The recently completed 2024 Brier was my favourite since 1980. That was the one when Rick Folk of Saskatoon won at the old Calgary Corral. I was fortunate enough to be there as a wet-behind-the-ears — whatever that means — member of the StarPhoenix sports department. I was given the wonderful opportunity to cover the Brier. Rick Folk, the late Ron Mills, and brothers Tom and Jim Wilson never — in their wildest dreams — would have thought they would be the last to win the second biggest event in Canadian men’s curling. (Winning the right to represent Canada at the Olympics is the biggest.)

Mike McEwen, Colton Flasch, and twins Kevin and Dan Marsh were just a handful of shots away from ending the streak on March 10, 2024. I was all-in for McEwen, but didn’t close my eyes during key moments like my spouse and mother did. They did us proud. The team, I mean, although my wife and mom make us proud too. I have had mixed feelings about the import rule. That started to change as I watched McEwen, a Manitoban, find his game and lead us to the final. It felt like he was one of ours, unlike others such as Matt Dunstone, who was just passing through town. Watching McEwen knock off Dunstone and Brendan Bottcher in consecutive do-or-die games was exciting. Make no mistake, it was nice hearing how honoured McEwen was to play for us. He won us over, and looked snazzy in green. Having imports goes way, way back.

In 1962, for example, Bayne Secord of Saskatchewan skipped the Ontario team. Russ Lindberg and Vern Larson, both of Saskatchewan, were also on the team. Those are three of the best curlers to ever play in these parts. Ernie Richardson represented Saskatchewan that year, winning in a playoff against Hec Gervais of Alberta. Now back to recent times. After Rachel Homan moved to Alberta, the eligibility criteria was changed so curlers could play for the province where they were born. That makes sense. One change that makes me chuckle is Brad Gushue having two imports. Neither E.J. Harden nor Geoff Walker were born in Newfoundland and neither has lived there. Mark Nichols and Gushue are true Newfoundlanders. Since Harden joined up when Gushue was already Team Canada, it was ruled that Gushue could have two imports, given that his team doesn’t represent a province or territory. There is a tiny bit of logic in Curling Canada’s thinking, but it seems the sheet is tilted when one team can have two imports. They get to play on the Pinty’s tour with both. That’s not fair. It will be interesting to see what will happen to the Gushue lineup should he ever relinquish the Canadian title. He may never though. By the way, the last time Saskatchewan was in the final was in 1995, when Brad Heidt was at the helm of our team.

I recall writing a column about Heidt being hard on his teammates during games. Heidt phoned me from Halifax and yelled so loud that he really didn’t need a phone. Kerry Burtnyk defeated Heidt in the final. (Note: It bothers me when talking heads, like those on local news radio, say it has been 29 years since the province had a finalist without saying who it was.) The glory days of Brier attendance seem to be gone with the event now being played in smaller venues, like the old one that sprung a leak in Regina. In 2005 in Edmonton, attendance was more than 280,000. Seven times the Brier has had attendance of more than 220,000, including twice in Saskatoon, topping out at a remarkable 248,000 in 2000. At 101,000, the Regina Brier ranks 29th in all-time attendance. Memories from 1980 I have a number of memories from the 1980. Jim Wilson and I played together for four years in high school, one year in junior and then one in men’s play. There is no cheering in the press box, but it was hard not to be excited for him.

The 1980 Brier included skips such as Paul Gowsell, Al Hackner and Russ Howard. Folk finished first in the round robin with a 9-2 record. Hackner and Gowsell were 8-3 and played in the semi-final. Hackner scored two on the 10th end to win 6-5. Folk jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two ends against Hackner. The Northern Ontario team clawed back to make it 7-6 after eight ends. Folk got three on the ninth to salt away a 10-6 victory. I got paid to watch curling, but writing was long and onerous. Most nights ended between 1 and 2 a.m., and then the reporter for the Regina Leader-Post and I would go out to get something to eat. I mention the late nights because they played a part in me sleeping in and missing half of the final game. I woke up and turned on the television, and was overcome with panic when I saw the game was being played without me.

 As I recall, I got to the rink in the sixth end, with Folk up 6-3. Other reporters brought me up to speed on how the points were scored. At the end of that Brier, Folk and the Wilsons were named to the all-star team. Mills had the second highest shooting percentage among thirds. Shooting percentages in those days tended to be in the 70s. In the final, the Folk team shot 74 per cent and Hackner’s crew 73. As been mentioned over and over on Brier telecasts, it has been 44 years since a Saskatchewan team won the Brier. To put this in perspective, when we last won, Vic Rauter was 25 years old, Russ Howard was 24 and Joanne Courtney wasn’t born, and wouldn’t be until 1989. Here’s to 2025. Go Green.

-Cam Hutchinson