Apparently I can’t modify the php memory_limit setting on my account, and consequently, thumbnails and alternate photo sizes aren’t generating.  The limit is set at 32M and I need more… time for a new host?  We’ll see.

Finally!  I didn’t screw up and actually played well and consistently and contributed to our mixed team’s victory at the Philadelphia Curling Club’s Harvest Bonspiel this past weekend.  The team was: Dave Palazzoli (S)/me (V)/Paul (2)/Kathy Palazzoli (L).  (See Jeff’s reaction to our game at his blogspot site.)  Out of four games, we only played one complete game, and in that, Dave had to throw a pretty good last rock to win the semi-final game for us to get us to the “A” final.

As a vice-skip (third), I didn’t screw up many line calls (I don’t think any) and shot fairly well; in fact, I’m having difficulty remembering the really bad shots I had.  (If I had any, they were in the first game.) It also helped that Dave called very solid strategy in all the games so I didn’t have to worry about that, either.  Now that I remember, there was one call in the last game, where Dave started out saying on my first shot, “Well, we could draw around this [red center guard about 18" in front of the house]…” and I finished for him, “…or we can get rid of it?”  The take was called: it was a dicey shot because if I was a touch wide, heavy or flipped the delivery, we could easily jam their red guard into our shot rock and it would be shot rock, well under cover.   I did none of the above and it was a great shot, crossing the guard just enough to remove it, zipping past the shot rock and leaving my shooter in its place.  I rarely call my own shots as a vice; as a skip it’s a different matter.  

Leaving your opponent’s guards in front of your own rocks is usually not a good idea, for the very reason your opponent can use your rock as a backer to raise their stones onto.  We either had to get behind that red guard - and with the way the ice was curling I didn’t think my rock would curl enough to get behind the red guard - or remove it entirely from the field of play.

This was the first non-5 & under, non-club event that I’ve won in 10 years (since I started curling).  The trophy was big and TALL.  Very way cool!!!  Kathy took some pix so I’ll get them from her (maybe tonight). 

Back to reality now, as Turkey Day looms as does a lot of baking.

Being sick, that is.  It’s this horrible feeling of inevitability, knowing what’s going to happen and when.  I just got over something I caught (I’m thinking work but could be anywhere) and the second day is always the worst, when the head is clogging up and your sinsuses are so irritated and swollen that your teeth hurt.  That’s when I turn to ice packs on my face and head, along with justified intake of Tylenol PM.  I don’t want to be awake and deal with this pain, thank you very much.  Sleep helps in this case and I’m all for helping out! 

The other part I dislike is the Zicam side effects, like the way it messes with your taste buds.  Eventually that goes away too, but while it’s in effect it’s unpleasant.

Here’s a post for all you curlers out there: why and how you would skip (or vice-skip).  Neither question is easy to address.

Why?

I don’t have a complete answer for you, but I do have my experiences and observations.  I’m a bit of a control freak (ok, all who know me you can get off the floor now from LYAO…) so it’s a fit there.  That’s the easy part.  The hard part is analyzing your team’s strengths and weaknesses, and figuring out how to maximize one and minimize the other, all within the strategy of the game.

And don’t forget - the team needs to have fun! 

Why would you vice skip?  You like dabbling in the world of skipping but not yet ready to commit.  Or you have to because there’s no one else available.

How?

Know your strategy.  Club-level strategy is obviously different than national-level strategy,  Hammer plays to the wings, without hammer plays to the center.  I can’t tell you how many times beginning skips forget that.  Like I tell my thirds, I’m a lazy skip; I don’t want to work for my last two shots.  I want open takeouts or draws if I have the hammer.  I don’t want to be bothered with guards that shouldn’t be there.  A corollary to the above is, as a skip, you are playing for your last shots.  What do you want to throw - i.e., what’s your strongest shot today?  Without hammer, it would be nice to throw guards (my guards are more T weight lately), but don’t count on them.  Count on a draw or a tap, if you’ve set up the end correctly.

Yes, the “big boys and girls” play a lot of draws to the center, regardless of hammer status.  Sometimes, for reasons to follow, that isn’t going to work well for you.

Know how to be patient.  Don’t fret about the draw that stopped at the top of the house; it’s a great candidate for a tap.  Can’t draw around the shot rock for point?  Corner to it and make it a larger target to bang on with the next shot.  (Depending on the angles involved, both your rocks may stay while the opposing team’s rock will leave the house … quickly.)  Simply put, the called shot may be a set up for a shot to be made later.

Know how to score.  You’re supposed to steal one without hammer, take two with.  Anything else is gravy.  Don’t get greedy and give up the end.

Know your team and your Plan B’s.  The best strategy is only as good as its execution.  The people you play with at the club level - and against - will differ widely in their abilities. You’re not going to get 100%; you may not get 80% at the club level.  (There have been times I shot so poorly I would have paid for 50%.)  Realize that and plan for Plan B, where Plan A was your called shot.  I love Plan B.  (Plan Z, not so much.)  Your first year curlers will either be on the broom with the wrong weight (usually light) or nowhere near the broom with decent weight.  You’ll have regular curlers who are always wide on a turn or narrow on another.  This is very difficult, the planning of Plan B, but if - when - you can do it, I think it helps your curlers mentally by 1) they were able to pull off a good shot and 2) they saw you plan for it and think more highly of you (as a skip, anyway).

Know how to miss your shots.  Not something you want to count on, but you and your team will miss.  For example, if you have the hammer and you want a draw, remind the shooter, “it’s OK to be heavy.”  In that situation, the last thing you want - or need - is a guard.  Conversely, if you don’t have the hammer, try for a close guard and let your shooter know, “it’s OK if you’re a little light.”

Know your opponent, and their weaknesses.  Do they like to throw draws?  Leave take outs.  And vice versa.  I’ve see-sawed between those two, but when I have them both down, I know I have a chance.

Know where you are in the end.  If you have hammer, hopefully your third isn’t still cleaning up guards.

Know when the end is lost, and minimize the damage.  It sucks but it happens.  I’ve been in the situation where if I don’t make the 110% shot I’m going to give up 3.  Not gonna happen - I’ll throw the draw but plan on light to take away the line for the 3rd shot.  If I make the shot perfectly, I may give up only one or maybe I’ll take 1.  In the two weeks since this season has started, I’ve had two respected skips not throw their last shot of an end because, as Paul & I like to say, “No good would have come of it.”

Know where you are in the game.  If you’re up by one in the sixth it’s not the end of the world to give up two in the seventh: this leaves you coming home with hammer, and you should take two.  (While this is an on going argument in the curling community, most opinions I’ve seen agree with the above.)  But don’t give up three!!  You can be risky early, getting a feel of how your team is playing, but only if you have no other choice should you go for the double-angle raise tap/takeout.  Oh wait … I’ve done that.  But it was in the second end (early), it was my only chance at a point, and if I didn’t make it, they take three.  But I took one.  A four point swing, oh yeah!  Up by more than two in the last end?  Throw through.  Good skips know that, when you are behind in the score, rocks in play are your friends.

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