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.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
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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