Kilts at the Olympics

[macwilkin]

Yes, I saw the segment on the piper. They also stated that the orginal curling stones were hewn from a mountain in Scotland. Sorry I don't remember which mount.

That would be Ailsa Craig, a small rocky island in the Firth of Clyde off of Ayrshire:

For more than 240 years, they've used regulation stones weighing 42 pounds, and each one has come from Ailsa Craig Island, off the coast of Scotland. Curler Geoffrey Broadhurst explains.

"The Ailsa Craig is an old volcano, and there's nothing there except this old volcano, They quarry the rock there, and it happens to be absolutely the hardest rock you can get. There's no pores in it, and these stones can crash into each other, and there's not a chip. These stones here have been going since 1967 and they're absolutely in great shape. They don't have any pores in it, so therefore the frost doesn't get in there to chip the stones either, so it's an amazing structure."

-- http://www.pulseplanet.com/archive/Oct02/2781.html

The UK curling team is mostly Scots as well.

Cheers,

Todd

[Kiltedmusiclover]

The UK curling team is mostly Scots as well.

Cheers,

Todd

While watching curling yesterday, the announcer said if these were the
world competitions, the UK team would be the Scottish team.

[auld argonian]

Would that be the UK team that ****ahem****lost to the US team the other day****ahem****?

Best

AA

[Colin]

Would that be the UK team that ****ahem****lost to the US team the other day****ahem****?

Best

AA

Would be the same US men's team that ****ahem****lost to the Canadian team yesterday****ahem****? or would that be the women's team that was smoked 10-4 by the UK team

The Scots may have invented the game, but Canadians perfected it. It's kind of funny, I was in a Bonspiel this past weekend and had thought of wearing my kilt to curl in. Of course it has been a year since I played so I decided it was probably better not to.

[Bob C]

Good thing Canada beat the U.S. yesterday. The country that "perfected" curling was in serious danger of missing the medal round.

On behalf of the U.S., you're welcome. ;)

[Colin]

Good thing Canada beat the U.S. yesterday. The country that "perfected" curling was in serious danger of missing the medal round.

On behalf of the U.S., you're welcome. ;)

Someone had to let Italy win a game might as well have been us

[auld argonian]

Oh, I expected Canada to zotz the US...that's a given. I was just suprised that they bested the UK. I didn't even KNOW that there was a women's curling in the Olympics...whaddaya want for an American? Like I could tell you who won the last World Cup? Faggitabowdit!

Watching the curling on EN-BEE-CEE started everyone looking on the internet for curling supplies....holy shnikees! I won't even talk about the personal equipment...the ice conditioning stuff is out of sight! Is this another example of a simple idea that's been taken WAY past what's necessary by technology? I suppose that a casual bit of curling at the local pond is out of the question...

Best

AA

[auld argonian]

...and to continue the train of thought: how the hell was this goofy game invented anyway? Were a bunch of Scots standing around on a frozen pond and bemoaning the fact that it was too cold to properly throw something (hammers, big rocks, large wooden poles...) so they got the idea to start skidding big-*** rocks across the ice? First golf then this?

"Jimmy! Maw wants her broom back now! Git off the dam ice and bring it home! And mind ya don't trip over any of them big rocks!"

Best

AA

[Colin]

...and to continue the train of thought: how the hell was this goofy game invented anyway? Were a bunch of Scots standing around on a frozen pond and bemoaning the fact that it was too cold to properly throw something (hammers, big rocks, large wooden poles...) so they got the idea to start skidding big-*** rocks across the ice? First golf then this?

"Jimmy! Maw wants her broom back now! Git off the dam ice and bring it home! And mind ya don't trip over any of them big rocks!"

Best

AA

Here's some info for you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling...ns_and_history

I grew up in Manitoba (Canadian Prairies) where hockey and curling are king. Of course we get 9 months of winter there ;-)
I remember being at the curling rink for my Nana's games all the time. I didn't actually play the game myself until last year. It is actually pretty cheap to play in terms of equipment (a slider, a broom, and comfy clothes) for a beginner like me. Plus this being Canada most communities have a Curling rink near by. I am still stiff from playing 2 games on Saturday though.

Give a go if you ever have the opportunity, it is a load of fun.

[auld argonian]

Colin;

...not exactly a big sport around Chicago, though...but that DOES give me another excuse to go to Canada (like who needs an excuse!). There are a couple of curling venues around here but I hear that you need an invitation to get in. I wore a kilt to a reception at my wife's work and some oldtimer did come up and ask if I curled...he did invite me to his curling venue (somewhere up in the North Suburbs of Chicago, I think) but we lost track of him...funny, though, that the kilt got him off on the thought of curling.

I just wondered if it could be done on a casual basis...it does seem like the brooms and shoes and stones all cost beaucoup bucks...and the ice, it seems, must be scraped and pebbled just so by some very unusual and expensive equipment. I assume that this is all for the serious devotees but it is quite daunting. Do you guys ever just go over to a rink and toss down some brews and sweep away with brooms from Home Depot while wearing your golf shoes? (I kid about this but please enlighten me.)

Anyway...we all remember the sweet moment in that great Simpsons episode where they went to Canada and Bart and Milhous' tumbling brawl spilled onto the set of "Curling for Loonies".

Best

AA