Even though it seems like nobody quite understands what curling is, it clearly hasn't stopped the world from falling in love with the Olympic sport. Twitter is blowing up with hilarious tweets about 2018 Olympic curling that show off how much everyone is enjoying watching the games, despite the fact they often don't know what, exactly, it is that they're watching.
And that's part of what makes curling so lovable. One look at it, and it seems like people are just using brooms to sweep the ice, while a bowling bowl glides along and people scream from the side lines. But there's so much more to it than that, and it actually involves a lot of skill.
"Curling is a simple concept, at its core," Kevin Skiver noted on CBS Sports. "It's like shuffleboard, but bigger, and on ice. Players slide large stones made of smooth granite across a sheet of ice to a target that is comprised of four circles, called the 'house.' Both teams get eight stones. There's a person throwing the stone and teammates who sweep. The sweepers decrease the resistance that the stone will meet, allowing it to travel further. They also decrease the 'curl' of the stone."
So that's what all that sweeping is; it's a strategic move to get the stone to end up exactly where the team wants it. Oh, and did I mention that these are real athletes doing the throwing and sweeping? Many people think curling isn't a sport, but that mindset is beginning to change.
"Obliterating the sport’s tired reputation as ground zero for paunchy, beer-swilling weekend warriors, curlers like [Thomas] Ulsrud, who is back at the Olympics for the third time with Norway, are representative of a growing emphasis on fitness — for men and women alike," said Scott Cacciola in The New York Times. "They bench press, bang out bicep curls and lay off the sauce."
And that's what makes curling team members, like two-time national champion Nina Roth, from the United States, so awe-inspiring. But even if you forget all the rules, and don't care about the athleticism, it's still possible to fall in love with the weird and wonderful game of curling.
Sure, it may look like "some broom on rock tapping," and it may cause you to question what you just saw, but it's hard not to get hooked after watching a few rounds. Look at all that drama and intrigue.
Again, nobody can get over the fact it looks like the curlers are simply sweeping the ice, which is why so many people have come up with their own versions of curling, like the videos below.
Twitter is jam packed with hilarious reenactments like these, with people furiously mopping and sweeping in their homes, or at work.
Love this.
But even though it's weird AF, and looks just like a chore you'd do on a Saturday, it's hard not to start rooting for your team of choice.
So go ahead and cheer on Team USA, which consists of five ladies on the women's team and five on the men's. And cross your fingers that the new team will do well.
According to TeamUSA.org, "... Nina Roth, 29, will lead the American women's curling team in PyeongChang. All five team members will be making their Olympic debuts. Roth is teamed up with Tabitha Peterson, Aileen Geving, Becca Hamilton, and Cory Christensen. This team finished fifth at the 2017 World Women's Championship and has had a strong 2017-18 season on the World Curling Tour."
Then, get back to zeroing in on the lovable details of curling.
For example, some folks are all about the uniforms. And really, how could you not be? The men's curling team from Norway caught a lot of attention for their colorful pants. See below.
All this curling hype has inspired people to give the sport a try in their own backyards. And many more are joining their local curling teams, after being inspired by the aforementioned drama and intrigue.
Cats love it, too.
And it can even be a cultural experirence.
But whatever it is to you, it'll definitely be addicting.
And hilarious to watch. Of course.
So go ahead and give curling a try. Or simply watch from your couch, in awe, just like everyone else. Because even if you have no idea what's going on, you'll definitely get hooked.
