United States

New Kids on the Block: Men's Worlds Recap

We're back to recap what was a fun week at the men's world curling championship in Ottawa. We talk about Bruce Mouat getting his first world championship, Brad Gushue earning his third silver medal, and steps forward for Italy and Switzerland. We also debate where Niklas Edin's spinner ranks on the list of all-time greatest shots, the vibe in the building, and how the Patch was this week.

Be sure to check out the Goulden Carolus Classic over in Belgium.

For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

Women's Worlds Preview: Beat the Streak?

We're back to talk about the Women's World Curling Championship, which starts on Saturday in Sandviken, Sweden. We chat about the 13 teams in the field, including Silvana Tirinzoni and Switzerland going for their fourth straight title. We also talk Anna Hasselborg's chances at getting her first world title, whether this is the year for Kerri Einarson, and if Satsuki Fujisawa can take what has been a strong season and make it a great season as we debate each team's chances.

For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com 

Yates Report, Grassroots Reaction, & What's Next for USA Curling

This week, Sean talks about the current situation with USA Curling and its CEO Jeff Plush. He opens by going through the Yates Report and Plush's actions while he was the Commissioner of the NWSL and reports of abuse and misconduct were brought to his attention. He then talks with Monica Walker and Courtney Shaw about the grassroots response in the United States and the open letter written by the DEI Task Force.

For more information, please check out the following sources:

Yates Report

DEI Task Force Letter

USA Curling Statement

USA Curling 'reviewing' report detailing current CEO's Involvement in systemic abuse in NWSL

Former NWSL commissioner didn't respond to Sally Yates after saying he 'welcomed' investigation

For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

High Expectations!?! Who has the Edge in Mixed Doubles at the Olympics

In this episode, Sean and Scott look ahead to the mixed doubles competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics. They go through all 10 teams competing in Beijing and discuss what will constitute a successful week. They also go through some key stats for each team and make their picks for who will stand on the podium at the end of the week.

For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

Weird Weekend: Cancellations, Qualifications, & Explanations (Plus, a Sex Toy 'Controversy')

In this episode, Sean and Scott talk about a weekend when the world of curling really went off the rails. They start by talking about the cancellation of the 2022 Continental Cup, which was scheduled for January in Fredericton before moving onto the Olympic Qualifying Event talking place in the Netherlands, including the playoff matchups for the mixed doubles and the fields for the men's & women's qualifiers, which kick off on the weekend. They also get into the sex toy sponsorship 'controversy' that disrupted the broadcasts. They then move to the Canadian Senior Curling Championship taking place in Sault Ste Marie and the absolutely loaded women's field. They also discuss the coverage of Team Bottcher's announcement that Darren Moulding would no longer be on the team and how business arrangements could infuence team dynamics moving forward. FInally, they debate who would win an all-curling version of the Lou Marsh Award.

For more, be sure to visit us at GameofStonesPod.com

Previewing the World Wheelchair Curling Championship

In this episode, Sean flies solo to talk about the 2021 World Wheelchair Curling Championship, which kicks off Saturday in Beijing. He goes through the Paralympic Games qualification process and talks about who is in, who is out, and who has to perform this week to earn a spot. He then goes through all 12 teams in the field, breaking down lineup changes, experience v. rookies, and which team has the strongest roster as we start to look ahead to who may be at the top of the podium at the end of the week.


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Are Curling Skills Useful in Summer Olympic Sports?

In this episode, Sean and Scott talk about some of the key skills needed to succeed in curling and how they may be useful in some of the sports we've been watching as part of Tokyo 2020. They talk about balance, strategy, teamwork, and yelling, among others, and debate in which summer sports those skills would be most useful. From Beach Volleyball to Weightlifting they talk about how curling attributes can help Summer Olympic athletes while also doing a deep dive into the modern pentathlon.

That's a Wrap! Recapping the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship

In this episode, Sean and Scott recap the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. They talk about Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds' win, a great week for Norway, and some missed opportunities in the gold medal game. They also talk about the teams that qualified for the Olympics, relegation, and the struggles of the specialists.

Join us at GameofStonesPod.com for all our past episodes and links to the merch.

Swiss Dynasty: Recapping the Women's World Championship

In this episode, Sean and Scott look back 2021 Women's World Curling Championship. They talk about back to back wins for Switzerland and Silvana Tirinzoni, a strong performance for the Russian Curling Federation, and the first American medal in 15 years. They also talk about Anna Hasselborg's week, Denmark qualifying for the Olympics, and Kerri Einarson's and Team Canada's tough week. They finish by talking about Scotland's tough week, looking ahead to the Olympic Qualifying Event next December and what that could look like for Korea and Japan, and wrapping up the week for Estonia, Italy, and the Czech Republic.

Men's Worlds Recap

In this episode, Sean and Scott look back on the men's world curling championship. They talk about Niklas Edin's 5th world championship, their final with Bruce Mouat and Team Scotland, and the outstanding 5th end of the gold medal game. They also talk about the Covid scare over the weekend, the teams that didn't qualify for the Olympics, and Team Canada's week.

As mentioned in the episode, if you want to learn more about the production side of curling broadcasts, check out over conversation with Andrew Stoakley here.

Be sure to check out our past episodes, plus our merch, over at GameofStonesPod.com

Identity, Race, & Sports

In this special collaboration with the History Slam Podcast from Activehistory.ca, Sean talks with Ornella Nzindukiyimana of St. Francis Xavier University about the intersection of sports, politics, and race. They discuss the recent protests in professional sports, the role of amateur sports in shaping identities, and how sports can create more inclusive spaces.