We’re down to the medal games in Beijing and Kevin and Warren recap the men’s bronze match with Canada emerging victorious plus a pair of wild semifinals on the women’s side with Japan and Great Britain upsetting the favourites. With Bruce Mouat, Oskar Eriksson and Jennifer Dodds all guaranteed spots on the podium in the team event, Kevin believes there’s no reason Canadians shouldn’t be allowed to compete in both mixed doubles and four-player curling. Coolbet Canada country manager Kris Abbott ...
Feb 18, 2022•36 min
Sportsnet's Rob Faulds fills in as our guest co-host as Kevin and Warren recap the latest with Jennifer Jones missing the playoffs leaving Brad Gushue as Canada's only hope at winning a medal in the men's bronze game. The guys also discuss what Curling Canada needs to do to improve its draw shot challenge issues for the future plus how doping is being handled with Kevin sharing what he went through during his time competing for Canada. They wrap things up by making their picks for the women's se...
Feb 17, 2022•32 min
Canada’s Jennifer Jones scored a pivotal win over the United States but sustained an upset loss to China. Kevin and Warren discuss the results plus if it’s nerves or fatigue that’s setting in. The guys also go through the standings with Jones sitting in fourth place and above the logjam while Brad Gushue, who had the day off, managed to qualify for a men’s playoff spot based on other results. Rachel Homan posted a candid message on social media opening up after missing the medal round in mixed d...
Feb 16, 2022•25 min
We’re entering the final stretch of round-robin play in the men’s and women’s tournaments and Kevin and Warren recap the latest with Canada’s Brad Gushue sneaking out a win over China but falling to ROC in an upset. Can Gushue get into the playoffs clean? The guys also look at how the women’s standings are shaping up with Jennifer Jones idle on the day. Canada continues to struggle with the draw shot challenge, should it be used to break ties in the standings? Kevin shares how the players feel a...
Feb 15, 2022•31 min
Provincial playdowns wrapped up this past week with eight more teams securing spots to the Tim Hortons Brier. Warren provides a rundown through how the field is shaping up so far. Russian athletes competing as ROC aren’t fooling anyone. Should the IOC get tougher on state-sanctioned doping? Kevin and Warren weigh in as it was an issue in curling four years ago and has popped up again in other sports in Beijing. What about alternating the hammer after every end? Our Mailbag segment answers what w...
Feb 15, 2022•49 min
She’s back! Jennifer Jones and Team Canada have returned to top form with back-to-back wins. Kevin and Warren recap how her team was able to turn it around with wins over ROC and Great Britain. Meanwhile, Canada’s Brad Gushue is cruising along and the guys share an update on a solid victory over Italy. Why is Canada’s draw-to-the-button shootout is bad? Kevin explains what might be causing it and Warren chimes in on why it’s crucial towards the standings without any tiebreaker games. The guys re...
Feb 14, 2022•27 min
We’re at the halfway point of the men’s and women’s curling tournaments in Beijing, Kevin and Warren discuss the latest results with Brad Gushue back in the win column but not quite in the clear while Jennifer Jones continues to trend in the opposite direction. The guys also look ahead to the back half of the schedule with some tough games still ahead for both Canadian teams. The stones in Beijing are getting sandpapered and Kevin explains how that makes them fresh again but also a challenge for...
Feb 13, 2022•33 min
We’ve given Warren the day off and Emma Miskew joins the show to discuss skipping at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts with Rachel Homan away, the impact on the sport of Italy winning mixed doubles gold, and the difference between playing in the Scotties versus the games. Kevin and Emma also recap the latest action with Canada losing to Sweden in both men’s and women’s tournaments plus an update on the standings. They also address the numerous technical timeouts that have occurred with the rock ...
Feb 12, 2022•35 min
Canada has hit its first stumbling block in women’s and men’s curling in Beijing with Jennifer Jones losing to Japan and Brad Gushue falling to Switzerland. Kevin and Warren recap the day’s action and what went wrong for the Canadian teams. It’s a small sample size but some teams have jumped out of the gate and Warren runs through the standings highlighting which teams to watch out for. Switzerland’s Peter de Cruz skips but at the second position with Benoit Schwarz throwing fourth stones. Kevin...
Feb 11, 2022•31 min
Canada’s Brad Gushue and Jennifer Jones are now both out of the gate in Beijing and looking sharp as Kevin and Warren bring you up to speed on all the action with Gushue improving to 2-0 and Jones off to a 1-0 start. The guys also reflect on Ben Hebert’s comments from Wednesday’s episode , and they explain the differences in pressure between playing in this tournament versus the Brier. Kevin answers a question from a listener about why Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson sometimes leans but doesn’t sweep a ...
Feb 10, 2022•32 min
It’s time for the men’s and women’s tournaments in Beijing and with Kevin getting the day off, we’ve got special guest Ben Hebert, gold medallist from 2010, to fill in for his former skip. Ben discusses what it was like playing for the bigger Team Canada, curling outdoors at Mosaic Stadium, why Canada’s mixed doubles team lost on the ice and not in their preparation, when the best time to hold the trials is, and whether or not curlers should play in both mixed doubles and four-player team curlin...
Feb 09, 2022•33 min
The hardware has been handed out and the guys recap the mixed doubles medal games in Beijing. With Italy going undefeated en route to gold, Warren reflects on the history of Italian curling. Did Canada lose or did other teams win? There has been a lot of criticism online after Canada missed the playoffs and Kevin and Warren explain why Rachel Homan and John Morris weren’t given a fair enough chance to succeed with so little prep time. The games continue with the men’s and women’s tournaments and...
Feb 08, 2022•26 min
Warren wraps up the week that was at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay with Kerri Einarson’s team the class of the field capturing a third straight Canadian women’s championship. Kevin gives a quick update on the mixed doubles in Beijing and why an Italy-Norway final is a big deal for the growth of the game. Quiet, please! Our Hot Rock Topics take aim at fan etiquette in the sport when it comes to cheering for particular teams rather than good shots by all. Should event officials ...
Feb 08, 2022•45 min
Canada missed out on the medal round in mixed doubles and the guys analyze what went wrong for Rachel Homan and John Morris and what went right for Italy with Stefania Constantini shooting the lights out all week. Warren and Kevin also critique if Canada’s team was set up for the best chance of success given the tight time for selection. Kevin explains what happens with blank ends in mixed doubles, Warren explains why Canada didn't let its athletes compete in both mixed doubles and team curling ...
Feb 07, 2022•28 min
An unreal tournament in Beijing just got crazier with Australia upsetting Canada in a wild extra-end affair and now Rachel Homan and John Morris must win against undefeated Italy, who maintained the momentum with a strong victory over medal contender Sweden. Kevin and Warren recap all the action, Warren notes some key stats, and the guys reflect on what went wrong with their predictions. Kevin explains how the power play has been used offensively and defensively while Warren chimes in on where t...
Feb 06, 2022•30 min
We’re starting to see some separation in the mixed doubles field in Beijing and Kevin and Warren go over the latest results with Italy improving to 6-0 to stay on top and Canada coming out strong to beat the U.S. in a pivotal matchup. Warren brings us up to speed on some more interesting stats and the standings with Kevin sharing his insight as to what’s a safe record to aim for playoffs. The guys discuss a few unique aspects of mixed doubles such as the pre-positions stones can be placed (21:00...
Feb 05, 2022•33 min
Business has picked up at the mixed doubles curling event in Beijing! Kevin and Warren recap the latest (1:00) as Canada has stepped up its game plus Italy continues to surprise while Norway and Switzerland disappoint. The guys also discuss why there have been so many high-scoring games (4:00) and also delve into the stats (6:00) as the numbers never lie for why some prominent players are struggling. Four curlers were named flag-bearers for the opening ceremonies, why has a Canadian curler never...
Feb 04, 2022•28 min
We’re through Day 2 of the mixed doubles competition and a logjam has already formed in the standings. Kevin and Warren run through the latest results with China and Italy jumping out as surprises, the United States struggling, and Canada splitting its pair of games to start. Kevin also reveals what he believes is the toughest shot in curling while Warren shares his thoughts on Kristina Rutherford's Big Read as things aren’t quite so rosy in Canada’s quest for medals. Check out the article here:...
Feb 03, 2022•21 min
The quest for gold has begun in Beijing with the mixed doubles competition kicking off the action. Kevin and Warren break down the opening draw results including a pair of early upset wins by China and Czech Republic plus a marquee matchup between favourites Great Britain and Sweden that did not disappoint. Warren explains if it was early-event jitters or adjusting to the ice conditions and rocks that played a factor in some uncharacteristic misses. The guys also look ahead to why Canada will be...
Feb 02, 2022•21 min
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts has begun in Thunder Bay, Ont., and with a small sample size to examine, Kevin and Warren discuss if it’s just rust that has affected a few teams out of the gate or could this be the year we see some surprises in the field. The guys also reflect on their pre-event picks to win and how those teams are doing. In Hot Rock Topics, Brad Heidt suggests the Canadian championships should be structured like the League Cup in soccer with multiple stages and byes for the h...
Feb 01, 2022•1 hr 6 min
Let the games begin! The guys run through all 10 teams set to compete in the mixed doubles event in Beijing. Who will end up on the podium? Kevin and Warren provide their picks on who they believe will take home the hardware. Also, Jim looks at a couple of interesting odds with Canada at a spicy +8000 to win all three gold medals in curling but also +800 to end up empty-handed. Which one is the more likely outcome? This podcast is produced by Warren Hanse & Amil Delic, recorded by Mike Roger...
Feb 01, 2022•10 min
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts has been given the green light and the guys run through the field and make their picks to win it all in Thunder Bay. Warren also recaps the world qualification event and which countries are now heading to the world championships. The Olympics are a lucrative venture and Warren looks at where the money comes from, where it goes and how the athletes factor into the picture in our Hot Rock Topics. Should there be standardized instructions for learning to curl? Our ...
Jan 26, 2022•59 min
Finally, Curling Canada has named its mixed doubles team for the Beijing Winter Olympics and, no surprise, it’s Rachel Homan and John Morris. Kevin and Warren discuss why they were selected and if the right team was chosen. Curling Canada also announced an expanded Scotties Tournament of Hearts field with three wild card teams and Warren explains what the deal is. In Hot Rock Topics, the guys look at the future of mixed doubles in Canada and why the sport’s governing bodies need to give it more ...
Jan 19, 2022•56 min
Kevin sits down with Kerri Einarson and Shannon Birchard to talk about the purposed rules changes, and Shannon tells us about her family's ties to curling dating back to her grandfather and the art of sweeping (1:00). Then, Kevin catches up with Kevin Koe and Ben Hebert to talk football, podcasting, the idea of a 5th player and how the potential rule changes could impact their style of play (14:00). This podcast was produced by Amil Delic, recorded by Andrew Holland, mixed by Mike Rogerson, and ...
Jan 16, 2022•33 min
The field is just about set for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts with some curling associations holding playdowns and others naming their reps. Kevin and Warren recap the results and look into the wild-card conundrum with the rankings not paused during the latest COVID-19 crisis. Also, Curling Canada still hasn’t announced its Olympic mixed doubles team and the guys try to figure out what the holdup is with the Beijing Winter Games only weeks away. In Hot Rock Topics, Warren attempts to clear u...
Jan 12, 2022•58 min
As they prepare for their fourth Olympic appearance, Nik Edin and Oskar Eriksson sit down with Kevin Martin to talk about their mindset leading up to the Winter Games, what it will take to capture gold, how they tackle angles, curling in Sweden, and they give their thoughts on the proposed rule changes. This podcast is produced and mixed by Amil Delic, recorded by Andrew Holland, and hosted by Kevin Martin, Warren Hansen and Jim Jerome. Production support by Jonathan Brazeau. The views and opini...
Jan 09, 2022•24 min
We’re back from the holidays and COVID-19 remains the main topic with more provincial championships cancelled. Kevin and Warren discuss the latest as we draw closer to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. The guys also weigh in on Canada’s selection process for its mixed doubles Olympic team — with Curling Canada consulting the Canadian Olympic Committee and Own The Podium — and will it result in a fair nominee. Is the World Curling Federation (WCF) backpedalling on trialling new rules at the worl...
Jan 05, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Kevin, Warren and Jim take a few minutes to discuss how COVID-19 continues to impact the curling world as both the Canadian Olympic mixed doubles trials and now the third Pinty's Grand Slam of Curling event of the season, Meridian Open, have both been cancelled. This podcast is produced by Warren Hansen, recorded and mixed by Andrew Holland, and hosted by Kevin Martin, Warren Hansen and Jim Jerome. Production support by Amil Delic and Jonathan Brazeau. The views and opinions expressed in this po...
Dec 29, 2021•19 min
One of the craziest years in curling has come to an end. The guys are joined by Sportsnet's curling commentating crew of Rob Faulds, colour commentator and Olympian Joan McCusker, and colour commentator and Olympian Mike Harris to wrap up the year. This podcast is produced by Warren Hansen, recorded and mixed by Mike Rogerson, and hosted by Kevin Martin, Warren Hansen and Jim Jerome. Production support by Amil Delic and Jonathan Brazeau. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those...
Dec 28, 2021•1 hr 13 min
The Olympic field has been finalized and Kevin and Warren run through the final curling teams to qualify in the Netherlands. Curling Canada announced the Olympic mixed doubles trials will go ahead as planned next week in Portage la Prairie and the guys look at how COVID-19 restrictions have impacted the event. Provincial playdowns have also begun with Manitoba crowning a new Scotties champion and Kevin tells us what happened with big names like Kerri Einarson and Jennifer Jones not competing. Pl...
Dec 22, 2021•51 min
