At the BDO

Stopped in at the BDO Classic in Oakville today to see some rock throwing and got there in time for the semis (couldn't stay for the final as Turkey Dinner was a-waiting).
On one sheet was Glenn "Hernia-Hard" Howard against his old buddy Wayne Middaugh. It was a good game, but the Howard rink was simply too much on this day. I do like the look of the Middaugh rink, though, with John Epping on board. If they get enthused, they could do some damage.
Strangest thing, however. Game ends, boys are sitting around having a drink and some pizza and organizers Rick Chittley-Young and Bill Mackay come by to give Middaugh his semi-finalist cheque. Middaugh promptly endorses it and hands it to Howard. My mind races . . . pot splitting? A bad bet?
"Glenn's wife is my banker," said Middaugh. Oh, direct deposit then.
By the way, this was Glenn's first foray onto the ice since his hernia operation. He threw a few days prior to playing at the BDO, but said there was no pain and he felt good -- a month to the day of the operation. He looked like his old self and the team looked impressive once again -- they'll be tough to beat.
The other semi was between Sarnia's Mark Bice and Mike McEwan of Winnipeg. The McEwan team looked impressive at first but man, they threw away several good chances to put this one on ice. The skip had an open hit for four in the fourth and to me, at least, he threw too much weight down a straight spot and rolled out. Bice rallied several times in a gritty performance, but McEwan still had a chance with his last rock to win. He was trying to play a delicate tap back on a Bice stone on the side of the button but the rock fudged about two feet before reaching its target.
Howard eventually beat Bice in the final.
One thing I also learned in Oakville is that fudged is so last year. The new word is "mucked." So, in a sentance, that would be: "McEwan's last rock really mucked."
Hmmm. . . can't wait to see if I can get that one past the editors at the Globe.