Game of Stones explores the world of curling. In each episode we'll dive into the major issues in the sport, from previewing and recapping major events to discussing team lineups. If you're a longtime fan or just getting into curling, we'll break down the biggest news in the greatest sport on earth.
It's the final episode of Movie May and this week we are reviewing the 2022 'film' Gerri Curls. We go through the plot of this movie that we watched so you don't have to! From curling on wood to an incoherent storyline, we offer up our critiques of what went wrong with this one.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
Movie May rolls along as Sean and Scott revisit an old classic in Men With Brooms. Listen along as they go into the details and find out which one of them has a cameo and got to meet Leslie Nielsen. (This is a re-airing of a previous GoS episode)
Movie May rolls on as we talk about Curl Power, the 2024 documentary about Team Dezura, a U18 team in BC. The doc follows them through a season as they "juggle their lives as teenagers with their goal of winning the Canadian Junior Curling Championship. We talk about the film, what stood out, and how curling fits into the bigger themes. What do you think of the doc?For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
We kick off Movie May - where we watch and break down a different curling-related movie each week - with The Roaring Game, a 1952 short film about curling in Canada. Part of the Canadian Cameo series, the doc shows the sport from its highest levels all the way down to kids playing jam can in Saskatchewan. We go through the film and talk about all its highs and lows.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
It's that time of year again!! The Season of Champions is over and we've talked about all the games, but there is a critical part of curling viewing that still needs to be discussed - the commercials. One of our favourite episodes to do each year, we go through and discuss the ads that are shown pretty much every end break. We break down the story, debate their memorability, and rank them. Did you think we got it right? Are they any we missed? Be sure to let us know.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
The final Olympic spots of the season are up for grabs this week in Fredericton as the Mixed Doubles World Championship kicks off on Saturday. We've got you covered with a full preview as we talk about all 20 teams in the field, the two pools, and where each nation stands with respect to Olympic qualification. After going through the field, we also offer up our picks for who will stand tall at the end of the week.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
With the 4-person season in the books, we get together to discuss how the teams stack up at the end of the season. We go through and give our top 5 men's and women's teams in the world as we start to turn our attention to the upcoming Olympic year. Do you agree with our rankings? Let us know how you have the teams stacked upFor more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
It's a better late than never situation, as we're here to look back at the week that was in Moose Jaw for the 2025 Men's World Curling Championship. We talk about Bruce Mouat getting his second world championship, a very strong week for Team Jacobs, and a solid performance by the Swiss. We also talk about Lukas Klima claiming an Olympic berth, the Americans having to go to the last chance qualifier, and how the rest of the field finished. We then chat about the controversy around Team China and what the ramifications are moving forward before discussing the Bruce Mouat-Rachel Homan game that kicked off the Player's Championship.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
Game of Stones, Podcast, Curling, Sports, Winter Sports, Olympic Sports, Trivia, World Championship, World Curling Federation, Curling Canada
The Season of Champions continues to march on with its final stop coming up this week in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. This comes on the heels of Rachel Homan winning her second consecutive world championship on Sunday. We start there by talking about Team Homan's run to the title, the sixth straight final appearance for Silvana Tirinzoni, and China securing an Olympic berth. We also talk about another tough playoff exit for Anna Hasselborg, another impressive performance by Team Gim, and how the rest of the field shook out. We then move on to the Men's World Curling Championship (24:08) by talking about all 13 teams in the field, where each team's strengths lie, and then make our picks for who we like to stand on top of the podium at the end of the week.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
Over the past couple of weeks, the World Wheelchair Curling Championship and the World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Championship have taken place in Scotland and we're here to talk about all the goings on. From another world title for Team China and Wang Haitao to a disappointing result for Mark Ideson and Ina Forrest, the Canadian Mixed Doubles team, we talk about what stood out as well as go through the teams that have qualified 2026 Paralympics now that the fields are set. We finish up by going through some of the recent curling news, including some announcements for venues for upcoming events and a tough day for our friends at the Ontario senior provincial championships.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
It's a big week in the world of curling and we got you covered. We start with a full discussion of the 2025 Brier, including an interesting final, a rare Gushue miss, and a fun Pool B. We then move on to the 2025 Women's World Curling Championship, which kicks off Saturday in Korea (36:35). We go through all 13 teams in the field and what they need to do to end up on the podium at the end of the week.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
As the action continues in Kamloops, Sean answers Brier trivia questions. Come along for the rid and learn a few things along the way.
As the Season of Champions rolls on, the guys start out by talking about Rachel Homan's 5th Scotties title and everything else that happened over the course of the week in Thunder Bay, including a roller coaster event for Kerri Einarson, a tough week for Krista McCarville, and a farewell to Kerry Galusha. Then (at 24:01) they shift to this week's Montana's Brier, which kicks off Friday in Kelowna. They go through the field and talk about all 18 teams and what they each need to do to consider the week a success.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
With the Scotties in full swing, the guys get together for some trivia about the Canadian Women's Curling Championship. Play with Scott as he tries to navigate a rather challenging trivia game created by Sean. Let us know if you beat Scott's score.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
This week the Season of Champions kicks off with the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the guys are here to give you a full preview of what should be a very fun week in Thunder Bay, ON. They go through all 18 teams in the field looking at their strengths and weaknesses before making their picks for who they think will represent Canada at the world championship.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
With the Season of Champions kicking off next week, the guys look at how games at the rec level tend to change at this time of year. From different shot selections to pace of play, they look at the pros and cons of rec players incorporating some of what they see on teevee into their own games. The guys wrap by talking about last weekend's U.S. championship and the remaining provincial championships coming up this weekend.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
This week, the guys catch up with Jeff Salmons, the chair of the Sawtooth Outdoor Bonspiel organizing committee. The 'spiel, which took place this past weekend, takes place in beautiful Stanley, Idaho, in the shadows of the Stanley mountains. Jeff talks about the challenges of associated with running an outdoor bonspiel, including the ice, getting the rocks there, and lighting. The guys also talk about the community that has been built at the bonspiel, what the curling conditions are like, and how much fun it can be despite the cold. They then wrap up with a discussion of the curling community in Boise, the growth of the club there, and the initial discussions on getting a dedicated facility in the city.Learn more about the S.O.B here. You can also check out the Boise Curling Club here.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
With the provincial championships in full swing, Sean catches up with Northern Ontario Curling Association Executive Director Laura Forget. They discuss the role of executive directors for member associations, how provincial championships are put together, and the challenges of streaming provincials. They also chat about some of the financial challenges facing member associations, how the associations work together, and the challenges facing recreational curling in Northern Ontario.You can stream the Northern Ontario provincials here.Sean and Scott are doing play-by-play on Saturday January 26 for the qualifying games at the 2025 Over the Rainbow bonspiel at the Ottawa Curling Club. Streaming starts at noon ET on Saturday and the guys are doing the games at 2:00 and 4:30. Check our socials for links to the stream.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
It's time for one our favourite annual traditions as we go around the world of curling and offer up some bold predictions for 2025. From Olympic qualifying to broom foam density, there's a lot going on in the sport that will shape how the year plays out. Let us know if you agree with our predictions and what you think will happen this year.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
We are kicking off 2025 with a roundup of what has been a very busy time in the world of curling. Sean and Scott start by talking about the Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials that wrapped up on the weekend, including what happened in the final, before getting into the most recent major lineup shuffle with Teams Carey and Einarson and the implications for both squads. They then discuss the draft that the Grand Slam held to determine the pools at next week's event in Guelph, ON before wrapping up with some streaming and world curling announcements.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
With just over 13 months until the 2026 Olympics, the Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials kicks off Monday in Liverpool, NS and Sean and Scott are here to highlight some of the things to keep an eye on over the course of the week. From the strength of the two pools to the weather, they discuss some of the factors that could determine who is standing at the top of the podium at the end of the week.Check out our full discussion of the Powerplay here.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
It's a tradition like no other! Sean and Scott are back to go through the best in the world of curling from 2024. They go through 10 categories giving out awards for everything from Biggest Oddity to Best Team. Who would you award a prestigious Stoney Award to for 2024?For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
After a week off, the guys are back to do a tour around the world of curling. They start with the recent lineup change to Team Dunstone before talking about the Grand Slam in St. John's, which included a great moment where Team Jacobs was booed by the home crowd. They also talk about the field being set for the Canadian Mixed Doubles Olympic Curling Trials, the Canadian Senior Championship, and a new initiative from Curling Ontario.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
With the 2024 European Curling Championship in the rearview mirror, Sean and Scott look back on the week that was in Lohja, Finland. They talk about a surprising win for the German men, the continued dominance of the Swiss women, and who struggled during the week. They then discuss the other news in the world of curling, including a new event from Curling Ontario, the Candian Mixed Doubles Olympic Trials Qualifier, and the Canadian Club Championship.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
Come along with Sean and Scott as they play in the 2024 Rideau Curling Club 1-day Oktoberfest Bonspiel. With a 6-person team, they take you through the day as they play 2 games, comment on the third, and talk about the pros and cons of the 1-day format.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
It's time for the 2024 European Curling Championship! Ryan from Rocks Across the Pond joins Sean and Scott for the 5th Annual Bad Beer Bet! They go through the fields for both the A & B events before giving their picks for who will win, who will get relegated, and who will be promoted. For more, join us at GameofStonesPod.com
Sean is joined by Elaine Dagg-Jackson, the Chair of Women in Curling, to talk about the initiative's re-brand. Formerly known as the Women in Curling Leaders' Circle, the re-brand has come with four new pillars that the group is focusing on to help foster greater women's representation at all levels of curling. More information - including on how to apply to be part of the executive council and committees - can be found here. The deadline for applications is November 17.For more, visit us at GameofStonespod.com
In recent years, the guys have talked about how it seems like shooting percentages have been inflated, so today they talk about how percentages are calculated based on the instructions for scoring each individual shot. They discuss the Curling Canada guidelines for scoring a game and how that could be influencing the stats we see during broadcasts. Sean also scored a game using these guidelines and they discuss the difference between his score and the official stats from that game. You can find the Curling Canada instructions here.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
This week the guys chat about the differences in the strategies you see on teevee compared to what is advisable in your regular leagues. What parts of strategy can you incorporate from the top levels and which ones should you leave the pros?They also chat about the Pan Continental Curling Championship, which kicks off on Sunday, and the news that Curling Canada is still looking for a title sponsor for next year's Olympic Trials.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
The guys are back to talk about another week of bombshell news in the world of curling. They talk about Brendan Bottcher joining Team Gushue as second and what that will look like on the ice. They then chat about whether this is part of a larger trend in the sport and what that means for elite-level curling moving forward.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
Sean and Scott chat about last weekend's Grand Slam before talking about the state of streaming in the world of curling, including the World Curling Federation's new season pass. They debate the value of streaming games and whether it's a good idea to keep all games behind a paywall. They then discuss a couple of big - and rare - in-season lineup changes for Teams Koe and Gushue and chat about what this trend could mean for the sport moving forward.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
This week the guys are joined by John Robertson, author of Curling for Beginners and Improvers. John talks about his passion for the sport, why he wanted to write a book for new players, and the best way to introduce people to curling. John also talks about some of the key topics in the book, including best ways to practice, introducing the rules, introducing strategy, and keeping up with pace of play.Following the discussion with John, Sean and Scott talk about the PointsBet and this week's return of the Grand Slam as well as some of the new branding we're seeing in the world of curling.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
The guys are set to hit the ice next week and are talking about what they do to get ready for the season. From physical prep to checking equipment to team dynamics, they go through all the pre-season steps that can help once the games get started. They then talk about what they are most excited to see at the elite level before Sean describes how he tracks his games through the course of the year.Sean's Stretching RoutineNeck CirclesShoulder Circles into Arm CirclesArm CrossesHip RotationsToe TouchesStanding Forward FoldBack BendsQuad StretchRecline TwistChild's PostFor more, visit us GameofStonesPod.com
The 2024-25 season is underway and the guys are back with their annual look at how teams are setting up their schedules. They look at a couple of the top Canadian teams, some of the best international teams, and a couple of the 'middle class' and up-and-comers to see which events are being targeted and how teams are managing travel. They wrap up by talking about some of the early season results along with the other news from the world of curling (44:10).For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
Sean talks with Michelle J. Manno, author of Denied: Women, Sports, and the Contradiction of Identity. They talk about Michelle's personal experience with collegiate basketball, how personal identity mixes with team identity in sports, and how players navigate contested spaces. They also discuss how coaches police players' identities, the role of TItle IX, and how these issues exist across all women's sports. For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
This week, we are running a conversation from 2017 between Sean and Jean-Marie Leduc, who had one of the world's largest private collections of skates. Mr. Leduc passed away on August 12, so we wanted to share this conversation as a tribute to him - a man with an incredible passion for sports on ice. If you're so inclined, check out Lace Up or the French version Coup de patin
This week we take a couple questions from the listeners before checking out what's being asked over on the curling sub-reddit. From new schedules to best positions to how to improve your club, we offer up our answers to these questions.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
Fresh off the Olympics and the Soccer Canada drone scandal, we sit down and discuss what some comparable scandals in Canada could potentially look like.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
This week, Curl ON Executive Director Matt Allen joins the show to talk about his Engagement Tour Report (which you can read here). After spending more than 200 hours meeting with curlers and clubs across the province, Matt's report outlines ideas to increase engagement at the local level and proposes strategies to get more people playing the sport. From improving the online presence to attracting new and young curlers to adopting new business models, the report lays out a number of ideas to keep the sport strong at the grassroots. Do you think that these ideas will help increase engagement at the rec level?For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
Everyone loves a good trivia game, so this week Sean gives Scott some trivia questions related to the Scotties and Brier. Play along and see if you can beat Scott! If you do, be sure to let us know!For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
This week Sean talks with the skip of Team Davies, Zach Davies. You may remember that we sponsored a team for the 2023-24 season, so we wanted to catch up with everything that happened over the winter. Zach talks about the challenge of skipping his team while also playing front end for the Canadian Junior Men's team, how the team improved over the season, and some of the highlights they experienced along the way - including some surprising road trip music choices.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
It's been a while since we caught up on all goings on around the world of curling, so this week we catch up with what's been happening. We talk the European C championships, some host city announcements for upcoming events, and the Canadian Wheelchair program selections. We also get into a report on recreational curling engagement from CurlON and finish the show with a special clip of what could Scott's big break.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
In 2021, Curling Canada announced that it was changing the timing of the Canadian Junior Curling Championship, allowing teams that win a full season to prepare for the world championship. That puts junior champions in a unique situation as they have access to resources that were not previously available to Canadian champions. This week, Adam Naugler, the lead for Team Johnson Tao, joined Sean to talk about the team's season as the Canadian junior champions. He talks about the challenge of balancing curling and school, the pressure of the Junior B championship to qualify for the world juniors, the resources available to them from Curling Canada, and the state of junior curling in Canada.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
For the first time in a couple years, we were gifted with some new curling commercials for the 2024 Season of Champions! And as we love to do with a new batch of ads, we're here to rank them. From agricultural products to Curling Canada promotions, there is a lot to discuss this year. What do you think of our rankings? Did we miss any ads this year?For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
We're back after a brief hiatus to talk about what has been a very busy spring in the world of curling. We start by discussing the Men's World Championship along with the mixed doubles before going across Canada to talk about all the men's (16:00) and women's (39:40) lineup changes that we've seen.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
It's a busy time of year in the curling world and we're excited to be talking about it all. We start by recapping what was a fun week at the Women's World Curling Championship. We talk about Rachel Homan's win, the game/shot of the year, and how the rest of the field broke down over the course of the week. We then move on to preview the field for the Men's World Curling Championship. We go through the field and talk about all 13 teams before offering up our picks for the week.For more, visit us at GameofStonespod.com
In the midst of the very busy Season of Champions, we're back to recap the week that was at the Brier and look ahead to the Women's World Curling Championship. We start by recapping the Brier, including Gushue's run of dominance, a great week for Saskatchewan, and some of the best stand out performances of the week. At 31:05 we look ahead to the Women's Worlds by previewing all 13 teams in the field, including Silvana Tirinzoni going for her 5th consecutive title. We wrap the show by talking about our attempt to watch curling at Montana's during the Brier.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
The Season of Champions is in full swing withe the first ever Montana's Brier set to kick off on Friday. We talk about the format, the storylines, and all 18 teams heading to Regina before making our picks for who will stand tall at the end of the week.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
We join you nearly live from the Ottawa Curling Club, home of Team Homan, to talk about an action packed week at the Scotties. From Rachel Homan capturing her fourth title to Kerri Einarson's remarkable streak coming to an end to the retirement of Jennifer Jones, there was a lot going on in Calgary and we try to cover it all.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com
It's our favourite event of the year, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. To get you set for the week, we give our full preview, including the new playoff format, new rules, and the biggest storylines of the week. We also preview all 18 teams in the field, the expectations for each, and give our picks for how things will stack up at the end of the week. But before all that, we give our initial reactions to the news that this year will be Jennifer Jones' last Scotties as she steps away from the 4-person game.For more, visit us at GameofStonesPod.com