Ready for the Olympics. Grab your broomsticks!

Sochi? Here we come. Having recently finished an Olympic themed book, I'm looking forward to the big event. The Games are soon to be in full swing featuring a platoon of ferociously determined skaters, the excruciatingly rugged cross country skiers and a sport which I can only describe as… adorable: Curling. Yes, curling dates back to medieval Scotland, and yes, it probably involves more strategy and savvy than any other sport, hence its nickname as “chess on ice” but I cannot help but be completely enchanted by the charming qualities of a sport that utilizes brooms and something called hog lines.

              The Point of the Game: After arduous research,  I  conclude that the goal of the game is to finesse ones sixteen stones closer to the center of the house than the other teams. How hard could it be? Plenty hard. First you’ve got to spray down that lovely smooth ice surface with water droplets to “pebble the ice.” A zambonie driver’s worst nightmare, but necessary to make the hurled stones “curl” in one direction or another.  Then you’ve got your centre line (fancy spelling intentional)  and two other lines charmingly entitled the “hog lines.” Not to be forgotten are the “hacks” which are important  rubbery spots used by the curlers for traction, otherwise you’ve got some poor hapless curler trying to find a toe hold on an iceberg.  Players throw a stone in a graceful sliding movement. Right handers start with the right foot in the left hack and lefties go for the left foot in the right hack. They do the hacky sacky and they turn themselves around. That’s what it’s all about. 

What's your favorite Olympic winter sport?