1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is a production of I Heart Radio. Welcome 2 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: back to the show, Ridiculous Historians. Thank you, as always 3 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: so much for tuning in. Let's give an extra special 4 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: couple of hands to our one and only super producer, 5 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: Mr Max Williams, who hold the phone also ran research 6 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 1: on today's episode running Point. Thanks for wearing a couple 7 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 1: of different hats today, Max, did you hear my one 8 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: handed clap? Max? I did, and I saw it. I 9 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: very much appreciate it. I know no one else can 10 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: see it, but I saw it, and I appairly appreciate. 11 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: What does running interference mean? Is that a good thing 12 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: or a bad thing? Running interference is a good thing 13 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:10,399 Speaker 1: if it's someone on your team. If it's someone on 14 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 1: the other team, then they're they're interfering with you, trying 15 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:17,680 Speaker 1: to get I'm wondering. I don't know. We'll get into 16 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: its day. But it's just like curling seems to be 17 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: largely like it's like the team versus the ice and 18 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 1: the stones. There's not really much interference running, is there. Well, 19 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: we're about to find out. They called me Ben, You're no. 20 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 1: Let's let me tell you one thing about Max Williams. 21 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: I was saying this off air about the guy earlier. 22 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 1: He loves four things. I think we did the list right, Uh, model, trains, curling, sports, 23 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: and star trek. Right, that was the list we came 24 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: up with. These are the only things that Max legs, 25 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: the only things. Honestly, the only thing is a pretty 26 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: big VENN diagram though the piece of the it's like, 27 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: you know, I really like that you guys have curling 28 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: and sports separate and not a sport. Currently you're telling me, 29 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: are you serious? Well, no, you know, after today's episode, 30 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 1: I think you might have a little bit of a 31 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: different opinion about that. Let's sets. But it wasn't adopted 32 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,800 Speaker 1: in the Olympics until nineteen, which I was not aware of. 33 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 1: It's it's a relatively recent edition and has picked up 34 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: a lot of steam, I think largely because it's so 35 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: incomprehensible to the casual observer. Yeah, it's kind of like 36 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: it's I would put curling there with cricket. It's one 37 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: of those It's one of those sports that you can 38 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: watch and not understand unless you are aware of the rules. 39 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: Otherwise a lot of the movements and strategies may not 40 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: make a ton of sense. So with being a curling 41 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,679 Speaker 1: new beat myself. We're grateful for the chance to learn 42 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:59,079 Speaker 1: here and dive into some of the ridiculous history. They 43 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,679 Speaker 1: said it surre hounding this sport, and Max you had 44 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: opened up with a great point about the Winter Olympics, 45 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: where he said, yes, they have some pretty ridiculous sports, 46 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: including stuff in the past like ski during which is 47 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: you describe it as water skiing on snow with a 48 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: horse instead of a boat. And then uh, you got 49 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: a couple of others here as well. Give it to Max. 50 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: These are these are your fines. I was not aware 51 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: of a single one of these, except maybe the skiing 52 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: one with the gun, but I think I may have 53 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 1: just seen that in the James Bond movie and sort 54 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: of like, uh, corelated those two things into one. But 55 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: I don't think they're related. I mean, I gotta, I 56 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: gotta mid like when it came through scioraging and bandy. 57 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: I had never heard of these either. But there's like banding, 58 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: which is like weird. It's described as a weird hybrid 59 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: of hockey and soccer on ice, so it's like it's 60 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: not it's like field hockey on eyes. That's what I 61 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: heard people say which it brings up the questions like 62 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: when field hockey on ice just bet ice hockey, but 63 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: I don't know that's what it was now. But the 64 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: weird one I found it was ski ballet. It's like 65 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: ballet while you're on skis, like you're like putting your 66 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: pole in the ground doing flips and stuff. I don't know, 67 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: it's really weird. Is it synchronized like swimming or is 68 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: it more a lone wolf thing. I think it's the 69 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 1: lone wolf thing. I think it lasted to the nineties. 70 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: I think it was in the Olympics in the nineties, 71 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: but it's not around anymore. But you know, we still 72 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 1: have biathlete and with personal favorite of mine, where you're 73 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: literally skiing across the country and then you stopped to 74 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: just shoot things like what like targets or squirrels or like, 75 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,160 Speaker 1: you know, snow I mean, I think snow men would 76 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: be cool, but you know, I said, I said snow 77 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: birds now, but snow men would probably be less gory. 78 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: But yeah, I like that idea, a little snow men 79 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: kind of posing as like Nazi or something like that. 80 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: That's where again I'm James bonding, and again I'm trying 81 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: to bonding in again. We also did a pretty great 82 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: episode about uh skiing attacks. Remember that heist. Yeah, so 83 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,839 Speaker 1: I think that's where our minds are going. I'm cornslating 84 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,840 Speaker 1: several things right now. Oh that's I mean, that's great. 85 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:06,919 Speaker 1: That's that's the that's the result of our beautiful minds 86 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: at play a long time ridiculous historians. You've probably heard 87 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: ever since Max joined us to class up the show 88 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: occasional references to his his love of and fascination with curling. 89 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,119 Speaker 1: To give you the long and short of this, there 90 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: are two teams in every game. Each team has four players. 91 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: They take turns throwing rocks down a long, thin sheet 92 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: of ice, and then other people on their teams take 93 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 1: these broom ish tools and they start sweeping the ice. Matt, 94 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: you also note there is a lot of yelling in curling, 95 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 1: and you've been on record saying sometimes you think it 96 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 1: it doesn't get the respect it deserves. So today we're 97 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: going to correct that. But I think maybe Noll, first 98 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: we gotta talk about some of the some of the rules. 99 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: I had no idea how this stuff worked until honestly, 100 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: until I started hanging out with Max, totally no I' 101 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 1: mean either um, and again, because it's one of these 102 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:12,119 Speaker 1: things where you know baseball, you can kind of get 103 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,119 Speaker 1: it watching it for a little while with a little 104 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 1: bit of background knowledge. Football maybe a little less. So 105 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: I still don't understand quite how football wars. What is 106 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: it down? I don't even know. Somebody rights and let 107 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: me know. But curling, it's it's this very interesting, almost 108 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: ritualistic activity and it is a little hard to kind 109 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: of suss what is going on. So we're gonna do 110 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: you all a solid and give you uh curling one 111 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 1: oh one straight from the NBC Olympics website actually, as 112 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: as the source Max found for this, and they should 113 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: know because it's one of the most popular Winter Olympic sports. 114 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:52,919 Speaker 1: Um in the game. Yeah, yeah, so everybody throws two 115 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:57,239 Speaker 1: stones any game there. There aren't any people who only sweep. 116 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: There aren't any any people who only throw stones. The 117 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: stones are pretty heavy too. Don't think about hockey puck. 118 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:09,039 Speaker 1: These bad boys are like forty two pounds. They're pure granite. 119 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: Always thought the stones were a little more bluesy than heavy. 120 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: Ben never mind. Yeah, it's a music joke. Yeah, there's 121 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: a music joke. Yes, thank you. The the these teams. 122 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: Like we said, they take turns throwing these stones down 123 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: this sheet of ice, which is about a d fifty 124 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: ft or traditionally and then what they're what they're trying 125 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: to do is like it's almost like that game where 126 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 1: you toss a coin at a wall or a baseboard 127 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: and try to get closest to the wall. Or maybe 128 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: it's almost like cornhole. If if you guys remember that 129 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: they're trying to get the stones inside the circular rings 130 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: that are called the house, the house, the house of 131 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: the sliding rings. They call that. I would be the 132 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 1: name of the kung Fu movie or the folk song 133 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 1: about curling. You know, it reminds me of you're right 134 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 1: about the corn corn hoole um, which is a name 135 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: with the so silly that I hate to even say 136 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: it out loud. It is fun, though, it's fun, you know, 137 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: backyard game UM can fold up into a nice little 138 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: portable suitcase situation with all your bags and your little 139 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: hole UM. But I think of Max, I want to 140 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: check you on this um game called the tonk also 141 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: known as bocci ball, where it's about it's about proximity 142 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: to a peg. So is there's a there's like a 143 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: rash of these backyard kind of proximity games or like 144 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: horseshoes where you can knock somebody else's thing and the 145 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:34,959 Speaker 1: closest with the slideyness of it all. I was so 146 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 1: ship curling with shuffleboard. Yes, you know, you actually got 147 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: like the examples we give to people when they're asking, 148 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: it's like scoring wise, it's botch ball, um like play style, 149 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: like what it looks like, it's shovel board. But actually, ben, 150 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,679 Speaker 1: I really like yours about cornhole, because that's that's really good. 151 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 1: The only difference is cornhole is scored differently. Botch Ball 152 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: score wise is the closest, all right, and we know 153 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: that there are When it comes to curling, there are 154 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: a couple of very key beginning rules. First rule, don't 155 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: talk about curling kidding. The first rule is first rule. 156 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: The longest time nobody did that was a rule that 157 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: was not a problem until came around and changed the game. 158 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: We're about to get where we may be in danger 159 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: from big curling folks. This might be the stuff they 160 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: don't want you to know. Different show. The first rule 161 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: is the rings mark how close your stone is to 162 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 1: that sweet spot in the middle. They don't mark how 163 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:35,680 Speaker 1: much your shot is worth. So every stone inside that 164 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,319 Speaker 1: ring is worth one point. And this means that if 165 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: a stone is barely touching the furthest circle, it is 166 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,079 Speaker 1: still worth the same amount of points as a stone 167 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:49,599 Speaker 1: directly in the middle, directly on the button. Give me 168 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: just say it to you. You just said it been 169 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:53,679 Speaker 1: like in the way people would say it as a phrase, 170 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: but on the button. You ever heard someone say that 171 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 1: for like getting something just right? Max, that's a curling reference, 172 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: or is or the others are just kind of like 173 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,439 Speaker 1: parallel parallel. I have no idea, so I'm gonna stay 174 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: with the curling reference, and everything comes from curling. Everything, Max, ever, 175 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: is a curling reference that we just didn't get for 176 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: like years, which is reframings of conversations. So each game, 177 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: you know, I'm talking about downs. I know what a 178 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: down is, guys, I'm just playing up my sports idiocy. 179 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: But an end is what it's called in curling. It's 180 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: sort of like an inning in baseball. Or I guess, well, 181 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:32,719 Speaker 1: I guess in football there's a quarter and then the 182 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: quarter is divided into downs. Is that right? Downs are 183 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: like the thing first down, second down, third down, and 184 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: that's the end of the quarter. Is am I right 185 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: about that? Max? Kind of it's yeah, it's like a down. Yeah, 186 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: thank you. It makes no sense and it does have 187 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 1: by the way, a dubious fact about American football, it 188 00:10:55,200 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 1: has the worst commercial to play ratios of any sport 189 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: uh in history by a wide margin. But a down 190 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: is like when a team as possession of a ball. 191 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: So if team Max Max just picking animal, it doesn't 192 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: matter podcasts. Okay, So if the Maximilian Bobcats are playing 193 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: the Casey La Bushes and the Bobcats have the ball 194 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 1: and they're trying to they're trying to get to the 195 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: end zone and make a score, then they can they 196 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 1: It's kind of like they get four chances to get 197 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 1: it across the field if they like, if they fumble 198 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 1: or they like get you know, fifteen yards forward before 199 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: they get tackled, then that's like first down and right, 200 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,320 Speaker 1: But aren't aren't the aren't there? Isn't the game delineated 201 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: into a series? I mean, if that's their chances, then 202 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: it goes to the other side and then they get 203 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:51,320 Speaker 1: a number of chances and then that ends a portion 204 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: of the game. Or are they unrelated? So it's time based. 205 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: Football is comic conglomeration of multiple like sports is rules 206 00:11:57,920 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: and stuff. It's a later sports, so it's got a 207 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:01,559 Speaker 1: lot like you can see, like I got a lot 208 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 1: of soccer, and then like other sports who have evolved 209 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: from soccer, like hockey and stuff like that. But it's 210 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: it's all a metaphor for war anyways. It's a metaphor 211 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: for napoleotic warfare. And I think maybe that's why football 212 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: is so popular. But alstilly Whiten doesn't do it for me. 213 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:20,959 Speaker 1: And the more I read about curling, Max, and the 214 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 1: more I mean, I give you a little guff about 215 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 1: it out of love, but it just seems like a 216 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,839 Speaker 1: pretty chill, peaceful kind of sport, like I mean, because 217 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: you're you're helping each other out. It's team base. You're 218 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: not really fighting each other, You're just fighting against the 219 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 1: the ice, you know, and gravity. It seems meditative, which 220 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: I think is what I like about it. So once 221 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 1: all these shots have been thrown, you get to the 222 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: scoring portion. You calculate scores by looking at the closest 223 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 1: stones to the button. Whichever team has the closest shot 224 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: to the center gets one point, and if that team 225 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: has the second closest shot, they get two points, and 226 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: if they have the third closest they get three, and 227 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 1: on and on. But if the opposing team has a 228 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:09,720 Speaker 1: shot closer, then that's where scoring stops. So like, if 229 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: Team Ghostbusters got the closest thing, they would get a point. 230 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 1: But then if their opponent, Team Police Academy had the 231 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: second closest, they would just get one point. We were 232 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 1: talking off air, some of our fellow ridiculous historians maybe saying, guys, 233 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: what's what's the history here? You're telling us about the 234 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: rules of curling, and I think you're doing a great job, 235 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:40,559 Speaker 1: hopefully that's what you're saying to us, But what what 236 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: about the history? I suggest we take just a second 237 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: for a moment with Max. Here. Max, let's do some 238 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: personal ridiculous history. How did you get involved in this 239 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: whole curling thing to begin with? Did you invent curling? No, 240 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: curling very much predates me, you and even nol and 241 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: even Matt like you know, way before us. But um so, 242 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 1: I am like from Atlanta, this is my home, but 243 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 1: I was actually born in Detroit. I moved here when 244 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 1: I was six. And here's the thing about living in 245 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 1: Detroit at least in the nineties, is you got Canadian 246 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:16,320 Speaker 1: public television? What do you think Canadian public television showed 247 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: all the time curling and kids in the Hall reruns? 248 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: Probably in the hall, Yeah, in the hall. Yeah, we 249 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: got the entire box set, like a room over from here. 250 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: But um, I remember like watching curling as a kid 251 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 1: and being like, oh, it's so cool. Then I moved 252 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 1: down to Atlanta and then there was nothing, like no 253 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: one had even heard of it. I mean, granted, there's 254 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 1: not really nice sports down Atlanta for people who don't know, 255 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: Atlanta is really hot, and so I mean I've alway's 256 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: just been something, especially because of the Olympics. And then 257 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: it's like, you know, got more popular, and like the 258 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: two thousands and tens got more popular, and then I 259 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 1: was just like, yeah, let's get into the sport. Why 260 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: don't we try to figure out how to play this sport? 261 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: All right? Max, Now that we have a little bit 262 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 1: of your personal curling history, which I don't know, it's 263 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: just you guys. You your family, man, I'll tell you 264 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: you and your other Alex who composed this banging bob uh, 265 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 1: your parents, You're all like very interesting people who have 266 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: very interesting and sort of off the beaten path hobbies 267 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: and and interests. I mean, your brother has a whole 268 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: podcast about that called Ephemeral that you work on. It's 269 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: just about like just odd pieces of esoterica throughout culture 270 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: and history and things that would otherwise kind of go unnoticed. 271 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: You and your family are people that notice that kind 272 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: of stuff, and I think it's really cool And this 273 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: is a great example. It would take a special person 274 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 1: to see such a strange and and uh esoteric kind 275 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: of sport that on the onset doesn't seem particularly inviting 276 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 1: and be like, no, I'm gonna find a way to 277 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: make this inviting. This is this speaks to me in 278 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 1: some way. Um, so kudos for that. But you wrote 279 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: up this amazing we're trying to trying to invite people 280 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 1: into the world of curling by starting off with getting 281 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: your head around some of the rules, and Max, you 282 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 1: wrote up this amazing scenario. Uh the scenario to to 283 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: to quick terrify it about like how how a round 284 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 1: of play would go? Can you walk us through that 285 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: and we'll kind of well, we'll help pull chime in 286 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: as needed. But you've got some very fun little hypothetical 287 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: uh team team names that I think will help everyone 288 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: really get get an understanding of how this goes down. 289 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: All right, So here I'm gonna set it up real quick. 290 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: So let's to say we have two teams. We have 291 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: a Team Noll and we have a Team Bend. So 292 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: Team Noll there's four people. Remember on these teams, there's 293 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 1: just four slightly different versions of Noels. So we got 294 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: Nerdy Doll, we got a biker Knoll, we got an 295 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: invisible Knoll, and we have a wizard Knoll. And now 296 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 1: we look over a Team Ben. It's just four identical Bends. 297 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: Like these are completely the same, all same, except maybe 298 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 1: very different hats or something like that. You know, Yeah, 299 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 1: each of Ben's hat incarnations Ben Ben sort of like 300 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: a multi hat kind of dude anyway, so it could 301 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: be each one of his like hat forms. Right, there's 302 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: the there's yeah, Ben, please the other one. You got 303 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: a really nice um kind of newsy hat you wear 304 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: some times that I really like. Sure, yes, and let's 305 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:06,159 Speaker 1: go for it. So there's uh so okay, so these 306 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: these guys are head to head. They've played there first round, 307 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,439 Speaker 1: right or excuse me, first end first hand? Yes, and 308 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: so after the first end, Team Noel has like the 309 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 1: first and the second closest shot to the center. So 310 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: at the end of this we totaled it up and boom, 311 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: two points for Team Noel. But now we're gonna go 312 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 1: to the second end. Now Here, at the end of 313 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 1: the second end, Team Ben has the closest shot, the 314 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:33,119 Speaker 1: third closest shot, the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and 315 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: ninth closest shot. But Team no after a magical shot 316 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: by Wizard Dole. We don't know how he did it, 317 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 1: but it was just I just made a sound effect 318 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:44,240 Speaker 1: and just said pew, and everything just kind of fell 319 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,399 Speaker 1: into place right, and so and how he lies the 320 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 1: second closest shot. So that's not eight points between Ben, 321 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: that is just one point because it is the order 322 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 1: or the shot rock. Whoever has the closest shot Rock 323 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:58,439 Speaker 1: gets the point. Whoever a second gets two points. But 324 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:00,719 Speaker 1: as soon as the other team has closer shot than 325 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:04,360 Speaker 1: any of your other shots, bam cuts off scoring right there. Now, 326 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:06,439 Speaker 1: isn't that how it goes in shuffle board too? Or 327 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,199 Speaker 1: no um or maybe it's inbout you there. I know 328 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,919 Speaker 1: there's that you mentioned the scoring being similar to one 329 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 1: of those games, and now I'm completely spacing on which 330 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:17,920 Speaker 1: one it was, but that sounds familiar to ball. Okay, 331 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:19,959 Speaker 1: so you kind of line up those shots, and the 332 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:23,400 Speaker 1: moment somebody gets a superior shot to all those ones 333 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: that are laying on the field, than that is the 334 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 1: one that takes precedent, that is the one that takes 335 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 1: the cake. And I have a question for you, Max, 336 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 1: is it is it possible to knock other rocks out 337 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,400 Speaker 1: of the way. Yes, it is, you can very much 338 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:40,199 Speaker 1: do so. I mean there are certain rules like the 339 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: free guard zone, so like certain shots early on in 340 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: the end, you can't take those up because those are 341 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 1: set up to be like you know, stimulate like like 342 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: scoring and make the game more exciting and more strategic. 343 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: But let's just say no, as a shot in a 344 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: spot where you want it, you can take no shot 345 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:59,160 Speaker 1: out and put your rock right there. Okay, So we've 346 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:02,440 Speaker 1: and we've seen this happen with other other similar games 347 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: we've described. You also have pretty comprehensive list of rules 348 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:10,360 Speaker 1: and roles which we can we can dive into maybe 349 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 1: along the way before you that can, Ben, can you 350 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 1: tell me what other hats your your clones were wearing. 351 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: I just have to know. I want to picture this. Sure. Yeah, 352 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: one is a astronaut helmet. One is a Jason Vorhees mask, 353 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:29,120 Speaker 1: but it's put up, you know, uh so itinically qualifies 354 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 1: as a hat. Okay, so we've got we got were 355 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 1: four players, right, four players per team, which we're gonna 356 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:35,680 Speaker 1: get get into with the roles in a second. So 357 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:40,359 Speaker 1: we've got the lead, the second, the vice skip, and 358 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: the skip. I'm gonna say that baseball hat Ben is 359 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 1: the lead, Newsy hat Ben is the second, astronaut helmet 360 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: Ben is the vice skip, and the skip is Jason 361 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: Vorhees top of head hat wearing Ben. So these are 362 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 1: these are all important roles and they all do those 363 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:00,399 Speaker 1: things as they're sort of title. But they also are 364 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:04,119 Speaker 1: shooters too, Max correct, Yes, everyone shoots two stones. He 365 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:05,879 Speaker 1: kind of going that way, and each person has like 366 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 1: a different objective with what they're trying to do. So 367 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 1: like the leads trying to set up and like you know, 368 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 1: build out for strategy, while at the second and vice 369 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:17,200 Speaker 1: skip or more like, okay, we gotta either correct misshots 370 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 1: from previous people or you know, mess with the other 371 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 1: team strategy because you can't let the other team get ahead, 372 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: and the skip at the very ends, it's like, Okay, 373 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,439 Speaker 1: I have to fine tune this so our strategy can 374 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:29,679 Speaker 1: do is or bail out the team. So it's kind 375 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 1: of all that, and everyone does different things, like some 376 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 1: people sweep, some people call shots, some people sweep and 377 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:36,920 Speaker 1: call shots at the vice skip. It's a lot. It's 378 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 1: like going on. Also, the I like how you noted 379 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 1: the second is in one curler's opinion the bag man 380 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 1: of the team is that curler you is it your opinion? 381 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm not gonna say who this one curlier 382 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 1: that we're always getting an opinion from is, but you know, 383 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:58,640 Speaker 1: it may or may not be me. I will not deny, 384 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:02,160 Speaker 1: but I will not confirm. Bagman meaning you're like carrying 385 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: water for the whole team, or like you're you're the 386 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 1: guy that's sort of like cannon fodder or something. You 387 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:11,879 Speaker 1: can always trust the bagman to do the job, to 388 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: do the job. I see, I see, I see, I see. 389 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: I think my understanding of what a bagman actually means 390 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: is always fluctuating over time. The skip, though, I like 391 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 1: because the idea it makes me think of like a skipper, 392 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 1: like like the captain of a ship, and you know, 393 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 1: this is a vaguely water adjacent sport. You are on 394 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:31,400 Speaker 1: water just happens to be frozen and you're sailing kind 395 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: of a vessel, you know, in the stone. So and 396 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 1: I mean maybe you don't know, but do you think 397 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 1: that is the skip referring to the action of play 398 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 1: like skipping a rock or something like that, or is 399 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:45,639 Speaker 1: a skip like the skipper reference like someone who's directing 400 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 1: and guiding, you know, a team. I would probably say 401 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 1: it's the latter. I think it probably comes from that. 402 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,240 Speaker 1: That would make the most sense to me. Yeah, there's 403 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 1: a there are many other factors that play into this. 404 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 1: There are a lot of other rules like the clock, 405 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 1: the hogline, player substitutions, etcetera, including the free guard zone 406 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: that you had you had mentioned earlier, Max, But we've 407 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 1: given you the basics here, so now we're gonna dive 408 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 1: into the history. Despite the rumors that are everywhere on 409 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 1: Twitter in the internet. Uh, Max Williams, by his own admission, 410 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:23,199 Speaker 1: did not event curling. It was according to the World 411 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: Curling Federation. It is, like we said, one of the 412 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 1: oldest extant team sports. You can see references to it 413 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:35,959 Speaker 1: all the way back in like paintings from Flemish folks 414 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 1: such as Peter Briegel. In one of his paints in particular, 415 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: there's a frozen pond with people playing on it. Most 416 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:44,679 Speaker 1: of them are ice skating, but if you look at 417 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: the towards the bottom of the painting, you'll see there 418 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: are people who have what are clearly curling rocks and 419 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 1: they're throwing them down the ice. And sometimes that's the 420 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: way we get historical contexts and paintings, little images of 421 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 1: things that were like enough in the parlance of a 422 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 1: period it that they were worthy to be incorporated into 423 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 1: a beautiful scene of you know, outdoorsy frolicking and whatnot. 424 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: We also have early written examples of curling from the 425 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:16,679 Speaker 1: literary work of the Scottish writer John McQuinn. He wrote 426 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 1: a protocol book where he recorded a challenge between John Sclator, 427 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 1: who was a monk at an abbey, and Gavin Hamilton's, 428 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 1: who represented the abbot uh And not much as known 429 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:32,160 Speaker 1: about the actual match how things, you know, turned out, 430 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 1: but it is known that Slator apparently through a rock 431 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 1: or a stone down a sheet device three times and 432 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 1: then asserted that he was ready that's that's the the 433 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:44,119 Speaker 1: impression that we got, uh yeah, and it makes sense, 434 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 1: like if you're in a part of the world where 435 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:50,160 Speaker 1: you have where water freezes, you know, seasonally, people start 436 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: to figure out ways of enjoying it, whether it be 437 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 1: like you know, attaching uh, steel blades to the bottles 438 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: of shoes like the Dutch, or like cutting holes in 439 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: the ice to to try catch fish. You know, you realize, 440 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:04,440 Speaker 1: like skipping a stone down a creek, that you can 441 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 1: slide a stone on a frozen creek or a frozen 442 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:10,120 Speaker 1: lake or a frozen pond. And then, you know, humans 443 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 1: like to make things more complicated and start to institute 444 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:15,960 Speaker 1: rules and all of that stuff, and like the old 445 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 1: tradition of anything, you start getting variations and things that 446 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:21,359 Speaker 1: start to get picked up, and when people start to 447 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: kind of adopt the ones they like the best, and 448 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:26,880 Speaker 1: the winners kind of rise to the top in terms 449 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: of like the rules, and then before you know it, 450 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: you got yourself sport, right yeah. And this is a 451 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 1: bit of a mysterious sport because, like a lot of 452 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:41,640 Speaker 1: old sports, there are controversies and contradicting claims about its genesis. 453 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:45,680 Speaker 1: We don't know a ton about the early beginnings now, 454 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: but it's widely believed Scotland is the birthplace of the sport. 455 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:55,960 Speaker 1: Scotland is definitely home to the first recognized curling clubs, right, 456 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 1: associations of curling enthusiasts. The two big ones are the 457 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: Kills Curling Club. They say they're the oldest and their 458 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 1: ponds or their club was established in seventeen sixteen, but 459 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:11,640 Speaker 1: people have been playing there since the fifteen hundreds. And 460 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 1: then there's the kin Ross Curling Club who disagrees. They 461 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:20,119 Speaker 1: were established in sixteen sixty eight and they say they're 462 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:22,880 Speaker 1: one of the oldest, if not the oldest. So if 463 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:26,159 Speaker 1: those two groups ever play matches together, I imagine that 464 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 1: rivalry is legendary. It is true though it's it's a 465 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 1: very old sport. It didn't actually have formal rules for 466 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:38,439 Speaker 1: a long time for a couple of centuries, right, it 467 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 1: was like a house rules or this is how we 468 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: played in our pond. Yeah, I mean even today they're 469 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:47,199 Speaker 1: like regional or just different kind of like variations of 470 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:49,400 Speaker 1: like simple card games. And of course for a game 471 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 1: like curling that was very much founded based on conditions 472 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,200 Speaker 1: in certain parts of the world, that makes absolute sense. 473 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 1: So in eighteen thirty eight we started to see a 474 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: bit more of a catification of the rules of curling 475 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: when we saw the Grand Caledonian Curling Club, Uh, that's 476 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 1: a mouthful, become kind of the authority on curling in 477 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:14,200 Speaker 1: the same way you might have like the n C 478 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: Double A or whatever, you know, different divisions of of 479 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:21,320 Speaker 1: basketball or football. You know, again when I don't even 480 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 1: know which one that is, because I'm not a sports guy, 481 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:27,679 Speaker 1: but the g C c C or G Triple C is, 482 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: how I'm gonna say, is that thing for curling And 483 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:33,120 Speaker 1: it was established in Edinburgh, Scotland in eighteen thirty eight. 484 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: The G Triple C really did later, I mean again, 485 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 1: early on. It certainly helped establish, like, you know, unified 486 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,120 Speaker 1: sets of rules, but it really did become the kind 487 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 1: of end all, be all epicenter of the curling universe. Uh. 488 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 1: In eighteen forty two they put on a formal curling 489 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:53,440 Speaker 1: demonstration for Queen Victoria and she was delighted and amused. 490 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: She was so amazed by the performance. The next year 491 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 1: she gave the club her permission to change the name 492 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 1: to the Royal Caledonian Curling Club instead of grant she 493 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 1: can get an upgrade to Royal and honestly, we probably 494 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: could do a whole episode on this club alone. They 495 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: literally have the title the mother Club of curling. That's 496 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: their historical kind of honorific from the World Curling Federation, 497 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 1: which is the thing now that sort of maybe took 498 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 1: their place a bit, But for those who are curious, 499 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 1: you can check into their activities to this day on 500 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: their website Royal Caledonian Curling Club dot org dot org. Yeah, 501 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:35,199 Speaker 1: and now as people from Scotland begin to move to 502 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: other parts of the world where there's still cold weather, 503 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 1: we see curling become a global phenomenon. We're looking particularly 504 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,919 Speaker 1: at Scandinavian countries, the US, even parts of New Zealand, 505 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: but no country caught curling fever with quite the same 506 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:57,200 Speaker 1: ardor as Canada. They are believed currently to have over 507 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 1: one thousand separate curling clubs, and by way of contrast 508 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:04,879 Speaker 1: their neighbors to the south, the US has about a 509 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:08,639 Speaker 1: hundred and eighty five, and that number marks a huge 510 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:19,880 Speaker 1: increase over time. We said earlier the Olympics brought curling 511 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 1: to even more of a international stage in when they 512 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,199 Speaker 1: became an official sport there, but it wasn't the first 513 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:32,880 Speaker 1: time the Olympics actually featured curling. In nineteen twenty four, 514 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:38,600 Speaker 1: there was a kind of exhibition men's curling competition, just 515 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 1: for anybody who likes to hold a regional Olympic grudge. 516 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 1: Great Britain got the gold, Sweden got silver, and France 517 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 1: got the bronze. These medals would later be awarded in 518 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 1: two thousand and six. It took him a second. Just 519 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:57,560 Speaker 1: say it took him a second. And you know, ridiculous 520 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 1: history where the last people to talk about out doing 521 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:04,480 Speaker 1: things a little late. We celebrate birthdays about four months later. 522 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 1: We'll get to a Christmas episode sometime in June. We 523 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 1: get it. But I wanted to ask Max, do you 524 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 1: know why there was this? Did Was this like a 525 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 1: retroactive reward or awards ceremony? Yeah? I think it was. 526 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 1: If I remember when I was reading it on the 527 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 1: World Curling Federations website, it was a kind of exhibition 528 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:26,600 Speaker 1: sport deemed at the time it was like we were 529 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 1: just showing this off, but then later on they deemed 530 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:32,680 Speaker 1: it was actually a full sport. And at that Olympics, 531 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 1: and I don't think demonstration or exhibitions formally get medals 532 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,880 Speaker 1: usually at least at that time, they didn't, so they 533 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: were recognized retroactively as legit in the Olympics at that time. 534 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:48,160 Speaker 1: And there are all sorts of sports in the Olympics 535 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 1: that aren't maybe common spectator sports outside of that, right, 536 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 1: Like there's you're rarely going to see a local pole 537 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 1: vaulting club do a bunch of you know, like have 538 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 1: big to do. But the opposite is true as well. 539 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 1: There are a lot of very popular sports that aren't 540 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 1: really part of the Olympics. And not being in the 541 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 1: Olympics doesn't necessarily stop a sports popularity, right. We know 542 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 1: that In nineteen fifty nine, Scotland and Canada formed what 543 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 1: they called the Scotch Cup. Uh it's tasty, you guys, 544 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: fans of Scotch eggs. I yeah, it's a good Yeah, 545 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: it's not to like you know, you know, I used 546 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 1: to be weirded out by hard boiled eggs when I 547 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:34,080 Speaker 1: was younger. Um, I think it's just that happens as 548 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:35,920 Speaker 1: you get older. You just start to like heard hard 549 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:37,960 Speaker 1: boiled eggs and what's not to like with wrapping it 550 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:41,480 Speaker 1: and sausage and deep frying louise, I mean frying things 551 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 1: fixes them, that's true. And most situated scotch cup is 552 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,200 Speaker 1: just a cup of scotch though. That's mine, okay, right on, 553 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:52,960 Speaker 1: I like my Scotch in this in this old plastic 554 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:55,240 Speaker 1: cup from the Olympics. I still have a cup from 555 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 1: the Olympics. My parents just paid so much for it. 556 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: I felt like we couldn't throw it away. Does have 557 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 1: is He on it? Is that his name? The weird 558 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: little does? Yeah? Yeah it does that little watcherman call 559 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 1: it of an idea? Yes, yeah for anyone that doesn't 560 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:13,600 Speaker 1: isn't in the know? Atlanta host of the Olympics that year, 561 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:15,560 Speaker 1: and then we like, I don't know, they probably paid 562 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 1: somebody gazillion dollars to design this stupid little blue cartoon 563 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 1: character named is He that was like this little yeah, 564 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: look at me, he can do spirit kind of little 565 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 1: pixie or something and just uh, in one defense, they 566 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 1: told the designer they wanted it to be something that 567 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 1: no one would know what it is, that was purposeful 568 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 1: and incorporating. Yeah. I don't think they designed or knows, 569 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 1: but but you know, his mascots go, this guy was 570 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: not the worst mascot anyhow. He probably didn't play curling 571 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 1: because those were not Winter Olympics. Still, it's a tough 572 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: job to make a mascot, and it's a tough job 573 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 1: to play any sort of sport. We do want to 574 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 1: note that there are several different I guess you would 575 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:07,520 Speaker 1: say types of curling, right specialization. There's team curling that 576 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:13,280 Speaker 1: has all male teams, all female identified teams juniors, there's 577 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:16,280 Speaker 1: a wheelchair curling, and then there are what are called 578 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 1: mixed doubles. So this is definitely a sport that a 579 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:24,479 Speaker 1: lot of people can get into and expect to do 580 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:27,400 Speaker 1: reasonably well, right, which I would say also makes it 581 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:31,760 Speaker 1: different from something like professional basketball or professional football. It 582 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 1: just seems like, I mean, it doesn't require you know, 583 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:38,560 Speaker 1: feats of strength exactly. It's more feats of restraint, right, 584 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: It's like more about knowing exactly how much oomph to 585 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:44,040 Speaker 1: give the thing when you're pushing it. And then I mean, 586 00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 1: obviously it takes a little energy to scrub that ice 587 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:48,600 Speaker 1: as you go. But Max, what do you think is 588 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 1: this a more accessible sport than say bob sledding or 589 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 1: you know, downhill slalom ng Oh, yes, most definitely. I 590 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 1: mean all you need for the sport is it's kind 591 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:01,400 Speaker 1: of like a will a while hunt and just just 592 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 1: the experiment within. People are always like, what type a 593 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 1: shoeshout I wear? Like, don't need special shoes, It's like, 594 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 1: no normal shoes? Yeah, you got like any club you like? 595 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:10,760 Speaker 1: Do you need a broom? Do you need the funniest ones? 596 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 1: I get asked like do I need to bring my 597 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:16,200 Speaker 1: own stones? It's like eight of them for a team, 598 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 1: the forty two pounds a piece. Now you don't bring 599 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 1: your own stones? Nice? Yeah, Also no special shoes. Take 600 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:25,520 Speaker 1: that bowling. That would be the other That would be 601 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 1: another sport where people would say you don't have to 602 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 1: be a certain body type to succeed. But we can't 603 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 1: conclude this episode without answering some of the big big questions. 604 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:38,240 Speaker 1: These are questions I asked you very early on Max 605 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:41,720 Speaker 1: when I found out about your fascination. Why is the 606 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 1: sport called curling? Other than describing the name, we haven't 607 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:49,600 Speaker 1: explained this at all. So the reason why it's called 608 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:52,280 Speaker 1: curling is because when you throw the stone, you either 609 00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:54,160 Speaker 1: turn the handle to the left or to the right 610 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:56,960 Speaker 1: or clockwise counter clockwise, however you wish to prefer that, 611 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 1: and that causes the stone to curl that direction, so 612 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 1: it's not like you're just throwing stones straight. So let's 613 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:04,800 Speaker 1: say there's a guard stone in the front of that 614 00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:07,720 Speaker 1: in front of the house, blocking stones behind it. You 615 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:10,239 Speaker 1: can draw behind you can curl behind it that you 616 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:13,840 Speaker 1: your stone behind that or I mean, it's very similar 617 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:17,120 Speaker 1: in this English, right, putting English on a pool call 618 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 1: or putting spin on you know, any other kind of ball. 619 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:22,560 Speaker 1: And that's and I was actually about a reference pool. 620 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:24,719 Speaker 1: It's very someone that asked towards about angles, how can 621 00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 1: I bounce these angles and position my stones? I mean, 622 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:29,960 Speaker 1: what's really funny about the curling is it actually doesn't 623 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:32,960 Speaker 1: make any sense because if you think about physics, if 624 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 1: it curls, if you're trying to curl it to the right, 625 00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:37,480 Speaker 1: it would go to the left. So curling stones actually 626 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:40,480 Speaker 1: go the opposite direction of what they should. And no 627 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:43,240 Speaker 1: one actually knows the answer to this because they're imbued 628 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:46,719 Speaker 1: with wizard magic probably, I mean, and here's the funny things. 629 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:48,200 Speaker 1: Do you ask a curl or we're like, oh, why 630 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:49,600 Speaker 1: why does it do things? Like, I don't know. As 631 00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:50,960 Speaker 1: long as it curls the way I wanted to go, 632 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:57,800 Speaker 1: then that's fine. Yeah, ok, Folk and also it's cool 633 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:02,879 Speaker 1: that if you try to throw a stone straight with 634 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 1: no no spin on it, no curl, no english, then 635 00:35:06,320 --> 00:35:10,200 Speaker 1: it won't go straight. It'll just sort of go where 636 00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:13,400 Speaker 1: the ice wants, which is nuts because there is a 637 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:16,200 Speaker 1: lot of science to this. And that gets us to 638 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 1: our next big question, what's the deal with the sweeping? 639 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:21,479 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm in sixty minutes? What's the deal 640 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:24,880 Speaker 1: was sweeping and curling? So the reason why you sweep 641 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:28,000 Speaker 1: is curling ice is different from like hockey ice or 642 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:31,120 Speaker 1: like figure skating ice, because that's just like flat, smooth, 643 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:33,759 Speaker 1: perfect ice. You try to throw a curling stone on that, 644 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:35,560 Speaker 1: it would go like three ft and stop and we'll 645 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 1: go a little further than that, but it wouldn't go well. 646 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:38,919 Speaker 1: So what you do in curling is you like take 647 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:42,040 Speaker 1: these little little device it looks like a ghost Buster 648 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 1: like backpack, and you put it on your back and 649 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:47,839 Speaker 1: you spray this little like pebbles of ice on the sheet. 650 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:50,719 Speaker 1: So it makes very little dust and that's what the 651 00:35:50,719 --> 00:35:53,960 Speaker 1: curling rocks slides on. And so the reason why you 652 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,320 Speaker 1: sweep is if you sweep it, you're melting those little pebbles, 653 00:35:57,680 --> 00:35:59,640 Speaker 1: causing them to be even less friction for your stone 654 00:35:59,640 --> 00:36:01,600 Speaker 1: to go over, so it goes faster. And it was 655 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,280 Speaker 1: going faster as less time to curl to go straight. 656 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:07,840 Speaker 1: Or also, so let's say you have to get around 657 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:10,160 Speaker 1: a guard. You sweep it, sweep it, sweep it, sweep it. 658 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:11,759 Speaker 1: You get past the guard, you take off and just 659 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 1: slowly curls behind it. Interesting, Okay, so those folks who 660 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:21,080 Speaker 1: are sweeping are doing something. It's not performance art. They're 661 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,719 Speaker 1: not like making some commentary on the Industrial Revolution. I 662 00:36:24,719 --> 00:36:28,359 Speaker 1: always assumed they were doing something to help guide the 663 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:31,880 Speaker 1: path of it or to like even like by by 664 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:34,760 Speaker 1: by sweeping in a certain direction at a certain angle, 665 00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 1: they could change the direction of the stone. Is that 666 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:41,319 Speaker 1: accurate or no? So they claim they can do that, 667 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 1: but it's been a common joke that directional sweeping it 668 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:46,000 Speaker 1: doesn't actually work. I mean you heard it. I heard 669 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 1: a lot on the past Olympics like, oh, they're sweeping 670 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:50,120 Speaker 1: on that side for the directional and I think maybe 671 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:54,239 Speaker 1: at an Olympic level with semi professional curlers, there's no 672 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:57,960 Speaker 1: such thing really as a professional curler, and like, but 673 00:36:58,080 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 1: like professionally maintained ice maybe do it. But like you 674 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:03,600 Speaker 1: go to a local curling club. There's no way in 675 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:05,680 Speaker 1: hell you're gonna be able to direct it with your 676 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:10,160 Speaker 1: sweeping Okay, unless you're somebody who like has a practice 677 00:37:10,600 --> 00:37:16,840 Speaker 1: ice sweeping drink at your house. Right, Okay, alright, goals, 678 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:20,680 Speaker 1: let's make it happen. When we wrap this episode up, 679 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:25,360 Speaker 1: maybe we take this history into the future and maybe 680 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:28,359 Speaker 1: there are some of our fellow ridiculous historians who are asking, well, 681 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:33,160 Speaker 1: this sounds cool. How can I start to become a curler, 682 00:37:33,440 --> 00:37:39,160 Speaker 1: A curlsman, a curl folk, myself, curler, curler? Okay, curls folk, 683 00:37:39,239 --> 00:37:42,399 Speaker 1: I like, but I respect your expertise here, Max. So these, 684 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:46,840 Speaker 1: uh you mentioned there are these clubs that people can join. 685 00:37:48,920 --> 00:37:51,480 Speaker 1: How do you how do you get involved? What's going on? Well, 686 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:53,760 Speaker 1: I mean, so like people think like, oh, there's probably 687 00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:55,920 Speaker 1: no curling clubs. There's a hundred and eighty five of them. 688 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:59,120 Speaker 1: I believe that's what USA Curling says. Kros the United States, 689 00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:04,400 Speaker 1: and obviously like Minnesota, Michigan, New York, may and they 690 00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:06,239 Speaker 1: got a lot of them. But that does not mean 691 00:38:06,320 --> 00:38:08,360 Speaker 1: that like here on at the warmer states are excluded. 692 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:12,720 Speaker 1: So there's three clubs in Tennessee. There's actually four in Florida, 693 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:15,719 Speaker 1: and there's seven in California, including three in Los Angeles. 694 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:18,920 Speaker 1: There's a lot of them. Wow. And you know, without 695 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:22,440 Speaker 1: without putting you two on the spot, rumor has it, 696 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:26,360 Speaker 1: there's even a curling club here in our fair metropolis 697 00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:29,719 Speaker 1: of Atlanta, Georgia. Yes, there is. There is the Atlanta 698 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:33,239 Speaker 1: Curling Club located here in our fair metropolis, as you 699 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:37,000 Speaker 1: have said, and they curl at the Atlanta Ice Forum. 700 00:38:37,239 --> 00:38:38,560 Speaker 1: And but I'll let you take the honors here. You 701 00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:41,479 Speaker 1: can read this Nextlanta have in the brief. It may 702 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:46,640 Speaker 1: or may not have been co founded by our lovely superproducer, 703 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:51,160 Speaker 1: the one, the amazing, the self described ungodly Maxwell James 704 00:38:51,280 --> 00:39:02,600 Speaker 1: William the first. I think we need a sound right now. 705 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:11,359 Speaker 1: You just just just full name Max. I love that 706 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:15,520 Speaker 1: is he in troubles. That's that's a quote for him. Also, 707 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:18,239 Speaker 1: I like adding the first there that's classy first of 708 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:20,879 Speaker 1: his name Maxwell. I'm gonna start using that. But yeah, 709 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:22,840 Speaker 1: and also if you're ever interested, you just go to 710 00:39:22,840 --> 00:39:25,960 Speaker 1: the USA Curling and they have a fine club. Tool Kid, 711 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:27,960 Speaker 1: We'll just show you the closest one. If you're near 712 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:31,160 Speaker 1: any big metropolitan area, there's probably curling club in area, 713 00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:35,040 Speaker 1: and you too can become a part of the spirit 714 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:39,279 Speaker 1: of curling, which is a very important concept unique to 715 00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:40,959 Speaker 1: the support. I mean, it's not unique to this sport. 716 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:44,400 Speaker 1: It's called the spirit of curling. It's unique, but it embodies, 717 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:48,840 Speaker 1: you know, the idea of respect to one another, of 718 00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:50,520 Speaker 1: people that are playing the sport, but also to the 719 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:55,600 Speaker 1: sport itself. It's about skill and tradition, about executing shots well, 720 00:39:55,719 --> 00:40:00,440 Speaker 1: about taking joy in others and in their success. So 721 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:02,359 Speaker 1: I really really is kind of I like the fact 722 00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:06,240 Speaker 1: that you're playing against other teams, but not like head 723 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:08,920 Speaker 1: to head, like you know, clashing. You're just sort of 724 00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:10,879 Speaker 1: doing your own thing and then it all comes out 725 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:13,880 Speaker 1: in the wash in terms of the scoring. Uh. This 726 00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:16,919 Speaker 1: is all from the World Curling Federation, by the way 727 00:40:16,920 --> 00:40:20,720 Speaker 1: that they describe the spirit of curling. Thus, like true 728 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:24,719 Speaker 1: curler never attempts to distract opponents, nor to prevent them 729 00:40:24,760 --> 00:40:27,640 Speaker 1: from playing their best. It would prefer to lose rather 730 00:40:27,640 --> 00:40:31,399 Speaker 1: than to win unfairly. Curlers never knowingly break a rule 731 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:34,720 Speaker 1: of the game, nor disrespect any of its traditions. Should 732 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:37,880 Speaker 1: they become aware that this has been done inadvertently, they 733 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:41,440 Speaker 1: would be the first to devolve the breach, which is 734 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:44,160 Speaker 1: really you know, wholesome. And you can see this in 735 00:40:44,280 --> 00:40:49,960 Speaker 1: curling games where the opposing team will congratulate their rivals 736 00:40:50,040 --> 00:40:53,759 Speaker 1: on a really well done move, the every everybody on 737 00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:57,400 Speaker 1: the everybody on the ice will have that oh snap, 738 00:40:57,560 --> 00:41:01,680 Speaker 1: cool moments, which doesn't happen all the time and other sports. 739 00:41:01,719 --> 00:41:04,759 Speaker 1: So that's one of the reasons I think that we are, 740 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:08,560 Speaker 1: at least I am a newly converted fan of curling. 741 00:41:08,800 --> 00:41:12,040 Speaker 1: And we hope that you enjoyed today's episode. Folks. This 742 00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:15,000 Speaker 1: may this may have been a little longer than usual, 743 00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:17,560 Speaker 1: but uh, there's a lot of love went into this 744 00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:19,960 Speaker 1: when a lot of and a lot of research too. 745 00:41:20,040 --> 00:41:23,080 Speaker 1: So for that we have to start by thinking the 746 00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:26,560 Speaker 1: super producer, the man, the myth, the legend, lover of sports, 747 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:30,080 Speaker 1: lover of trains, curling and star trek, Mr Max Williams. 748 00:41:30,120 --> 00:41:32,279 Speaker 1: It has been an honor, Yes, it's been an honor 749 00:41:32,239 --> 00:41:34,040 Speaker 1: as well. It's been a lot of fun. Uh. You know, 750 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:35,960 Speaker 1: any time I get a chance to talk about curling, 751 00:41:36,320 --> 00:41:39,560 Speaker 1: I like to take advantage of that. I know you do, buddy, 752 00:41:39,560 --> 00:41:41,920 Speaker 1: and now I at least am armed with the knowledge 753 00:41:41,960 --> 00:41:45,960 Speaker 1: to be able to properly engage with you on this um, 754 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:48,080 Speaker 1: on this topic. So so next time you won't go 755 00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:50,000 Speaker 1: to sleep while the US is playing in a gold 756 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:53,839 Speaker 1: medal match. What I'm sorry? Yes, true story, one story 757 00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:56,400 Speaker 1: I want to leave us with before we finally end this. 758 00:41:56,840 --> 00:42:00,319 Speaker 1: Back in twenty the United States one, they're only gold 759 00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:02,960 Speaker 1: medal and curling. It's when the John's Schuster led team 760 00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:06,960 Speaker 1: upset the favorite Sweden for the golden medal. This was 761 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:11,800 Speaker 1: during the infamous hot tub trip. Then this is the 762 00:42:11,920 --> 00:42:15,160 Speaker 1: cabin trip, Mr Noel Brown. This is a trip he 763 00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:18,600 Speaker 1: drake that whiskey that he apologized for on Tuesday's episode. 764 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:22,640 Speaker 1: He was there, the opportunity was there, but he opted 765 00:42:22,680 --> 00:42:25,720 Speaker 1: for sleep. Granted it was in Korea at the time, 766 00:42:25,840 --> 00:42:28,560 Speaker 1: and it was very, very very early in the morning 767 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:31,719 Speaker 1: when I was watching this, but it was magical night, 768 00:42:32,239 --> 00:42:35,960 Speaker 1: magical night. Indeed, So ashamed, uh, not really ashamed at all. 769 00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:37,719 Speaker 1: I do not recall any of this, Max, but I 770 00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:40,880 Speaker 1: I believe your recollection, at least when curling is involved. 771 00:42:41,239 --> 00:42:43,720 Speaker 1: And I do apologize for drinking that fine bottle of whiskey, 772 00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:46,040 Speaker 1: but it was good and probably contributed to my sleepiness. 773 00:42:46,160 --> 00:42:48,040 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna lie I end up during the rest 774 00:42:48,040 --> 00:42:50,600 Speaker 1: of it while during the match myself, it must have 775 00:42:50,640 --> 00:42:55,000 Speaker 1: been an awesome brunch moments a few hours later. With this, 776 00:42:55,080 --> 00:42:58,040 Speaker 1: we also of course want to thank our composer, Mr 777 00:42:58,120 --> 00:43:00,919 Speaker 1: Alex Williams. Check out his go with his brother Max 778 00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:03,960 Speaker 1: ephemeral When you get a chance, Thanks to Eve's Jeff Coat, 779 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:09,000 Speaker 1: thanks to Christopher Hasciotis, and thanks to Jonathan Strickland. I 780 00:43:09,040 --> 00:43:12,440 Speaker 1: think this. I think participating in curling could probably do 781 00:43:12,480 --> 00:43:15,760 Speaker 1: a lot for that guy. Emotionally. I know he's really angry. 782 00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:18,960 Speaker 1: He's just so angry. We'll see you next time, folks. 783 00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:28,040 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit the I 784 00:43:28,080 --> 00:43:31,000 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to 785 00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:31,960 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.