Larry Wood doesn't like puff pieces. He became editor of the Tankard Times, a daily newspaper at the Brier, on one condition; he wasn't going to pull any punches. As columnist at the Calgary Herald, Larry was scribe to many of the greatest moments in curling history. His first Brier was 1960 in Fort William (now Thunder Bay) and he only missed two in the next 55 years. Larry describes his early days in curling and the path that led him to cover those many Briers, Scotties and World Championships. We look back at some of the great players, ponder the evolution of the sport, and Larry reveals what happened at a secret initiation ceremony in Scotland.
Friday, July 12, 2019
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Episode 54 - Harvey Mazinke, Part 2
In Part 2 of my conversation with Harvey Mazinke we begin with a Paul Gowsell story, discuss the original Labatt Brier cresting, re-writing of the "burnt stone" rule, hogline officials and the controversy surrounding the qualifying for the 1988 Olympics. Harvey was President of the Canadian Curling Association from 1987-1988 and takes us behind the scenes from that era. We eventually head back to 1975 and '76 for a few more Brier tales.
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Episode 53 - Harvey Mazinke, Part 1
Harvey Mazinke influenced curling as a player and a builder. Growing up in Manitoba, Harvey reached the Brier in 1964 with Bruce Hudson, but moved to Saskatchewan a few years later. Eventually he built a team of Billy Martin at third, George Achtymichuk at second and Dan Klippenstein at lead. In 1973 they broke through to win the Brier in Edmonton. The reward was a return trip home to Regina for the World's where an unbeaten record was spoiled by a loss to Sweden in the final game. In Part 1 of our conversation, Harvey talks about that championship game and how an alarm clock may have changed the outcome. He explains his role as the first player representative for the CCA and shares details of the change in Brier sponsorship from Macdonald Tobacco to the Labatt Brewing Company in 1980. Harvey also gives new insight on why Brier stones during the 1970s were such a dilemma.
Friday, March 29, 2019
Episode 52 - Anne Merklinger
Anne Merklinger understands the mind of an athlete. As a swimmer she competed with the University of South Carolina and Canada's national team, a choice that delayed her curling pursuits for four years. Eventually Anne returned to Ottawa and developed a team that would battle the best in Canada for a decade. Her rink of third Theresa Breen, second Patti McKnight and lead Audrey Frey won four Ontario Provincials, losing a semifinal (1994) and two finals ('98 and '00) at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Anne's career in sport management led to a role as director of Canoe Kayak Canada and then to her current position as CEO of Own the Podium, Canada's Olympic development program. We discuss the difficult losses, Ontario rivalries, the early days of the Womens Tour and the positive influence Olympians can have on Canadians.
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Epsiode 51 - Bob Weeks/Mickey Duzyj
Bob Weeks joins Kevin to discuss the recent results from TSN's attempt to rank Canada's Greatest Curlers (35:45). Bob explains how the process came together and they discuss the many challenges of trying to rank curlers from different eras. Eventually they dig into the categories and compare their choices with the results. Before talking to Bob, Kevin is joined by Mickey Duzyj, creator of the Netflix sports documentary series LOSERS. Episode 4 is "Stone Cold", inspired by the first episode of Curling Legends Podcast. It tells the story of Pat Ryan, centered around his epic battle with Al Hackner in the 1985 Brier final. Mickey shares the origins on the series, reflects on his introduction to curling culture.
You can hear Pat Ryan on Episode 1 of Curlng Legends Podcast. You can also check out Rick Lang on Episode 48 and get Don Bartlett's story of the Hackner Double in Episode 39.
Be sure to get yourself a copy of "The Brier" by Bob Weeks and check out some of his other books, Hurry Hard, Curling for Dummies and Curling, Etcetera
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Episode 50 - Rick Folk
Rick Folk was meant to throw the last rock. His ability to focus while remaining calm under pressure worked for both golf and curling. After coming up short in his first two Briers (1978 and '79), Rick, along with Ron Mills and the Wilson Brothers (Tom and Jim) became the first team to lift the Labatt Tankard Trophy in 1980. Rick's focus was tested at the World Championships in Moncton, where the Labonte Curse had held Canada winless since 1972. After moving to British Columbia, Rick won four more Purple Hearts, capturing the title and Worlds again in 1994 with Pat Ryan, Bert Gretzinger and Gerry Richard. Rick talks about his early days in Saskatoon, the battles against Merv Mann, Harold Worth, Les Rogers and Paul Gowsell. He shares thoughts on the first Olympic Trials of 1987 and the "boring" Brier final of 1989. Then we dive deep into the controversies surrounding the 1993 and '94 Briers. Rick explains how ice-makers, tie-breakers, choosing rocks and changing handles had him transforming from Bill Bixby into Lou Ferrigno.
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Episode 49 - Bob Picken
Bob Picken had a voice for curling. An accomplished skip who nearly won a Purple Heart at the 1963 Manitoba Provincials, Bob became widely known for his other contributions to the sport. His distinct broadcasting sound covered many Briers and World Championships and his involvement with the CCA and the International Curling Federation helped usher in the Uniroyal World Junior Men's Championship in the early 70's. Bob shares stories of his curling days and travelling abroad with other crew members of the Canadian curling media: Larry Wood, Scotty Harper, Don "Buckets" Flemming, Larry Tucker, Jack Matheson and "Cactus" Jack Wells, among others. Bob passed away on January 30th, 2019.
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