Robert De Niro and curling

Last night's curling match was so great that I feel I have to talk about it in a blog. Yes, it was that good. In fact, one moment stands out so powerfully that it was, for me, the focal point of the game. I'll always remember it anyway.

I'm the skip of my Monday night curling team. And last night's game was great on all counts. Both teams threw really well, both made impressive shots, and both displayed why curling is such a great game. And every now and then, intensity crept into it.

I had gotten mad last week myself. We won then, but man I tried to give that game away (as I blogged Tuesday). I apologized to the boys afterward for my fit of pique. It was at me, not them, and I wanted the guys to understand that. My lead, Matt, said, "No worries. Curlers need to get mad sometimes". And I get that. Anger channeled properly leads to accomplishment.

So last night, in the fifth, I was throwing the last rock of the end for a score of two (a deuce, we curlers call it, and what you strive for when you have the last rock of an end). I felt I threw it pretty good. The sweepers did too, Matt and Bob, and swept accordingly.

Until the last few feet: so I thought. They got off the stone, and I frantically yelled, "Don't stop!"

The Matt turned toward me and glared. He gave me The Look. The Stare. The Full On De Niro. The look that look said, "You talkin' to me?" Because you better not be, because we swept just right.`For emphasis, my stone just ticked an opposition rock and slid in for our second point. The deuce. My sweepers made it. De Niro was simply for emphasis.

You're right Matt. We curlers gotta get a little mad sometimes. Your De Niro moment was spot on.