SASKATOON — Brad Jacobs wrapped up his post-game interviews, said “thanks” and was walking over to join his teammates when he added one last thought.
“Pretty cool,” the 36-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., said, grinning. “Who gets to do once-in-a-lifetime things over and over again, eh?”
Team Jacobs sure does, sports fans. They’re one win away from earning the chance to represent Canada on the Olympic stage, yet again.
On Saturday at SaskTel Centre, the 2014 Olympic gold medallist led his team to an absolute thrashing of Kevin Koe’s crew in the semifinal of Canada’s Olympic curling trials, an 8-3 win they led from start to finish, a game that ended after just six ends.
“Big win,” Jacobs said, and it was in every sense.
The stage is now set for the Battle of the Brads, with the winner representing Canada in Beijing in February. On Sunday night, Jacobs, his Harnden cousins — E.J. (the second) and Ryan (the lead) — and third Marc Kennedy will play Brad Gushue and his Newfoundland rink, the 2006 Olympic champions, for that coveted 2022 Olympic berth.
“It should be a heck of a game,” Jacobs said. “Really looking forward to it.”
A heck of a game is also in line on the women’s side after the legend that is Jennifer Jones punched her ticket to the final with an 8-3 win over Krista McCarville’s crew from Thunder Bay, Ont., in Saturday night’s semifinal.
When it was over, Jones raised her broom in the air and gave her teammates some solid high-fives while Tina Turner’s “The Best” played over the arena’s speakers. The 2014 Olympic gold medallist was beaming when it was all over.
“These are the moments that you play for, the adrenaline rush, the rollercoaster ride — it’s what makes sport so much fun to train for and to play, that you never know what’s going to happen on any given day and you just try to find your limits and how far you can push it,” Jones said. “And for our team, I’m so proud of the girls and to be in the final tomorrow is our first goal, and now we just want to go out and play well tomorrow.”
The 46-year-old skip, along with third Kaitlyn Lawes, second Jocelyn Peterman, lead Dawn McEwan and fifth Lisa Weagle, will be up against fellow Manitoba club Team Tracy Fleury that went undefeated through round-robin play.
The key is simple if you ask Jones: “Just make all our shots, no problem,” she said, smiling.
The women’s final is set for 11 a.m. local time, while the men play at 7 p.m.
The way Jacobs earned his way to Sunday’s trials final was absolutely emphatic, highlighted by “two beauties” from the skip, as Kennedy assessed it.
Beauty No. 1 came in the third end, when Jacobs made the biggest shot of these Olympic trials on his last rock, taking out two of Koe’s to stick an emphatic four. The skipper yelled “Yeah!” and pumped his broom in the air.
In the fifth, again with the hammer, Jacobs scored another four, navigating past a guard for a takeout to bring him to 8-1 at the break. After that one, Jacobs barely smiled and got a couple fist-pumps. It was clinical stuff.
“That pretty much put it away,” Kennedy said.
Koe stared at the ice during the break, down 8-1.
“I mean, it sucks, right,” the skip said when it was all over. Koe represented Canada at the last Olympics.
“What can you say?” he said. “I thought we were ready to play.”
The team’s lead, Ben Hebert, said they brought their “C Game.” Hebert added that whiskey would be consumed tonight.
“That’s the best I’ve seen Brad Jacobs’ team in a couple years,” said Team Koe second, John Morris.
Jacobs agrees on that point.
“They’re playing so well in front of me that it really is making my job seem quite easy and simple,” he said. “Really, this is the best team performance that I can remember that we’ve put together to this point.”
“We haven’t been too uptight, we’ve been relaxed and havin’ fun and really we’ve been following Brad’s lead,” Kennedy added. “Brad’s been fantastic. And I think when you feel like your skip’s gonna make everything, it allows everybody to be a little bit more relaxed and that’s kinda been the story of the week.”
E.J. Harnden echoed that thought.
“Brad’s pretty much been perfect and then it becomes about wanting to be somewhere close to him,” he said, laughing. “He’s made some phenomenal shots all week long. I think what’s been really impressive is just his composure and confidence and support for all of us. He’s out there making everything and he’s giving all of us what we need to be at our very best, too.”
Jacobs and the Harndens won Olympic gold in 2014, while Kennedy won it in 2010 alongside Kevin Martin. The 2022 Olympics would be Kennedy’s third trip – he competed in 2018 alongside Team Koe. For all of them to earn another shot at another Olympic gold, they have to get past Team Gushue.
“I think we all feel very confident heading into tomorrow’s final,” Jacobs said. “What’s it gonna take to beat those guys? It’s gonna take a near-perfect performance.”
The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
