT) vs Norway
Feb 17 - 2:00 p.m. (PT) vs Switzerland
Feb 18 - 9:00 a.m. (PT) vs Denmark
Feb 19 - 2:00 p.m. (PT) vs France
Feb 20 - 9:00 a.m. (PT) vs Sweden
Feb 21 - 2:00 p.m. (PT) vs Great Britain
Feb 22 - 9:00 a.m. (PT) vs Canada
Feb 22 - 7:00 p.m. (PT) vsChina


Now for the lovely ladies (my favorite part of Curling because the yelling is almost sexy).

At Second, and my personal favorite, Nicole Joraanstad- Joraanstad is from Madison Wisconsin, where she got a buisness degree from the university. She is the teams logistics guru and travel agent. She is also the youngest lass on the team at a very young looking 30 years old.

Your Women's Curling team Skip, Debbie McCormick- From Rio, Wisconsin, McCormick played in both the 1998 and 2002 olympics. Born in Canada, this years events are a homecoming of sorts. She is described as a clam and level headed skip, or in other words she is the Karen of the group.

At Lead, Natalie Nicholson- Another member of the U.S. team from Minnesota, Nicholson is another first timer in this years events. She is half American Indian and works as a nurse on a reservation in Red Lake, Minnesota.

At Third, Allison Pottinger- At 5'1" she is the shortest player on the team. She grew up in Canada and go figure, was raised in a curling family (god if only I was raised in a curling family). She doubles as the teams strategist and offers curling strategy lessons, which can be in home or are her place.

U.S. Women's Curling Schedule-

Feb 16 - 2:00 p.m. (PT) vs Japan

Feb 17 - 9:00 a.m (PT) vs Germany
Feb 18 - 2:00 p.m. (PT) vs Denmark
Feb 19 - 9:00 a.m. (PT) vs Russia
Feb 20 - 2:00 p.m. (PT) vs Great Britain
Feb 21 - 9:00 a.m. (PT) vs Canada
Feb 21 - 7:00 p.m. (PT) vs Sweden
Feb 23 - 9:00 a.m. (PT) vs China
Feb 23 - 7:00 p.m. (PT) vs Switzerland

So there you have it, your U.S. Men's and Women's Olympic Curling teams. They bring passion, persistance, and above all pure athletic ability to a sport that demands to much of it!