{"time":1763836725372,"blocks":[{"id":"dg1NGyzpXs","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"I felt like texting Al Hackner the other day."}},{"id":"gfAvQbl42S","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Why\nnot? He’s a curling legend, his stories are legion, and he’s a groovy fella."}},{"id":"CAc67KYXDV","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"I\nhad recalled some Brier predictions he’d made back in the day – when he wasn’t\ncompeting in them – for The Curling News. I would occasionally ask him and a few\nothers (Randy Ferbey, Mark Dacey, the Middaughs and others) to pass their best\nguesses onto the curling fans, using our pages."}},{"id":"Xrlo5w4jau","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"He\ndid one in 2011, which Senior Columnist Kevin Palmer spotlighted in this 2023 “Buried\nCurling Treasure” piece."}},{"id":"CtcaCW5r0t","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"So\nI asked Al if he would do so again, for these Olympic Trials, now underway in Halifax."}},{"id":"zlMvbdup1a","type":"image","data":{"caption":"The Hack (centre) and his boys at the 2023 Brier","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/f12773c5-884a-45c4-b3be-295b93484647.jpeg","width":2428,"height":1366}}},{"id":"V_9VJxZkPY","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The\nIceman says he still curls twice a week – recreationally – and plays hockey\nfour times a week. In fact, he’s curling this weekend in an indigenous mixed\nbonspiel in his hometown of Nipigon, Ont. with his wife, his sister and a friend from\nthere."}},{"id":"4JNcXvk66f","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":" “I plan on watching a lot of the (Trials) games,” said Hack. “As\na homie, I’m cheering for the six Northern Ontario boys on teams Dunstone,\nJacobs and Epping."}},{"id":"vFlhVq-R28","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"“And Homan and Einarson, as I think\nthey will be Canada’s best representatives.”"}},{"id":"iIQorKYn0f","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"So\nthere you go. And here we go, with Al Hackner’s 2025 Olympic Trials predictions:"}},{"id":"NWVf4purOC","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"I’m not going to comment on each team, I see\ntier levels instead."}},{"id":"T7GyPKZmF8","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Women\n\n"}},{"id":"qmz8OecBJZ","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Tier 1 – Homan. Huge favourite. Everyone’s\npick.\n"}},{"id":"i5c3jOvJNY","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Tier 2 – Einarson, Black. Proven teams in\nplaydowns and ’spiels.\n"}},{"id":"PWeDg4rSoR","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Tier 3 – The rest of the field. All just a shot\nor two from getting to that next level.\n"}},{"id":"7vOxDAUssT","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\nMen\n\n"}},{"id":"e9bgIIax0R","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTier 1 – Jacobs, Dunstone. Coin flip every time\nthey play each other. Evenly matched at every position.\n"}},{"id":"uc2QhKIpR-","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Tier 2 – Gushue,\nEpping, McEwen. These three all have moments of good play and just average\noutings. The skips will decide who makes the playoffs from this group.\n"}},{"id":"ewHF2_SFQS","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Tier 3 – The rest of the field. A balance of\nyouth and veterans. Good teams, but not there right now… but one of these might\nsurprise."}}],"version":"2.31.0"}

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