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Russ Howard

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For similarly named people, seeRussell Howard (disambiguation).
Russ Howard
CM,ONL
Curler
Born(1956-02-19)February 19, 1956(age 68)
Midland,Ontario,Canada
Curling career
Member AssociationOntario(1979–1998)
New Brunswick(1998–2010)
Saskatchewan(2020)[1]
Brierappearances14 (1980,1986,1987,1989,1991,1992,1993,1994,1999,2000,2002,2003,2004,2009)
TopCTRS ranking12th (2004–05)
Grand Slamvictories0
Medal record
Men'scurling
RepresentingCanada
Winter Olympics
Gold medal – first place 2006 Turin
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1987 Vancouver
Gold medal – first place 1993 Geneva
RepresentingNewfoundland and Labrador
Canadian Olympic Trials
Gold medal – first place 2005 Halifax
RepresentingOntario
Labatt Brier
Gold medal – first place 1987 Edmonton
Gold medal – first place 1993 Ottawa
Silver medal – second place 1986 Kitchener
Silver medal – second place 1992 Regina
Silver medal – second place 1994 Red Deer
Bronze medal – third place 1989 Saskatoon
RepresentingNew Brunswick
Labatt/Nokia Brier
Silver medal – second place 2000 Saskatoon
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Calgary

Russell W. "Russ" Howard,CM,ONL(born February 19, 1956, inMidland,Ontario) is aCanadiancurlerandOlympic champion,based inRegina, Saskatchewan,but originally fromMidland, Ontario.He lived inMoncton, New Brunswick,from 2000 to 2019. Known for his gravelly voice, Howard has been to theBrier14 times (8 as Ontario, 6 asNew Brunswick), winning the title twice (both as Ontario). He is also a two-time world champion, winning in 1987 and 1993.[2][3]He has also won threeTSN Skins Gamesin 1991, 1992, and 1993, and participated in twoCanadian Mixed Curling Championshipsin 2000 and 2001. He won gold at the2006 Winter Olympics.He played in twoCanadian Senior Curling Championshipsin 2008 and 2009 finishing with a silver medal both of those years. Russ Howard was inducted into theOntario Sports Hall of Famein 2011.[4]He is currently a curling analyst and commentator forTSN’sSeason of Championscurling coverage.[5]

Career

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In 2005, he joined team Gushue to call the shots forBrad Gushue's team at the Canadian Olympic Trials, while he played second. Howard, along with Gushue (who throws last rocks), leadJamie Koraband thirdMark Nichols,went on to win the trials, giving them the right to represent Canada at the2006 Winter Olympics,[6]where they won the gold medal, defeatingFinland10–4 in the final match.[7]It was the first time that a Canadian team had won the gold medal for men's curling.[3]Howard, who turned 50 during the Olympics, is also the oldest Canadian to win an Olympic gold medal.[2][7]The oldest person ever to win a gold medal wasRobin Welsh,aged 54, who won gold in curling at the1924 Winter Olympics.

As a skip (captain), Howard has been in three previous trials (in 1987, 1997, and 2001), but never went on to the Olympics. Howard is also the innovator of the "Moncton Rule", which evolved into the "free guard zone",part of international and Olympic rules.[2]This makes his 2006 medal particularly significant, as it is likely that without the excitement this rule adds to the sport it would not have become an Olympic event in the 1990s.[8]

In the2009-10 curling season,although he played in bonspiels throughout the year, Howard did not curl in theNew Brunswick Tankarddue to his broadcasting commitments withThe Sports Network(TSN). Howard has been commentating curling events for TSN since 2001.

In 2006, he was inducted into theNew Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame.In 2013, he was inducted intoCanada's Sports Hall of Fame.[9]He was named aMember of the Order of Canadaand inducted into theWCF Hall of Famein 2015.[10]

Brier records

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At the end of the 2009 Brier, Howard had appeared in more Briers than any other player (14), and played more games at the Brier than any other player (174).[11]The 2012 Brier saw his brotherGlenn Howardtying his record for Brier appearances and breaking his record for most career games played at the Brier.[12]As of 2017, Russ had appeared in the second most Brier games ever, behind his brother Glenn.

Broadcasting career

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Howard stepped into the broadcast booth for the first time in 2001, serving as an analyst for TSN’s coverage ofthe Brier.[5]Since 2008, he has been a mainstay analyst on the network, also providing colour commentary for TSN’sSeason of Championscurling.[5]

Howard handled colour commentating duties for Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.[5]

Personal life

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Howard's grand-aunt,Jean Thompson,was an Olympic runner. His brother,Glenn Howard,is also a well known curler. Howard's daughter,Ashley Howard,is a competitive curler and the executive director of CurlSask, the governing body of curling in Saskatchewan.[13]

Outside of curling, Howard worked as a real estate agent for Royal LePage Atlantic, in addition to his commentator work withTSN,and as a curling coach in Switzerland. He moved to Regina, Saskatchewan in 2019 to be closer to his children.[14]

Teams

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Season Skip Third Second Lead
1979–80 Russ Howard Larry Merkley Robert Rushton Kent Carstairs
1985–86 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Tim Belcourt Kent Carstairs
1986–87 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Tim Belcourt Kent Carstairs
1988–89 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Tim Belcourt Kent Carstairs
1989–90[15] Russ Howard Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner
1990–91 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner
1991–92 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner
1992–93 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner
1993–94 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Wayne Middaugh Peter Corner
1994–95 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Peter Corner Ken McDermot
1995–96[16] Russ Howard Glenn Howard Peter Corner Noel Herron
1996–97 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Scott Patterson Phil Loevenmark
1997–98 Russ Howard Glenn Howard Noel Herron Steve Small
1998–99 Russ Howard Glenn Howard
Wayne Tallon		 Peter Corner
Rick Perron		 Neil Harrison
Grant Odishaw
1999–00 Russ Howard Glenn Howard
Wayne Tallon		 Peter Corner
Rick Perron		 Neil Harrison
Grant Odishaw
2000–01 Russ Howard James Grattan Rick Perron Grant Odishaw
2001–02 Russ Howard James Grattan Marc LeCocq Grant Odishaw
2002–03 Russ Howard James Grattan Marc LeCocq Grant Odishaw
2003–04 Russ Howard James Grattan Marc LeCocq Grant Odishaw
2004–05 Russ Howard James Grattan Grant Odishaw Marc LeCocq
2005 Russ Howard Mark Dobson Steven Howard Grant Odishaw
2005–06 Brad Gushue(fourth) Mark Nichols Russ Howard (skip) Jamie Korab
2006–07 Russ Howard Grant Odishaw Mark Dobson Steven Howard
2007–08 Russ Howard Grant Odishaw Mark Dobson Steven Howard
2008–09 Russ Howard James Grattan Jason Vaughan Peter Case
2009–10 Russ Howard James Grattan Jason Vaughan Peter Case

Publications

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Howard has released two books:Hurry Hard: The Russ Howard Story(2007), an autobiography that vividly describes his journey to becoming an Olympic gold medallist, andCurl to Win(2008).[17]

References

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  1. ^https://curlsask.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-SaskTel-Mens-Provincial-Team-List.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  2. ^abcEvans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen;Mallon, Bill;et al."Russ Howard".Olympics at Sports-Reference.com.Sports Reference LLC.Archived fromthe originalon 2020-04-18.
  3. ^abJones, Terry (2006-02-25)."Rockin' the house".Slam! Sports. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^"Russ Howard".oshof.ca.Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.Archived fromthe originalon 12 June 2018.Retrieved25 September2014.
  5. ^abcd"Russ Howard".
  6. ^"Pressure On Canada's Curlers".The Sports Network. Canadian Press. 2005-12-12.Retrieved2010-02-21.
  7. ^ab"Canadian men claim gold in Olympic curling".CTV Television Network. 2006-02-24. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-06-04.Retrieved2010-02-21.
  8. ^"History of Curling".Curling Canada.Retrieved2017-01-27.
  9. ^"TSN's Howard inducted to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame".TSN Curling.11 April 2013.Retrieved15 April2013.
  10. ^"Four Nova Scotians among Order of Canada honourees".The Chronicle-Herald,July 1, 2015.
  11. ^TIM HORTONS, NOKIA AND LABATT BRIER TOP CAREER GAMES PLAYED 1980–2012.cassidys.ca
  12. ^"Howard sets record in Ontario's win over Saskatchewan".TSN Curling.6 March 2012.
  13. ^"Howard clan carries big name into Sask Scotties".
  14. ^"Curling legend Russ Howard feels at home in Regina".
  15. ^Windsor Star,February 7, 1990, pg D3, Werenich overcomes bad omens "
  16. ^National Post,December 14, 1995, pg 53, "Howard bolts Penetang in move of convenience"
  17. ^"Author".
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