Video Essay: The Mysteries of Curling

[KoneHead8]

ICE does not MELT... new research was done his year that proves that

[123adrianramirez]

primitive caveman sport that suck my big as balls

[CurlinGal]

@KennySherman For the modern version, check out Kevin Martin's rink out of Alberta. There's videos of them on YouTube. Doesn't get more modern than those 4 guys!

[goldfinger17]

This is a sport of sense!

[bluebone2011]

the idiot women US champion couldn't BE more wrong about sweeping ...

When you sweep, you CAN NOT melt the ice, it is FROZEN smart one, you can create as much friction as the pro's do and STILL not melt the ice ...

for all those that care, what ACTUALLY happens is that you are cleaning the ice, taking away debris and dirt from the ice sheet in between the pebbles on the sheet. THAT is what happens, and whoever gave her a mike to explain curling was not very good either ...

[bobbieGIE]

@bluebone2011 Mic, spelt M-I-C. Not Mike. And for the record you actually do 'melt' the ice. while you may not melt it into a puddle of water, you still are somewhat melting the ice. Thats what makes the rock gain speed.....

[CurlinGal]

@bluebone2011 Actually, bluebone, sweeping does indeed create a microfilm layer of melted ice (eg. water) that helps the rock hydroplane and therefore allows the rock to travel farther, for a longer period of time. Some people say that sweeping speeds up the rock, this is UNTRUE. Sweeping just prolongs the momentum of the stone.

[CurlinGal]

@bluebone2011 Also...fyi....BalancePlus, a curling equipment company, just released new curling broom heads that have metal under the fabric. This prevents the heat created by sweeping (eg. friction) from rising above the the broom head. The heat is then reflected back down onto the ice and helps melt the ice a bit more. MIND YOU, that this is an almost unnoticeable amount to the naked eye, but the results absolutely show when shots play out.

[CurlinGal]

@bluebone2011 And don't dis what you don't know. Sharon has actually won 5 national championships at this point. It takes a lot of work, brains, talent and dedication to do so.

[heavymetalury]

curling is gay 

[few4eva]

damned fools from washington can't curl

[CurlinGal]

@few4eva Actually, the Granite Curling Club in Seattle has more national titles than any other curling club in the USA...so your comment is irrelevant, to say the least.

[dewhistle]

Wow... I can add this to my list of sports you can actually fall asleep while playing.

[SkidooMXZTNT]

Actually sweeping doesn't melt the ice and the rock doesn't hydroplane on water, sweeping actually heats the ice up a little bit by only a degree or so and softens the ice that reduces the friction that the rock has with the ice allowing the rock to travel farther or to hold the line.

[CurlinGal]

@SkidooMXZTNT They've done studies, and there is actually a microfilm of water that is created. That's what softened ice is. :-)

[andrerochertek]

2:00 that was cheating

[Doctor387]

@andrerochertek yep, red stone burned at 2' 01"

[BryanChung84]

I would love to try this sport but unfortunately in Singapore, there's no such sport for us. :(

[KoneHead8]

there is no melting going on when you sweep... sorry

[ZenoxDemin]

@KoneHead8 go back to your physics class, you might learn something

[CurlinGal]

@KoneHead8 A microfilm of water is created from the friction when sweeping. This has been proven by studies. Sweeping also keeps the 'path' of the rock clean from any dirt or hairs, which can derail a rock...even though it's 42lbs. a small hair can 'pick' the rock, causing it to veer slightly to dramatically off in a haphazard direction.

[klanky0stupid]

huh, curling's great an' all but what's with

"hurry, hurry hard!", right?

[CurlinGal]

@klanky0stupid Those are commands being given from the skip (captain) to the other team members. "Hurry hard" tells them to sweep, while "Woah" or "Off" tells them to stop sweeping. The skip of a curling team calls out commands in the same way a quarterback on a football team yells commands, except in curling, the skip must call out commands while the shot is playing out. Making shots, especially precision shots, is a very delicate and involved process.

[telephilia]

You folks who come here and knock curling, go play some accomplished curlers, say up in Canada, and see how you get your ass whipped.

[PUNITislaughedat]

soccer is more entertaining than curling...

[scorpioninpink]

@PUNITislaughedat maybe, but curling needs a lot of discipline...

[CurlinGal]

@PUNITislaughedat It takes some understanding to enjoy curling beyond the novelty of it. But isn't that like most sports? We've all grown up with more popular and mainstream sports like basketball and football, but at one time they were also obscure. I'm sure people back in the day scratched their heads and wondered what the guys in the gym were doing, throwing a ball into a peach basket, tacked up on the wall...ya know?

[SableSpike747]

Curling is such a strange sport... but I do find it rather fun to watch because it's so bizarre. I wouldn't mind trying it, myself!

[KissMyButtOk]

Dumbest "sport" ever!

[CurlinGal]

@KissMyButtOk Sweep 8 ends of curling and I guarantee you will be breathing hard and feeling it the next day! :-)

[KissMyButtOk]

@CurlinGal Lol, I believe you :)

[pmarie2003]

Heck, I could weigh 300 pounds and still play this. Maybe I like it after all.

[CurlinGal]

@pmarie2003 Well, you can be 300lbs. and 'play' basketball, but it wouldn't be pretty. Same with curling. I know it doesn't look like it, but it takes more athletic ability than most people think.

[pmarie2003]

@CurlinGal You're probably right. A lot of things look easy until you try them. 

[Bassaholics123]

what the hell,95 percent of olympi games have nothing to do with being athletic

[tjohn1986]

winter olympics isn't real sports to begin with, it souldn't even be called olympics

[CurlinGal]

@tjohn1986 That's a silly comment. Silly. That's not true. Winter Olympics are absolutely sports. Lindsey Vonn? Apolo Ohno? Shaun White? Kevin Martin? (curler)...all true athletes who work their bums off to be the best in the world.

[tpaladino]

"Its like chess... except its on ice.... and you're delivering stones... and you're playing with teammates..."

Ok, so its actually nothing like chess at all. Thanks dude.

Seriously this is some batshit crazy stuff right here.

[ktriplej23]

lmao thats funny shit

[vancouver1907]

The scoring is like baseball, except its ends instead of innings.

And having last stone is like having last bat.

[CurlinGal]

@tpaladino What he means is the strategy and tactics are similar to chess, in that one must plan a few steps ahead, before they make a move.

[larnem]

Great video. I can see their love of the sport in their eyes. I appreciate the strategy and skill involved. It vturned into my favority event of the winter Olympics when I saw on TV during the Olympics at Japan. A key word was used in this video....great FAMILY sport. We need more family activities. I would love to give it a try.

[offtothemall]

if this is a sport, then cheerleading is a sport.

[Ezek2517]

How do cheerleaders compete against each other?

[offtothemall]

@Ezek2517 In competitive cheerleading, squads compete against other squads. Hence, cheerleaders compete against other cheerleaders.

[Ezek2517]

I've learned something! :)

[bjjartist]

@offtothemall u just legitimized curling because cheerleading IS a sport. not like it needed your approval but i'm just saying.

[scorpioninpink]

@offtothemall Cheerleading IS a sports...

[tiarra03]

i would try curling and fail....nice video

[feedbackoverflow]

This in interesting... but looks ridiculous.

[njskate4death]

Oh god.

how da'fuck is this an olympic game

[flagrant26]

lol i bet housewives LOOOVE this game, they sweep and sweep and try to get their rocks off...get it?

[keepthapinit]

lmao!!!! You're stupid for that one....lolololol

[CurlinGal]

@flagrant26 That's mildly funny, but actually really stupid.

[polcek11]

wtf sux

[RichoRosai]

HAHA! They be trollin'. No way that's for real.

[bobaflex]

I tried to watch this sport with an open mind...but i cant!

[CurlinGal]

@bobaflex Just try it and see what you think then. And bring ice for your bruises when ya fall!

[Chepo760]

wow these are the games from around the world?...very intresting.

im Mexican

[XoaiNgot]

old people sport

[CurlinGal]

@XoaiNgot No, the face of curling is changing. It's very much a young person's sport with each passing day.

[Jesusisyhwh]

It seems that anything can be an olympic sport anymore. Why not make playing Halo an olympic sport?

[CurlinGal]

@Jesusisyhwh Funny, but try it and see....

[DailyVsNews]

lol, look like they are sweeping the bathroom floor...nice and clean! ;)

[sethocopia]

kinda looks like a really cool swifter commercial ^ ^

[keepthapinit]

*dead*

[TheVMFA333]

i miss baseball

[yousos89]

wat da heck is this man i watched it twice but didnt undstnd the rules of da game

[jailstop]

How is this an Olympic sport but bowling isn't?

[Jesusisyhwh]

Good point!

[KuostA]

lmao. i dont see how this is a fucking olympic thing. no extreme physical talent or ability needed. ujust get good at it. thats it. what a waste of time.

[Jesusisyhwh]

Not something that should be in the olympics. It looks like fun though.

[CurlinGal]

@Jesusisyhwh That's an uneducated opinion.

[7universes]

what do you do?

I sweep for curling..

[carguy379]

retarded

[TheEfefefefefefefefe]

lol