Hope everyone is enjoying their summer. Before you know it curling will be upon us again.

Until then look back again and marvel at this shot that Glenn Howard made at this past year’s Brier. I think it’s still the best shot I’ve ever seen, what do you think?

In hearing the news earlier this week that Mike Harris was returning to Ontario, as reported by the Curling News, can’t say I’m really surprised – for a couple of reasons. But, then again for someone like me who is also involved in the golf business, it would have been hard for me to say no to the Banff Springs as well (but it will look good on your resume Mike)!

First off, from a media standpoint, his CBC gig seems to be going very well. To my eye he has developed into one of the better curling analysts we see on television these days and you can certainly tell that his comfort level is high. With the CBC being based here, and with Toronto generally being the sports media hub of Canada – this is where he needed to be.

Also, from a curling perspective, to move from a competitive province like Ontario to a super-competitive arena like Alberta in the first place seemed like sporting suicide. To have 2 of the top teams in the world in Ferbey and martin to go through to make a Brier, that is tough. Never mind the depth of top-quality team beyond those two…

Lastly, it is good to see him land at the Donalda Club – a place where he got his start in the business and where he will have a certain comfort level. Let’s hope this is a good move for Mike in the long-run.

The Curling News is reporting that Olympic heros Brad Gushue and Russ Howard will play together at this weekend’s Continental Cup of curling – and for the first time since Torino. Full story is here.

You can also check the weekend pairings for the Continental Cup here.

Since the Olympics the two skips have been leading their own rinks:

Gushue has replaced Russ with youthful Alberta import Chris Schille on the road to 2010, while Howard will seek his Brier fortune out of his hometown of Moncton, along with son Steven Howard. Thus, this fourth edition of the Continental Cup is the last hurrah of the men’s Olympic champions, in terms of the once-controversial lineup change that brought Howard on board in October, 2005.

I for one, couldn’t really see a real reunion on the ice for these 2 (before the next Olympics), but it does bear watching. Stranger things have happened…

It would be hard to have a better year in 2007 than Russ Howard had in 2006, wouldn’t it?

Word has it that Russ will play some with the Gushue team from Newfoundland in the coming season – but will also return to skip a team of his own based in New Brunswick. It does still semm strange looking back that Russ – the curler I have watched for years – is now an Olympic gold medalist. I would have never thunk it…

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Also, a nice story about Russ posted at the Midland Curling Club website (you’ll need to scroll down). A welcome home party was held for Russ at the curling club here in Ontario he once called home. They also celebrated his brother Glenn’s spirited run at this year’s Brier. Good read.

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The jockeying for the 2009 Olympic trials has officially begun…

In a rather unexpected move Kevin Martin has informed his old team of Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft and Don Bartlett that he will be leaving to form a new Alberta rink with (former) skip John Morris. TSN has more on the story here.

Should be interesting how these 2 successful skips adapt to playng together on the same team and whether Morris finally gets a chance at realizing his huge potential.

At the same time – perenial powerhouse rink – Team Furbey – have decided to stay together. hey will likely win some nice cash over the next 3 years, but the temptation of Olympic glory was too much for them and they have decided to keep a good thing going. TSN has the full scoop here.

Team Gushue Highway opened

Trevor Taylor, Minister of Transportation and Works, and the members of Team Gushue, the 2006 Olympic Gold Medal Champions in men’s curling, officially opened the first phase of the Team Gushue Highway to motorists today.

“The section we are opening is the first phase in the construction of the Team Gushue Highway, allowing for more free-flowing movement of vehicles in this ever-increasing, high traffic area,” said Minister Taylor. “The completion of the Team Gushue Highway is part of government’s ongoing commitment to improve the infrastructure and grow the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador.”

This phase of the Team Gushue Highway, from the Outer Ring Road to Kenmount Road, is 2.3 kilometres in length and cost $12.8 million. When completed, the Team Gushue Highway will eventually terminate at the Heavy Tree Road (Commonwealth Avenue)-Goulds Bypass-Pitts Memorial interchange, with a total length of 9.6 kilometres. It is estimated the second phase will total $40 million and will be cost-shared between municipal, provincial and federal governments.

Some members of the St. John’s and Bally Haly junior curling programs were also on hand today for the opening ceremonies.

“Naming the highway in honour of Team Gushue was an easy decision considering the exemplary manner in which they represented the province and the country in Torino,” said Minister Taylor. “Members of Team Gushue are role models for all Newfoundland and Labrador athletes and I’m sure they’ve inspired the young curlers in attendance here today.”

Bob Ridgley, MHA for St. John’s North, welcomed the news of the highway opening.

“This is a great day for motorists who travel in this area,” said Mr. Ridgley. “This highway will go a long way toward reducing traffic congestion in this region. I also applaud the decision by the Premier, the minister and the Cabinet to rename this highway in honour of our Olympic champions that have made us all so proud.”

Formerly known as the Bifurcation Road, this section of the Team Gushue Highway was funded under the Roads for Rails Agreement. Construction of this major project began in 2001.

Government will invest $300 million in infrastructure this year, of which $171 million is earmarked for transportation infrastructure, 97 per cent of which is being spent outside the Northeast Avalon region. This is the first installment of a six-year strategy for infrastructure improvements, exceeding $2 billion that will create more than 4,500 full-time equivalent jobs.