Just as the first-ever Rock League stones were set to be thrown on Monday, two volunteers at a mini-curling activation on the second floor got to talking.
“I’m waiting for someone to do the double touch,” one man said, referring to the Olympic controversy that dominated headlines.
The other replied: “I don’t think that’s gonna happen. I think Canadians have learned their lesson.”
Meanwhile, just one floor below them, Canada’s Brad Jacobs opposed Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson in a curling match for the first time since the Olympics.
Competing on sheets next to each other in the inaugural Rock League draw at Toronto’s Mattamy Athletic Centre, Jacobs and Eriksson — rivals dating back to the hog-line skirmish in Cortina — did not interact as their 10-person teams went head-to-head.
“I have nothing good to say about Oskar Eriksson or that entire team or the Swedish curling federation right now. So I’m not going to say anything at all,” Jacobs said after his Shield Curling Club beat Eriksson’s Alpine Curling Club 2-1.
The beef began at the Olympics, when Eriksson accused Jacobs third Marc Kennedy of touching the rock beyond the hog line.
It led to a heated argument between Kennedy and Eriksson. The Canadians have stoutly denied cheating ever since, while accusing the Swedes of illegally setting up a hog-line camera in advance. Jacobs and the Canadians went on to win the gold medal.
‘Far from over’
On Sunday, CBC released video from Swedish TV in which Eriksson demonstrates double-touching. He then mentions the Canadians and says “evil unfortunately wins sometimes.”
Jacobs, the 40-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., said it’s clear that “this whole thing is far from over.”
“There was never any infractions of any kind. There was zero cheating at the Olympics. And this is all just ridiculous,” he said.
Eriksson, meanwhile, stood by his story.
“We called out that we thought they were doing something wrong. I think everyone’s seen videos and photos and everyone can think what they want. For me, it’s quite clear and obvious what was happening,” Eriksson, 34, said.
He added that only Brett Gallant from the Jacobs team has reached out.
“I think he’s the one that hasn’t been talking too much in the media afterwards either, so maybe he’s the smart one,” Eriksson said.
One twist at Rock League: the new professional curling outfit is testing hog-line cameras Monday through Friday, with full implementation potentially set for the weekend.
Teams would have one challenge per game, and only lose it if they were wrong.
“The cameras here are gonna help that if anyone is doing the same thing. Then I don’t think they can deny it,” Eriksson said. “But I don’t want to take away anything [Team Jacobs] has done in the past. They’re a great team, they’re great pro players even if they’re not touching the rock. And they’ve won a lot of events before the Olympics as well.”
The hog-line cameras are just one of a number of Rock League changes, also including seven-end four-person games, potential two-point rocks in the final end, less thinking time and in-game subs.
Jacobs said he’s focused on all the rest.
“Hog-line cameras? Not even a thought for me. There’s so many different rule changes that I don’t go over the hog line. I don’t think I’ve ever had a hog-line violation. I know maybe some players are a little bit more concerned about that than others. I don’t think we necessarily need hog-line cameras in curling,” Jacobs said.
He did admit, however, that the controversy could help the sport in general.
“That’s the blessing in disguise. But still, it was really hard on us and it was really hard on Sweden. They did that to themselves. Reputations were affected for really no good reason. And you know, it’s quite hurtful,” Jacobs said.
Niklas Edin, Eriksson’ skip at the Olympics, said he thought he might handle things somewhat differently if he was Jacobs.
“What happened happened,” Edin said. “We felt like we were addressing an issue and the reaction was really strong. So was it the reaction or the actual infraction that was the big thing? I’m not sure. I can’t say I wouldn’t feel the same thing if I was in his shoes. So if he feels that way, he feels that way. I’m not gonna try to change it.”
Edin, the captain of Typhoon Curling Club, took to the pebbled ice in the second draw of the day, leading his team to a 2-1 win over Frontier Curling Cub. Each match features a men’s, women’s and mixed doubles game. Teams earn one point for winning two of three and 1.5 points for a sweep.
In the evening draw, the Canadian-heavy Maple United, skipped by Rachel Homan, fell 2-1 to Northern United in a match that came down to the last shot of the mixed-doubles duel with both teams crowded around the house for the finish.
Action continues through Sunday on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
Jacobs and Eriksson won’t line up against each other again until potential matchups in Saturday’s mixed fours — when they could even share a sheet — or Sunday’s playoffs.
It is clear they won’t be sharing a beer before that.
“Luckily, I didn’t have to do the coin toss (to determine hammer) against him, or it was a wrestling game for the hammer, so that was good,” Eriksson said.
Added Jacobs: “I won’t be interacting with him. Period.”
Monday’s other action:
- The Swiss mixed doubles squad of Carole Howald and Benoit Schwarz-van Berkel won 6-4 over Alpine’s Almida De Valde and Oskar Eriksson of Sweden. Alpine’s lone victory was in women’s team curling, skipped by Switzerland’s Alina Paetz, who defeated Shield skipped by Canada’s Einarson 8-4.
- Typhoon, featuring decorated Swedish skips Anna Hasselborg and Edin, defeated Frontier 2-1 in Monday’s second draw. Typhoon won the men’s game 7-3 and mixed doubles 10-3. Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni skipped Frontier’s women to a 7-3 win.
- Northern, captained by Scotland’s Bruce Mouat, edged Maple 2-1 in the evening draw, winning 8-4 in men’s and 5-4 in mixed doubles. Homan skipped Maple to a 9-4 victory in the women’s game.
