Scott Baird is Oldest Olympian and a Curling Guru
True confession time: I grew up in the Midwest and used to spend my "rest periods" at rink, drinking coffee and watching the curling leagues play in the adjoining ice sheets. It was one of the only places where I could talk to a "normal guy."
We used to broadcast the curling leagues on the weekend, sponsored by the local beer companies. As a bratty teenager I called curling "Ice Bowling" and felt it has about as much potential to become an Olympic sport as ballroom dancing. Shows you how much I knew!
But now in my (ahem!) older years you will not catching my dance partner and I in competition, but it's heart-warming to see Scott Baird get his shot as an alternate on the US Olympic Curling Team. At 54, Scott is the oldest athlete to participate in the modern Olympic games.
However don't let Baird's gray hair and calm personality fool you. Baird's a living legend in the curling world. His ability to repeatedly slide a stone down the ice with precision placement is legendary. He is a natural coach and brings a wealth of knowledge about Curling (chess on ice,) to the US team. It would be great to see him get a shot and give the "kids" a run for the gold.
PS: The morning news tells us, Grandma Luge, AKA Anne Abernathy of the US Virgin Islands, the oldest women at the Olympics, has withdrawn from the competition due to a broken wrist. Pity. Anne's been an inspiration to a lot of women by participating in the games, and over coming cancer and a string of injuries.
We used to broadcast the curling leagues on the weekend, sponsored by the local beer companies. As a bratty teenager I called curling "Ice Bowling" and felt it has about as much potential to become an Olympic sport as ballroom dancing. Shows you how much I knew!
But now in my (ahem!) older years you will not catching my dance partner and I in competition, but it's heart-warming to see Scott Baird get his shot as an alternate on the US Olympic Curling Team. At 54, Scott is the oldest athlete to participate in the modern Olympic games.
However don't let Baird's gray hair and calm personality fool you. Baird's a living legend in the curling world. His ability to repeatedly slide a stone down the ice with precision placement is legendary. He is a natural coach and brings a wealth of knowledge about Curling (chess on ice,) to the US team. It would be great to see him get a shot and give the "kids" a run for the gold.
PS: The morning news tells us, Grandma Luge, AKA Anne Abernathy of the US Virgin Islands, the oldest women at the Olympics, has withdrawn from the competition due to a broken wrist. Pity. Anne's been an inspiration to a lot of women by participating in the games, and over coming cancer and a string of injuries.
