Ferbey Can’t Compete With Arch-Rival Anymore

17/02/2009 00:03

Wainwright - A year ago, Randy Ferbey was prepared to continue bashing his head against the brick wall as if there was no definition of insanity.

"Nobody is quitting this team. Nobody is getting fired," the legendary skip said after losing the 2008 Alberta men's curling final to crosstown rival Kevin Martin in Spruce Grove, the last and obviously most damning of three such losses that week.

"Everybody has a job for the next three or four years if they want it. We've just got to keep doing what we've been doing and, hopefully, it works one day." A year later, it still isn't working.

It didn't work any of the three times Ferbey lost to the Brier-bound Martin foursome here this week.

It most obviously didn't work in Sunday's lopsided, embarrassing final, won 7-3 by a Martin foursome that totally outclassed its opponent from the opening rock to the eighth-end handshake. The script was practically the same as last year, two close games during the week, but with a Brier berth finally on the line, Martin surged and the Ferbey Four sagged again.

In their prime, Ferbey's rink rose to these occasions. Is Ferbey now ready to change something? "Absolutely," he said. "We have to change something because what we're doing right now is not working." Personnel? "No. Unless they want to get rid of me." What they want to shed is their losing streak, but you cannot simply will away something as dominant, youthful, energetic and confident as Martin's team, which includes John Morris, Ben Hebert and Marc Kennedy.

They are the reigning Brier and world champs and only seem to be improving, rather than resting on their considerable laurels. They apparently endured a bout of complacency near Christmas that was remedied with the throwing of "thousands of rocks," according to Martin.

Practice apparently makes short work of the provincials as they cruised to a 5-0 record and a third straight Brier trip together. On Sunday, they didn't miss a shot that hurt them, not really, and they made some good ones, too, though Ferbey's team was so pedestrian there was no need to uncork the circus shots for which Martin has become famous.

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SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:

Kevin Martin is simply the best. Better than all the rest.