‘It’s incredible to see this level of play’ Brad Gushue’s latest Brier has his fellow Newfoundland and Labrador curlers buzzing
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It’s getting harder and harder to separate Brad Gushue from the Brier finale.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s Skip and his rink have won five of the last seven Briers from 2017 when they won their first in front of a raucous home crowd in St. John’s.
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The final win came on Sunday night, March 12, when Gushue defeated Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone 7-5 in the final.
After the win, Curling Canada proclaimed him “King of the Brier”.
St. John’s curler Greg Smith says the title is well deserved.
“I think the last five…I think six, seven years since (Gushue) won has really cemented his place in the finals,” said Smith, who has twice represented Newfoundland and Labrador in the Brier as the national champion. “He always had a good record in the playoffs and deserved to win Briers years before his first win.
“It’s incredible to see that level of play every time he goes there and to see what they’re doing in the playoffs is extraordinary.”
Gushue was joined by runner-up Mark Nichols, second EJ Harnden and leader Geoff Walker. The team was coached by Caleb Flaxey.
TIM HORTON’S BRIER CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN!!!
Congratulations Brad, Mark, EJ and Geoff – your winners of Tim Horton’s Brier 2023!#Brier2023 pic.twitter.com/veHeptaT7o
— Curling Canada (@CurlingCanada) March 13, 2023
Historic victory
The victory of Gushue Rink is historic in the curling world.
The trio of Gushue, Walker and Nichols now have five Brier Championships, one behind Randy Ferbey’s record number of six. It was the fifth win for this group since their first championship in 2017.
Harnden won, however, which was his second Brier title and first in 10 years.
With the win, Gushue also became the only person to skip her team to five Brier titles. He also won the Hec Gervais Most Valuable Playoff Award for his performance in the playoffs.
In the minutes after the win, Gushue was asked what standing in that thin air meant to him.
“That’s cool,” Gushue told reporters shortly after winning. “To be honest, when EJ came on the team he wanted to bring that (win) in. They’ve had so many tight runs with Brad Jacobs so to finish it off and get it for him and of course me, Mark, and Geoff, getting five is pretty awesome.
“It’s definitely a team win. It never gets boring to win.”
Championship Selfie #Brier2023 pic.twitter.com/f6AqlF3wFt
— Team Gushue (@TeamGushue) March 13, 2023
The biggest?
When you’ve won as much as Gushue’s rink, the conversation inevitably turns to who is the greatest of all time.
With a fifth championship in the trophy cabinet, alongside the Olympic gold medal, world title and 14 Grand Slam titles among their international wins, the Newfoundland and Labrador team has the credentials to be at the forefront of this conversation.
Smith says the answer to that question is a resounding yes, and he tweeted as much after Gushue’s win.
“I think a lot of people are thinking about it now more than ever,” he said. “It’s really cemented itself and is nearing (greatest of all time) status.
“He’s pretty close.”
VICTORY HIKE@TeamGushue with their signature stop at Center Ice to thank the fans ❤️ #Brier2023 pic.twitter.com/CWPFhjxZDC
— Curling Canada (@CurlingCanada) March 13, 2023
Improving the local scene
Gushue’s success at national and international levels has led to a surge in interest and participation in the sport.
Since his first win in 2017, it also means an increase in the level of competition for teams.
“I know for sure that it inspired so many young curlers and inspired me and my teammates to see what he’s doing,” Smith said. “What he really did is show us and pave the way for everyone else to be as good as we possibly can.”
When the Brier rolls around in 2024, it will be the sixth time a second team from that province has competed in the Brier since Gushue won his first Brier Championship.
One can only see that positively.
“It just means you’re going to push even harder, do more events and train more because it’s a wide, open field in the province,” Smith said. “He makes us better by winning.
“It forces us to be as good as possible because we have to beat the rest of the field.”
Next, Gushue and his team will represent the country at the 2023 World Men’s Curling Championships, being held April 1-9 in Ottawa.
There they will attempt to win Canada’s first gold medal at the event since 2017, which was, as it should be, won by Gushue.