U.S. men start trials but not guaranteed a spot in the Games

Can you imagine the Olympics without the Red, White and Blue men in the field? 

Well, start thinking about it because, in case you weren't aware, the American men aren't among the nations who will head to Sochi to battle in the men's curling event. 

This article from NBC Sports explains the situation currently facing the American men, who start their Olympic Trials today in Fargo, N.D.

Ten nations make up the Olympic curling field. The host nation, Russia, is automatically in. The top seven nations combining results from the last two World Championships also qualified.
The U.S. was eighth in those standings and therefore placed in the Olympic Qualification Event with seven other nations. The top two from the Olympic Qualification Event will earn the final spots at the Sochi Olympics.
The U.S. is favored to take one of those two spots given it’s the highest-ranked nation in the Olympic Qualification Event field (eighth) and has qualified into every Olympic curling tournament since the sport returned to the Games in 1998.

I can hear the folks at the WCF offices already planning some sort of intervention to make sure the Americans get in, maybe fast-tracking U.S. citizenship for the loser of the Canadian Olympic Trials or something. An Olympics without the U.S. would be a huge blow for the grass roots exposure of the sport.