ROCKING THE HOUSE
CURLING A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR McEWEN CLAN.
in Ottawa
Mike McEwen is ready f or his first Tim Hortons Brier, or at least ready to answer questions about it.
“We’re probably the most battle- tested first- timers ever,” McEwen said Friday after his first on-ice practice session at TD Place arena. “We’ve played in Olympic trials, we’ve played in tons of big- event finals ... so I think we’ ll adapt very quickly. I have no doubt.”
The 35- year- old Winnipegger qualified for the Canadian men’s championship after five failed attempts to win the Manitoba Tankard final, but he has lived the social side of top-level national and international curling events with his wife, Dawn, a longtime lead for Jennifer Jones’ foursome.
“I’ve experienced it firsthand because I’ve gone with them to national championships, the Olympics, so I’ve kind of gleaned, just through osmosis, info there,” McEwen said. “Her teammates seem to win Hot Shots ( specialty event) all the time, so I might have asked for some tips there.”
The McEwens met in Ottawa when Mike billeted with the Askins, Dawn’s family, during junior bonspiels, so he’s familiar with the capital region. He allows he might experience some nervous energy when he steps on the ice Saturday for his first Brier round- robin game against Brad Gushue’s rink from Newfoundland and Labrador, but says it shouldn’t and can’t last long because of what’s expected to be a difficult path to the four-team playoffs.
“It’s such a deep field. We could see some teams get hot and run through the field, we could see everybody beat up on each other,” said McEwen, who is teamed with third B. J. Neufeld, second Matt Wozniak and l ead Denni Neufeld. “I would say 7- 4 is probably a safe bet for getting something. I don’t think you want to go any lower than that. Our goal would be somewhere there or higher at the end of this week and then see where we fall in the playoffs.”
Two veterans of Briers, skips Mike Kennedy of New Brunswick and Glenn Howard of Ontario, voiced divergent opinions on tuning out the off- ice distractions and getting down to business.
Kennedy said he was halfway through his second Brier — 0- 5 in 1993 at what was then the Ottawa Civic Centre — when anger and frustration combined to produce the required on- ice focus. Now 53, the Edmundston resident hopes his current crew won’t wait that long.
“I know the names are good and the teams are great, but it’s up to us. I’m not worried about them,” Kennedy said. “When we’re playing well, we’re generally tough to get multiple points against.
“The Brier is a different story than cashspiels and provincials, for sure, but it’s the same style of play.”
Howard, also 53, is participating in his 16th Brier, or one every other year since his first at Kitchener-Waterloo in 1986. That was four years before the birth of his son, Scott, now playing lead for his father’s team, and seven years before Glenn Howard captured one of his four national championships in Ottawa playing third for his brother, Russ.
“The previous 15, I was just as excited as the previous 14, 13, 12, all the way along. It’s special,” Howard said. “This event has always been special. I think it’s one of the most unique sporting events in history. I think it’s the best sporting event. Obviously, when it comes to curling, it’s the biggest in my estimation and I still get goosebumps and I get chills just thinking about the fact I’m going to compete again, and I’ve felt that every time I’ve come here. It has never got old and it never will get old.
“Every year you come in a little bit different, you feel a little bit different, you look at things differently. I’ve always been able to focus pretty well when I get on the ice, no matter where I am, and so have my teammates. This is no different, other than it’s a bigger prize. Again, if you don’t enjoy it, you shouldn’t be playing.
“Quite often I’ ll just take a moment and take it all in and look at the crowd. ‘ Geez, all these people are out here, watching all of us clowns perform,’ and it really is a special feeling.”
The Howards, third Richard Hart and s econd Adam Spencer open this Brier Saturday afternoon against Kevin Koe’s Alberta squad. New Brunswick will start in the evening against the winner of the pre- qualifying final between Northwest Territories and Nova Scotia.
The 12- team round- robin ends next Friday, with potential tiebreakers and the playoff contests to follow. The eventual Brier winners will represent Canada at the world championship April 2-10 in Basel, Switzerland.