It wasn’t a qualify success
This will be the last year for Brier qualifying tournament, and few lament its passing
It was a spirit of inclusiveness — some say political correctness — that led establishment of the pre-qualifying round at the Tim Hortons Brier national men’s curling championship.
Before 2015, the Territories were represented by a single team, but then Curling Canada chose to expand the scope of the Tournament of Hearts women’s championship and the Brier, bringing the all provinces and territories — including Nunavut, (population, 38,000) — into the field.
In addition, Northern Ontario got an entry into the women’s championship and the defending champion into the Brier so that the two events would have identical lineups.
But it made for a bloated roster of 15 teams.
That led to institution of the qualifying round, but it quickly found detractors. In fact, many refer to it by the more negative term “relegation.”
There was the sense of family gatherings, but with a kiddies tables and/or a group of poor cousins pushed off to one corner.
And there was that harshness that came with three teams being dispatched after just two days of play.
“It’s especially hard to watch that last game (the qualifying final) when you know one team
is going to get to play (the full event) and the other is so close, but going home,” said Newfoundland and Labrador skip Brad Gushue. “We watched it last year and it’s gut-wrenching … and that’s just looking on.
“I can’t imagine having to
play it, to have to go through that.”
Though it never emerged, there was also the chance of a very awkward situation of the Brier being held in a city whose province — in that particular year — would have been in
the qualifying round and been bounced after two days.
As well, provinces and territories in the qualifier were that much less likely to have support in the stands as fans couldn’t justify having to allot the time and spend the money to travel — perhaps across the country — to follow a team that could be eliminated before the main event even started.
It’s one reason Newfoundland second Brett Gallant can see the merits of the full 16-entry, two pool system that will be used at the Brier and Tournament of Hearts starting next year.
“If anything, it will make everyone feel better,” said Gallant, who is originally from P.E.I., one of the four teams involved in this year’s pre-qualifying round.
“I think it (the pool system) might be the best blending. For one thing, I think the (qualifying) really hurt the growth of curling in provinces that got relegated. A lot of people get interested in curling watching their provinces compete at nationals.
“You don’t get that if your province isn’t in the main draw.”
Newfoundland lead Geoff Walker says he has mixed emotions about the elimination of a full round-robin format.
“You look at the Brier tradition playing everybody and it’s sad that will be going away,” said Walker. “On the other hand, you have to acknowledge there’s evolution in other sports, too. Things change to make it work — or to try to make it work for everyone.
“Hopefully, it works in this situation.”