Olympic Curling and Great-Grandma E. No, seriously.

[HHH]

While watching Olympic Curling these past few weeks, I got to thinking about how Evina Westbrook is sort of like those curlers who guide the stones along the ice before having to release them, hoping that they’ve guided them enough so that they can successfully reach their goals. Evina’s been guiding UConn’s underclassmen for the past couple of seasons. Did you happen to catch that sequence towards the end of the Xavier game Friday night where Piath Gabriel was awarded two free throws, missed the first, but when the UConn players stepped into the lane for the obligatory hand slaps, “Momma E” lingered for a moment, saying something to young Piath that caused her to smile and then calmly sink her second free throw? Great stuff. But Evina’s scheduled to leave UConn this spring, which means she’ll have to let go of her young charges and hope that her guidance has been enough. All of which got me to thinking….

Already this year a couple of Louisville seniors have announced that they’re planning to use their extra year of “covid eligibility” and will return next season. Which got me to thinking….

At times this season Evina has appeared as though she might not be playing at 100%. During SNY’s “UConn Undefeated 2014 2016” show, the players talked about how when they were injured, it was easier being at UConn than in the WNBA because at UConn “you kind of have a built-in network and don’t have to figure it out on your own”. Which got me to thinking….

If Evina is still working on her health, being able to avail herself of UConn’s world-class medical/training staff for free for another year wouldn’t hurt. And in the meantime she could also work on her media game with UCTV Sports. And Isuneh Brady and Ayanna Patterson could definitely use a “Great-Grandma E” to help guide them through their freshman seasons at UConn. A win-win if ever there was one.

I’m thinking one of the reasons E came back this season was because she had a feeling this team was right on the brink of becoming something really special. Unfortunately, events this season have conspired against them. However next season is starting to shape up as being an extra special one.

Senior Day is scheduled to occur this Sunday 2/27, so there’s still time to change minds about leaving. So what do you think E…one more year as player extraordinaire/coach (unofficial)/side-line reporter? Just say Yes!

 

[Skeets]

Yes, but it's not going to happen.

 

[Zarathustra]

No.... but I'll have to check with her , after the season!

 

[Centerstream]

So it was you, @HHH, that was watching the Olympic Curling.

 

[Sifaka]

Olympic curling

 

[and one]

OK, if you want to conjecture whether Evina might come back for a last year, fine, have at it. But why drag in all these negative vibes about curling? It's basically bocce ball in a coat. I've never pushed a large hunk of granite down an ice bowling lane or vigorously swept ice like a human Zamboni, nor am I likely to anytime soon (read that as ever), but I do like to watch it. It is basically creating and solving a puzzle, creating positional advantages that evolve as good or bad stones are launched.

I think of the Olympics as being in two versions; the slow Olympics (summer) and the fast Olympics (winter). The summer version is athletes fighting gravity for the most part, running and jumping and what not. The winter version is athletes using gravity and snow and ice to go 70 or 80 mph, do gymnastics 20 feet in the air on skis and snowboards, careen down an ice chute on a bobsled and that kind of thing. Screw up in the summer version and you pull a hamstring, screw up in the winter version and you could bloody die. Admittedly that doesn't seem to happen, although I don't know why. Except curling (and cross country skiing). I much enjoy the sheer insanity of the winter Olympics, but curling offers a nice respite occasionally. Let's give Jon Shuster and the rest of the curlers their due. Curling rocks, pun intended!

 

[HHH]

Yes, but it's not going to happen.

<sigh> I know you're probably correct...but nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

 

[HHH]

So it was you, @HHH, that was watching the Olympic Curling.

You caught me. And it was while I was eating that single fruitcake that was made over the holidays that got passed from person to person until it got to me....

 

[HHH]

But why drag in all these negative vibes about curling?

Ummm....because curling is what made me think of Evina? I don't think I ever said anything negative about the sport.

It's basically bocce ball in a coat.

I've always thought of it more as shuffleboard on ice.

Let's give Jon Shuster and the rest of the curlers their due. Curling rocks, pun intended!

Absotively! Great group!