tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2391028863667740203.post3134091350245999792..comments2024-02-29T07:40:49.971-05:00Comments on In the House: Lego Construction and Elf Open-pit MiningMike Fournierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00667806592155378995noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2391028863667740203.post-51541717886803228252012-01-08T19:40:58.946-05:002012-01-08T19:40:58.946-05:00Theory #1
Good teams are too good.
The distanc...Theory #1<br /><br />Good teams are too good. <br /><br />The distance between the good teams and the also rans is increasing. Also I look at the 12 from Montreal and most of those are familiar names, from years gone by.<br /><br />You have to play at that level to be at that level so to speak.<br /><br />From an Also ran perspective there really is not purpose in plonking down $300 to get obliterated in super regionals, unless you have a goal to become a competitive team. Same deal with cash spiels, the average team will not be investing $300 to go to 10 of these, to lose badly. So it boils down to this: 4 guys starting from scratch would have to invest thousands of dollars before hitting the Provs. $100 will get the marginal teams back in the fold.<br /><br />Theory #2<br /><br />Incentive - There is no incentive for an individual club to put resources into a strong Jr program. Many clubs are treading water as is and are stretched thin.<br /><br />Graduating Juniors is also an issue, Kids grow up and leave sports to pursue studies, Career ect. There is no magic bullet, kids leave all sports in their late teens.<br /><br />The ones that don't move on to adult leagues, where they are told to throw lead rocks even though they are better than most skipsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2391028863667740203.post-79641854033815032932012-01-04T18:32:23.306-05:002012-01-04T18:32:23.306-05:00Allow me a few comments on both theories.
Theory ...Allow me a few comments on both theories.<br /><br />Theory #1 - relating to the premise that the top teams are too good. I think we have to refer to your "Cash Season" for one of the reasons for the decline in participation in regionals. Years ago, there wasn't the plethora of cash spiels there are today. Sure there were bonspiels but not always for the cash prize. Money seems to have come to rule the day with many of the competitive teams and when that season is over, so are they. <br /><br />In days gone by, regionals was the ultimate test and an opportunity to dispatch those teams with who you had developed a healthy rivalry year after year. Today, teams that stay together for more than a couple of years is unheard of in competitive circles!<br /><br />Also...with the advent of two large, central regionals (West & East), teams from "the regions" (don't you just hate that expression?) are less likely to travel the distance where in the past they could compete close to home to qualify for the provincial.<br /><br />A few years ago, one of our provincial regional associations conspired to withhold entry fees for all their teams vying for a spot or two at the provincial by running their own regional "bonspiel" and keeping their entry money close to home...feeling that Curling Québec was not giving them bang for their buck!<br /><br />Perhaps, as you suggest, reducing the entry fee would make regionals more attractive for those teams on the margins to enter.<br /><br />Indeed, Curling Québec SHOULD be extremely concerned about reduced numbers entering regionals. To what extent have they researched the "problem"? One of their mandates is to promote the sport of curling and to this end they should survey the situation very closely.<br /><br /><br />Regarding Theory #2...yeas, I agree the demographics are changing. So are the dynamics. Sure, it is very difficult to set curling as a top winter priority what with jobs, family and what not. However, many curlers devote a whole lot more time in the summer to golf! Maybe it's a trade off?<br /><br />However, let's look at the dynamics as well. Years ago, there were not the great numbers of French-speaking teams involved in curling. The history of the sport was predominantly English and there was a cultural identity and prerogative to uphold assuring continued participation more based upon what was expected of club members than an option to enter or not. It was "expected" of one another that this was the way to play the game!<br /><br />Today, with the influx of French players, the culture of the sport, in our province at least, is changing. And, there is not the cultural identity and commitment to the sport as there was in the past.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong. I applaud and revel in the way the French culture has embraced curling. Were it not for this fact, Curling Québec would be out of business!<br /><br />Sadly, the French-speaking competitors, for the most part, do not identify with the national prize that is The Brier. Possibly, their focus is limited to competition within our borders?<br /><br />Perhaps, those "French" teams that HAVE excelled on the national scene, both on the cashspiel circuit and at national events could be coaxed into "spreading the gospel" which they have obviously subscribed to with some success. They should be exhalted throughout the province as role models unafraid to represent la belle province on the national scene.<br /><br />Further to this...it might be a good idea to have your blogs translated into our official language. A few years ago, when I was doing weekly columns on the CQ website, I prevailed on several people over the few short years the column existed to help out by doing a French translation of each column. <br /><br />Communicating all these vital issues throughout our entire curling community is of the essence!<br /><br />Keep up the good work, Mike. And a very Bonne Année!jaypekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10680916900492367576noreply@blogger.com