Hotties with brooms: U.S. women curlers have sex appeal

Mercury news ^ | Tom Powers

[pissant]

PINEROLO, Italy - One of the hottest tickets at the Sydney Summer Games in 2000 was track and field. Surprisingly, it wasn't because of the great sprinters or hurdlers that were performing, either.

A phenomenon occurred in the Land Down Under. It was dubbed "Babes Over Bars" by the local press. Well, maybe by the slightly less dignified media outlets. And it became the greatest show on earth.

As it turned out, an extraordinary collection of attractive women were competing in the pole vault. Several of them even posed for calendars and picture books. Suffice it to say, the women's pole vault never was more popular.

Say what you want about athletic ability being able to stand on its own merits, but sex appeal sells. And that applies to any gender and any sport.

[Colonel_Flagg]

It's to make a path. The sweeping smoothes the ice and creates friction that guides the stone. The idea is to lead it where you want it.

Sweeping actually heats the ice, which is pebbled rather than smooth, and makes the stone travel straighter and slightly farther. If you want the stone to hook more, you leave the ice the way it is. The motion in the rock is a function of how hard the handle is turned when it's released as well as how hard the ice in front of the rock is swept.

[discostu]

I thought it was rediculous until I actually sat down and watched. It's an impressive sport, a lot more physical skill required than it looks at first glance and a lot of hard strategizing.

[TBP]

Jennie Finch?

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[wallcrawlr]

give 'em some cred...it does take skill too


**former local curling champ, so I have some bias**

[conservativebabe]

So did I. I actually think this Olympics probably created a few more fans of the sport, or at the very least, peaked some interest in it.

[Dashing Dasher]

The USA Men's Curling Team won the Bronze, FYI.

[TBP]

[Mr. Brightside]

Here it is. Thanks to pissant. (never say he is good for nothing.

[Truth29]

Unfortunately,the American women teams look better than they played. It was the American men who won the bronze medal.

[TBP]

That looks like it could be Jennie Finch.

[Toby06]

Musta been a cool breeze that evening!

[Mr. Brightside]

Yeah, she looks pretty cool to me also.

[Dashing Dasher]

I thought you liked me in curlers!?

[Hegewisch Dupa]

Monty Python, as always, was right - it pays to "always look on the (Mr.) Brightside of life...."

Bless you

[llevrok]

Women +Cool air+T-Shirts = photo op.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Good taste Mr. Wherethehellhaveyoubeen. And a blonde to boot.

I've been busy. And it seems FR requires a degree from Bob Jones University to post here, lately, so my motivation to do so has been lower. ;)

[Maximus of Texas]

Is she allowed to have headlights while pitching?

[Steelerfan]

Oh, that was not nice.

Also, fyi, the woman from CSI also appeared in an episode of Firefly. I do not know if you like sci-fi, but if so it was worth checking out.

[PaulaB]

Those pics had me rolling

Thanks for a good Monday laugh :P

[Perdogg]

Excuse for being rude, but which one is supposed to 'hot'? They are cute in a neighbor's daughter sort of way, but not hot.