The New Hockey: It Would Be Nice For NBC Sports To Explain Curling Rules and Scoring

Saturday mornings in the frigid winters at Niagara University meant one thing for me and my dorm-mates: eating wings and cracking open some liquid refreshment while watching the CBC Curling Match of the Week. We had no idea how the game worked or how it was scored. It just gave us an excuse to be social and avoid the freezing air outside.

So like many other Americans, my only exposure to Curling these days (sort of a guilty pleasure) is when the Winter Olympic games roll around. Now that I am older, but not necessarily wiser, it would be nice if NBC Sports would explain the rules of the sport and how scoring works before the first end begins.

Missed It By That Much!: An official measures distances between stones and the centre during the women's curling round robin game between Japan and the United States on day 5 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Vancouver Olympic Centre on February 16, 2010 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Then they could use the telestrator to explain what they mean by "guards", "house", button", etc mean while a match is being played. Otherwise they are just assuming that viewers have a clue what they are talking "aboot."

Oh Really?: Canadians fans during the curling game in Vancouver 2010 XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver Canada on February 16 2010. Photo by Gouhier Hahn Nebinger/ABACA PRESS COM

This would help the more casual Olympic viewers have a real clue as to watch is being televised. After all, there are not many rabid Curling fans like the Canadian pictured above in most of the lower 48.