There is little questioning that Brad Gushue is the face of men鈥檚 curling from coast to coast to coast in this wide-spanning, curling crazed nation.
The 2006 Olympic curling champion 鈥� who is in Victoria competing at the Pinty鈥檚 Grand Slam of Curling鈥檚 Elite 10 event at The Q Centre and locked up first place with two wins on Friday 鈥� is always a crowd favourite when it comes to World Curling Tour or slam events or Briers.
Female fans, both young and old, still swoon when the Newfoundland skip competes. He鈥檚 also popular with the male folk, who appreciate his abilities on the ice.
Always outgoing and giving, Gushue is as talented at working the crowd and mingling during breaks as he is at drawing the button. In fact, he鈥檚 been winning over fans since claiming his first of two World Junior titles back in 1998.
To say his interactions are enjoyed and appreciated is an understatement.
鈥淚 think we have a lot of great men鈥檚 curling teams with Kevin Koe, Brad Jacobs and Mike McEwen 鈥� there鈥檚 a good batch. Whether I鈥檓 the face or not, I don鈥檛 know. My face isn鈥檛 as pretty as it used to be, with the scars and the black eye and what not,鈥� he said with a chuckle, referring to a spill he took not long ago that left him black and blue and suffering from a head injury.
鈥淚 think just as I鈥檝e matured and got older, I don鈥檛 have to be as focused or intense to play at an elite level. I have that ability, now, that I鈥檝e learned over the years, to get away from the stress in the middle of the game, where I can go and interact with people. Then I can get back into the intense part.
鈥淚n the past I had to be in that zone for two and a half or three hours straight. I was too afraid, I guess, to get out of that zone where I couldn鈥檛 get back in. With the experiences that I鈥檝e had, I feel very confident now to do that and I think it鈥檚 beneficial for me to do that.鈥�
His performances prove it, including here at this event where he moved on to playoffs along with Reid Carruthers, Koe, McEwen, Steve Laycock and John Epping. He may not have been so popular after his afternoon 2 & 1 win over Rachel Homan bounced the only women鈥檚 team out of a playoff shot, but he still received the biggest roar as he left the ice.
Homan had defeated Charley Thomas 1-up in the morning in the match-play format.
Gushue and his rink of third Mark Nichols, second Brett Gallant and lead Geoff Walker are just coming off a runner-up finish at the Brier in Ottawa where he lost to Koe. Gushue is the leading money winner on the men鈥檚 tour with $128,551; he鈥檚 played in three of the four Grand Slam event finals so far in 2015-16; won six times overall this year; and there鈥檚 that 2006 Olympic gold medal that he owns.
鈥淚t takes a bit of the heat off, and the intensity and pressure, and it makes you relax and enjoy. The people love it, too,鈥� Gushue said of interacting with the crowd. 鈥淚t's fun seeing their smiles and having a laugh with them, taking a picture. It鈥檚 not going to take away from my performance and I think it adds something to their experience.
鈥淚 try and have a laugh and chuckle with people and not take it too seriously. At the end of the day, it is just a game. While I love it, and there鈥檚 a lot of pressure and we put a lot of time into it, it鈥檚 still just a game.鈥�
He鈥檚 been known for spending plenty of time answering to autograph seekers and photo requests and he has often given away jerseys and brooms to young fans in the stands.
In other words, Gushue gets it.
The only thing the 35-year-old hasn鈥檛 quite conquered is a Brier win, but there鈥檚 always next year in his native Newfoundland.
As for the Elite 10, Homan 鈥� who finished 1-3 鈥� said her experience playing against the men will not be forgotten as she felt very 鈥済racious and welcome.鈥�
鈥淚t was great, the fans were amazing cheering for us,鈥� she said.
