Free Press: Bonehead call by Ontario

The Winnipeg Free Press sure didn’t think much of Glenn Howard’s last shot in the 10^th end of the 1-2 match, with the headline on Paul Wiecek’s story not holding back at all.

Bonehead call aids Manitoba

Wow. Now writers don’t put the headlines on stories so don’t pin this one on Wiecek, but I think the headline is waaaay off and a little harsh, bordering on incorrect. I’d wager that who ever wrote it is not a curler or certainly not someone with a background of covering the game at the top level.

Wiecek actually does a very good job at outlining the situation and pointing out that it was a risky shot. He also gets opinions on the call from Stoughton and Mead – the skip wouldn’t have played it, the third would have.

But the point to me is that when you have a shot to win the game, you do it because you don’t know if you’ll ever get that chance again. Howard’s shot was tough but remember, this is Glenn Howard who would probably make contact with the red stone nine times out of 10.

The fact is that Howard missed the shot. He could have just as easily missed the easier shot. Or he could have gone to the extra end and lost.

Bonehead call? Nope. Risky, yes.

Mead knows that and his comment after shows just how stunned he was at the Howard miss.

"We got horse- lucky."

Stoughton was just as surprised in the moments after the game.

"I don't know yet. I haven't digested thiswin," said Stoughton. "When something like that happens, it's alittle surreal. Just because you're not expecting to win yet. You're justthinking, 'OK, let's get our deuce and we go the extra end and you never know.'So to pull it off now, I can't wait... it's going to be fantastic."

Stoughton is off to the final and Howard books an early morning game in the semi.