Moose Jaw -
On Saturday, a Moose Javian heads off to make the city proud as Saskatchewan's skip at the 2009 Tim Hortons Brier in Calgary.
It is hoped that Joel Jordison, along with his Bushell Park rink, can finally make the breakthrough curling lovers across this province have longed for and win Saskatchewan's first Brier since 1980 - a drought of 29 years.
While this is Jordison's first Brier, he does not come into this without some major experience.
Jordison is 10th on both this season's World Curling Tour's money list and the Canadian Team Ranking Systems list, as he has had a very successful year at the various major events.
And while I hope he can use that experience to get the victory this province has longed for, there is a major hurdle standing in his way.
He just happens to be part of what is quite possibly the toughest, most star-studded field in the history of the Brier.
In recent memory, the record for most rinks at one Brier that were skipped by a former champion skip was five - 1989 and 1995.
At this year's Brier, no less than six teams - New Brunswick (Russ Howard), Alberta (Kevin Martin), Ontario (Glenn Howard), Quebec (Jean-Michel Menard), Nova Scotia (Mark Dacey) and Manitoba (Jeff Stoughton) - are led by former Brier winning skips.
Added to that is an Olympic champion team, Brad Gushue of Newfoundland and Labrador, and another team with a Brier champion on its roster, British Columbia. (That rink's third, Brent Pierce, won the Brier as a third in 2000).
Plus, two other teams have players with Brier playoff experience, P.E.I. (skip Rod MacDonald and lead Mark O'Rourke) and Jordison's own rink (third Scott Bitz skipped the Sask. team that finished 7-4 and lost the 3-4 playoff game in 2002). Plus, the skip of Northwest Territories/Yukon, Jamie Koe, has been just one win short of the playoffs at 6-5 (in Regina in 2006) and has skipped at the TSN/McCain's Skins Game.
The 12th team, Northern Ontario skipped by Sudbury's Mike Jakubo is the only one without a great deal of experience. However, Jakubo, along with his second and lead, did play at the 2005 Brier. So even that team is not bereft of experience. (The only player from that 2005 team not with the rink now, Jon Solberg, is playing third for the Territories this year).
In fact only two skips, Jordison and B.C.'s Sean Geall, are Brier rookies.
This roster is one of the most awesome assemblages of curling talent at a national championship, ever.
However, that should not deter Jordison. As I said earlier, he has had a great deal of success on the world tour and will likely qualify for the Olympic pre-qualifier to be held in Prince George, B.C., in November. Plus, Jordison can draw from Bitz's past experience.
This will not be an easy experience for Jordison. Few Briers ever are, especially with this deep of a field. And skips winning in their first Brier appearance are few and far between - in the last 20 years only two skips, Kevin Martin in 1991 and Vic Peters in 1992, won at their first Briers.
However, there is always hope and Jordison has a lot going for him. Besides the experience, he had to beat last year's Brier third-place finisher, Pat Simmons of Moose Jaw, to earn his spot in Calgary.
As well, the last time there was a really deep Brier field, 1995, an unheralded Saskatchewan skip, Brad Heidt, won the 1-2 playoff game before losing the final to Manitoba's Kerry Burtnyk.
So, there is hope that even against a lot of big names, Moose Jaw's own can finally bring the Tankard back to Saskatchewan.
Jason Small can be reached at 691-1255.
