Game 13 and 14 Recaps

Last week was another D level team and just like in weeks past, we (I) started out slow and they stole 3 in the first end.  (How do we keep letting this happen?)  But we chipped and didn't panic and when scored 4 a few ends later, we were feeling good.  And then we eventually won the game.

But this last game was our first game against an A level team since early December.  And then I learned that they only have one loss for the season so far.  (Wow).  After the game, I would learn that the opposing skip remembers what happened last season.  (My team beat theirs on the last shot of the game, as recapped here.) 

Kind of an auspicious start before the game.  I had lined up a sub, but then an hour before the game, he cancelled as he had basically been curling nonstop that Sunday (congrats on almost winning the Winter Carnival Bonspiel).  Right before our game, I spotted someone else we knew and convinced him to stay for one more game.

Ee pretty much kept the game close.  (If I had made a couple freezes, we might have scored more.)  By the seventh end, the opposing team (with hammer) was looking at something like this.  (There might have even been more guards up front.)  They have hammer and they're yellow.

If it was me (and the other skip incidentally), I would go for the point and do the raise.  Blanking the end hadn't even popped into my head as an option until I saw them throw the rock.  It was a choice of being up two without hammer vs being up one with hammer coming home (or being tied with hammer if you miss).  So in terms of risk, blanking the end was a good choice as the takeout was the easier shot.

So now we're in the eighth end.  With his first shot, the opposing skip made a great double takeout.  There goes my shot at stealing two.

And then I threw garbage for my last rock.  The raise might have given us a shot at going to an extra end, but oh well.

These two games brings the record to 8-5 and the competitive record to 2-3. 

Random Thoughts on Handicaps and Rules

After this past game, my team was discussing whether the handicap system was fair.  After a few games early in the season, all of the teams in the league are sorted into groups A-D.  If an A level team plays a C level team, the C team gets 2 points; if a C level team plays a D, the D gets 1 point; etc.  (If an A level team plays a D level team, the A team automatically gets hammer.) 

This past game happened to be played at 6PM, in between the 4PM and 8PM leagues.  Also, the 4PM game on our sheet went long and we didn't start our game until almost 6:15.  Does that give the handicap team an advantage because there are fewer ends for the other team to catch up? 
If a good team is up three and is able to make takeouts, the game might be (essentially) over after a few ends.  There are only a couple of teams in my league that I would put in that category.  I consider myself pretty good and I'll miss easy takeouts just by being a little wide or I didn't read the ice correctly.

So anyway, I don't have an answer.  I've been beaten by D teams and and I've won games against D teams that weren't even close.  I've skipped a D level team one season and I was very appreciative of the handicap then. 

I think if the league had teams that were a little closer in experience/skill, I would propose something along the lines of A vs. B = B gets 1 point/A gets hammer, A vs. C = B gets 1 point and hammer, A vs. D = D gets 2 points/A gets hammer.  But it probably wouldn't make that much of a difference.  Anyway, I'll stop rambling about this.

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On another subject, during this past season, we've noticed several teams with some minor infractions.  Things like skips "warming up the ice" (don't do it) or not knowing what to do with rocks touching the back line (they're still in play) or measuring a rock with your broom before the end is over (don't do it).  I'd just like to implore you, especially if you're a skip or third to read through the rules of the game.  There are several books for this, including Curl to Win and Curling For Dummies.  It's less than 20 pages in  both of these books.  Or if you don't know the rules, don't be afraid to ask.

Hopefully that wasn't too much of a rant.  Just needed to get that out.

Game 12 Recap

This past game was against another D level team.  I always ask the opposing skip how they're doing during the season and I was surprised to learn that they had a .500 record.  So they've been able to take advantage of the handicap.
And again I started the game slow.  The opposing team actually stole four in the first end.  And then in the second end, I missed a (what should have been easy) takeout that would have scored three; we ended up only scoring one. 

But then we stole one on the next end and then they scored one and then with hammer, my team scored four.  Now we're down two and it might be a game.  And then we stole four in the next end.  In the final end (we got the buzzer in the previous end), I placed as many rocks as possible in the house and it was like they couldn't make any more takeouts.  Earlier, they were getting hit and rolls
and even a couple tick shots.  I guess the lesson is not to lose hope.

Sorry no diagrams today.  I didn't really feel that conflicted with shot calling.  (Usually, there's a situation where I just know that I have to remember it.)  Our record is now 7-4.

Game 10 and 11 Recaps

Wow.  That was a bit of a layoff.  Surprisingly, I haven't had any days with zero hits.  It was probably helpful that I posted the gift guide.  (Thanks to the anonymous person that actually clicked on an amazon link and bought something.)

You might notice that I haven't posted a Game 9 Recap.  This is because the team canceled on us like two days before our scheduled game.  So I scheduled a makeup game and they said they could make it and then the day before they cancel again.  I'm a little miffed (just tell me that you can't make it.)  Lead thinks we should force a forfeit from them since they canceled twice.  There's a tiny chance this might matter in the final standings as we're both A level teams.

I'll recap Game 11 first.  I had my whole team together and we're playing a D level team so they got three points.  This was definitely the worst game of the season, at least one where there wasn't a teammate missing.  Vice believes (and I agree) that we were kind of intimidated by the three point handicap.  We really tried to score big ends and it ended up backfiring.  In the first end, the other team stole 2 and we're looking at 5-0 and that's just tough to see.  It's possible that if I had played more conservatively, we would have chipped away at the score.  I didn't though.  I think the final score was something like 10-2.  Just bad.

Game 10 was a tough game.  Our opponents were a C level team.  This surprised me because they had beaten us handily at the Novice Bonspiel a couple years ago.  We were fighting to keep pace the whole game.  In the eighth end, we were down three, but had hammer.  Surprisingly, the opposing skip had missed both of his takeouts and we were able to tie up the game and take it to an extra end.  We played one rock each, but they had hammer.  I'm looking at this for my shot. 

Vice and I considered playing a guard for our rock in the house (1).  The opposing skip had made takeouts for the game and thought we might as well force a draw to the button.  Perhaps if the opposing skip hadn't done too well on takeouts, we might have tried for a guard/top of the house type shot (2).  But then we decided to just draw to the button and hopefully get behind the guard (3).  But alas, the rock picked (not blaming Vice's beard for this one) so the rock was in the open.

Now, the other skip didn't throw a takeout.  Probably a good idea to make sure the rock stays in play.  But I think most people would have thrown the rock with back line weight or maybe a little more and use my rock as a backstop.  The opposing skip actually threw light.  His teammates were furiously sweeping and then we end up having to measure the rocks.  His rock was closer by 2mm.  Oh well.

With these two games, the record is now 6-4 with the competitive record remaining at 2-2.