If Mark Nicholas felt he'd been somewhat demoted with the arrival of Alberta's Randy Ferbey, he put up a good front at Thursday's news conference a the Bally Haly Curling Club.
Though he had trouble remembering the last time he threw second stones, that's what he'll be doing next year for the Brad Gushue rink which added Ferbey to a lineup that also includes Ryan Fry and fifth Jamie Danbrook.
Gushue said he hopes to learn from Ferbey's experience and Nichols feels the same way.
"I can't wait to get on the ice with them," said Nichols, who will move to second from third stones.
"When I heard about the option of adding Randy, I said 'wow. I like the look of this team'," Nichols said.
"There are new challenges ahead of us with players moving to different positions and taking on different roles. That's one of the things that's excites us... taking on new challenges and hopefully meeting and exceeding them," he added.
"I'll give it all I can in second position and focus on the shots that are in front of me," said Nichols.
"This change is something good for the team, something we can build on and learn from and I want to be a part of it.
"There's nothing wrong with playing under Randy and Brad. Ryan (Fry) and myself will challenge anyone's front end on tour and hopefully give them (Gushue and Ferbey) easy shots to win games."
Danbrook, meanwhile, will likely fill in for Ferbey, but throw second stones, at the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial men's playdowns.
A native of British Columbia, Danbrook was a member of the 2009 Canadian junior men's championship rink out of Prince Edward Island and threw second stones for Matthew Blandford's rink at this year's Labatt Tankard provincial men's curling playdowns.
Blandford was the only rink to beat Gushue at the provincials and Gushue said he remembered Danbrook and felt he curled well.
Danbrook said he didn't have to give it a second thought when he was asked to join the Gushue rink.
"I was at work when Mark (Nichols) gave me a call and I left work I was so excited," he said.
Danbrook says he doesn't feel any extra pressure playing for Gushue who is an Olympic champion.
"Personally, I just go out and play my game. It's going to be a learning experience or me."
"He has a lot of potential," Gushue said of Danbrook.
"Technically he's as sound a curler as I've seen in a long time. With a few tweaks and adjustments, we can help get him get to the next level and pretty quickly."
In the meantime, Fry joked about his situation with the team.
"It seems I'm moving down the totem pole every year," he said with smile.
"I'm very excited to play with Randy," added the Winnipeg native, who pointed out he moved to this province two years ago.
"Newfoundland is now my home and I'm committed to staying here for at least another four years," Fry said.
jbrowne@thetelegram.com
Supporting cast in favour of Ferbey addition
Mark Nichols
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Published on
April 9, 2010
- Published on June 30, 2010
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John Browne
CURLING
If Mark Nicholas felt he'd been somewhat demoted with the arrival of Alberta's Randy Ferbey, he put up a good front at Thursday's news conference a the Bally Haly Curling Club.
Though he had trouble remembering the last time he threw second stones, that's what he'll be doing next year for the Brad Gushue rink which added Ferbey to a lineup that also includes Ryan Fry and fifth Jamie Danbrook.
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Comments
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- Mike
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:04:31
I don't understand why people are so upset about this. Anytime you get a chance to better your team by adding an experienced veteran that you can learn from, you do it. When Russ Howard joined the team for the Olympics, he helped take Brad to the next level. Maybe Ferbey can take him even higher.
Marie, you say his obsession with being #1 is causing him to throw away his pride, but how is he throwing away his pride. Brad and Randy had issues 7 or 8 years ago, they have since moved on, and you can see that on TV events and at live events if you ever seen them play, they have great mutual respect for each other. And isn't being #1 what playing sports is all about? I do not know anyone who plays anything competitively to not be #1. # 1 is the ultimate goal that all athletes strive for, and if making a move to add someone will help you reach that goal, then I do not see an issue with it -
- Marie
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:01:03
What else is Mark Nichols suppose to do and say? No matter how he feels, and Fry also, they have to keep up the good appearances and attitudes in public.
Brad is stooping pretty low down now to ask Randy Ferby to join the
Newfoundland and Labrador team, after the rivaltry these two have had over the years, mostly because of degrading,
insulting comments made by Ferby.
For heaven's sake, Brad, your obsession with being No. One in the Curling World is causing you to even throw away your pride. -
- Polly
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:47:22
The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime. ~Babe Ruth
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- Jerome
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:39:26
Brad, what in the world are you thinking about? Randy Ferby, of all people!
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- Joe
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:39:06
Here's my idea of a better team with the same cast.Skip Nichols,2nd. Ferby,3rd. Gushue, lead Fry.
Jamie got dumped again.Wonder what he said this time. -
- Mike
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:53:50
I don't understand why people are so upset about this. Anytime you get a chance to better your team by adding an experienced veteran that you can learn from, you do it. When Russ Howard joined the team for the Olympics, he helped take Brad to the next level. Maybe Ferbey can take him even higher.
Marie, you say his obsession with being #1 is causing him to throw away his pride, but how is he throwing away his pride. Brad and Randy had issues 7 or 8 years ago, they have since moved on, and you can see that on TV events and at live events if you ever seen them play, they have great mutual respect for each other. And isn't being #1 what playing sports is all about? I do not know anyone who plays anything competitively to not be #1. # 1 is the ultimate goal that all athletes strive for, and if making a move to add someone will help you reach that goal, then I do not see an issue with it -
- Marie
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:49:18
What else is Mark Nichols suppose to do and say? No matter how he feels, and Fry also, they have to keep up the good appearances and attitudes in public.
Brad is stooping pretty low down now to ask Randy Ferby to join the
Newfoundland and Labrador team, after the rivaltry these two have had over the years, mostly because of degrading,
insulting comments made by Ferby.
For heaven's sake, Brad, your obsession with being No. One in the Curling World is causing you to even throw away your pride. -
- Polly
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:27:54
The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime. ~Babe Ruth
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- Jerome
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:14:41
Brad, what in the world are you thinking about? Randy Ferby, of all people!
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- Joe
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:14:12
Here's my idea of a better team with the same cast.Skip Nichols,2nd. Ferby,3rd. Gushue, lead Fry.
Jamie got dumped again.Wonder what he said this time.
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