BBC Two Day 15: Men's Curling: Gold Medal Match - Sweden v United States Winter Olympics

MUSIC PLAYS

Good morning from the penultimate

day of competition here in

Pyeongchang, eight gold medals up

for grabs today. We might be slowing

down towards the end of it all, but

these athletes certainly are not. If

you were watching on BBC One, you

will see we have just had a history

in the parallel giant slalom, Ester

Ledecka becoming the first woman to

win a gold medal in two different

sports at the same Winter Olympics,

our first super-G on the skis, his

second coming are now favoured

snowboard. We are going to head

straight back there, because the

men's final is just coming up, so

let's rejoin our commentary team.

This is it, the men's parallel giant

slalom, the big final. Sangho, on

the blue course.

Korea is guaranteed

a silver or gold medal, but which

colour will it be?

He is up against

the Swiss.

Has been riding very

strong all day.

You call it, you are

the expert!

I don't know, my heart

is saying Lee Sang Hwa oh, but as we

have seen, one tiny mistake can

throw it all up. I will tell you in

about one minute's time!

Here we go,

all of Korea expects, it is a better

start from Lee, who had a shocking

start in the semifinal.

start in the semifinal. Taking a

conservative line on the top of the

course. That is a long way back, he

is going to have to go for it now,

needs to carry speed from the steep

to the flat. And Galmarini from

Switzerland is looking good.

Just

coming over the last knoll now.

Karen Lee pull out the spectacular

again?

He did very well at the end

of the course last time.

Switzerland

take the gold, Lee will have to

settle for silver.

The crowd is

still going wild, I think they are

very happy with the medal.

That is

absolutely wonderful. And Nevin

Galmarini takes the gold medal for

Switzerland. Sea has had a fantastic

day, qualified in first, just

flawlessly all day, a deserving

winner, I think. And the league,

this is a personal best, fear that

the World Championships last year in

Sierra Nevada. -- and leave. He won

the world junior championships in

2015, but he has invested so much of

his time, energy, for these home

Olympic Games, and for Nevin

Galmarini, he has gone one better,

silver medallist in Sochi four years

ago, and now a gold medal in the

men's parallel giant slalom.

Yeah, he was flawless all day today,

wasn't he?

That is what you call a

perfect race, absolutely perfect.

Yeah, just looking at it, yes, he

was actually able to catch up from

the steep to the flat, the second

intermediate time, gained back 0.2

of a second.

He seemed faster at the

end of the course than at the start.

Yeah. Look at the edge

angle there. He didn't need to reach

for the line, he knew he was

guaranteed the medal.

Celebrations for the Swiss, but also

in South Korea, that is their first

ever Olympic medal on snow,

brilliant stuff in Pyeongchang for

the locals. We will stay on the

snowboard now, because the big air

final has been a brilliant addition

to these Winter Olympics, and Billy

Morgan from GB was hoping it could

be a brilliant end to its Winter

Olympics. He qualified in sixth

place a few days ago. Carlos Garcia

Knight from New Zealand was the lead

qualifier in that qualifying heat.

The format change slightly. Instead

of the best of two jumps, there are

three jumps, the best two counting

and being added together to get your

overall champion. Let's join Tim

Warwood and Ed Leigh.

Yes, this is good news, Billy Morgan

took a big hit in training, so the

fact that he is up here is great

news. Hamish McMurray tanned Rowan

Coultas next to him, Billy just

watching the flags. He made it

through with big backside triple

1440 Caulker, but it was huge, and

that is what he wants to land now.

-- cork.

Backside triple cork, it is

massive!

Couldn't hold it.

It was

huge! Billy! Backside triple cork

with the nose grab. Oh, and he was

cleaning to that with his

fingernails. He really was.

Like

hanging off the edge of a cliff, and

now the pressure is on Billy.

30.0, Billy Morgan has it all to do

on his final two jumps.

Toutant has

been in the game for more than a

decade, so, so strong. The Canadian

is considered a veteran at 25, but

he can ride everything.

he can ride everything. Of late, he

has been eclipsed on the Canadian

team by the likes of Mark McMorris.

Switch frontside 1620, and the first

rider to properly send it deep into

the landing.

That is very, very

nice! That is huge.

Huge trick. He

has put himself very much in the

running for this title, that is a

massive trek to punch out. 84.75,

the judges leaving themselves

somewhere to go.

Next in, it is the

Norwegian, Torgeir Bergrem, and we

watched him yesterday.

Winding up into the backside 1620.

Huge, huge trick.

Look at the

Norwegian!

He the snowboarder's

snowboarder, the Ryan Giggs of

snowboarding, widely considered to

be one of

beautifully skilful.

Look

at that, keeping the board pretty

much straight on the take-off,

judges like that, using the grab

rails on the board to full effect.

And he is happy with it.

88.50,

first place for Torgeir Bergrem, and

deservedly so. Kyle Mack, a rider

always renowned for his different

grounds, made it into the finals

with a backside triple cork 1440

with a Japan grab, which almost

stalled the rotation. Oh!

My

goodness!

That is the best one we

have seen from him.

Without a doubt,

the best one we have seen from him.

To put the Japan grab in the middle

of the trick kills all the rotation,

and then as he brings it back, it

really is, reignites the trick, like

a turbo charge.

It is likely peels

back an elastic band and then lets

go of it in the middle of the trick.

The instinct, every part of it must

be saying, let go, save yourself!

Olga Rypakova!

Uses the urge and

hold onto that one.

-- pull the

ripcord.

82.00, that is as good as

you can go.

Well, it wasn't switch.

True, true.

Switch regarded as more

difficult.

Back to the top, and this

man is the king of big air.

man is the king of big air.

So the

Canadian dropping in normal,

forwards. Backside triple cork 1620!

Oh, that was a work of art!

It was

huge, and it was clean.

Take a look

at Max Parrot there, he has done the

whole trick on the take-off, he

grabs, he is not working, not

fighting it. The whole trick, from

start to finish, is done on the

take-off, and if you look, that 180

looks like it is part of the trick.

Max Parrot, we know he has got the

cab 1800 in his bag, he has got two

goes at that. Bergrem in first,

Parrot and second, Toutant and

third. Kyle Mack is the only other

rider in the 80s. Billy under

pressure now, he has worked so hard

to get here, he tore his lateral

crew should ligament, that kept him

off his board for a month before

these games. -- cruciate.

Come on,

Billy! Massive again!

And he holds

it up, yes, it was huge, and he put

the nose grab on it, the hardest

grab! Yes, Billy!

Really, really

nice. Huge triple cork. If the

judges are rewarding size, they have

got to give them a big present for

that one. Oh, my goodness! Borrow

Chuck Norris's thighs to put this

one down, I think. And relief for

the British fans watching. 82.5

zero.

There we go, that is the score

on the board. Billy Morgan has a

serious, serious shop now. Next in,

Sebastien Toutant, the Canadian is

sat on a very, very powerful 84.75.

A bit of breathing room here. And I

think it is completely fair to say

that this kid is a video game

snowboarder, he will go backside

again here.

again here. Backside 1620.

How did

he hold onto that?! It was like a

rodeo clown!

Huge, huge, huge second

hit for the man from Quebec.

He

looked like he was handing onto a

palomino at the rodeo on the way

out, but some of the toe edge stayed

in contact with the snow. Two 1620s,

this is very, very precious. 89.50,

that puts him in a very, very strong

position!

position!

I want to see this boy do

well, Kyle Mack. Powerhouse. He is

so mostly, he even sinks in

saltwater.

He is a human Mack truck!

If you have some gates that need

smashing down, you can call him!

He already has the backside 1440.

Ooh!

No!

That is a bloody Dracula!

And I am not swearing,

that is the name of the grab,

both hands on the tail.

I have never seen it in a 14.

I have seen him do it on the 1080.

I don't think he can believe

that he has put it down in the 1440.

Four called rotations, both hands on

the tail. He is fizzing after that

one.

Not massive.

Not at all.

We saw

what happened with Sage Kotsenburg,

pulling something out of the

ordinary in such, and it dominated

slopestyle for him, and I think Kyle

Mack could do the same, this could

push close to the 90 mark.

Two big scores and in second

place at the moment.

So, Mark Mcmorris, and he

So, Mark Mcmorris, and he always

delivers in this situation. 11

months ago he was in a medically

induced coma after breaking his

ribs, his pelvis, his humorous

unsure and spleen. He broke his

femur in 2016, he is the king of

rehab.

rehab.

Same trick.

It is over for

Mark McMorris! And the Olympic Ring

once more slips through his fingers.

Twice he has had the bronze medal

but by his extremely high standards,

it was always a gold medal he was

after.

A huge cheer from the crowd,

they know what he's gone through,

what a journey he has had to be

here.

An incredible work effort, Max

Parrot, the second man after Billy

Morgan to land a quad core. Accused

of lacking style at times but

certainly addressed that. Will we

see the cab 1800?

Is this it? It is!

And he has gone!

He has landed

hundreds of those in training and

suddenly everything is wide open. If

he had landed this trick, the final

was put to bed. We have got that

lovely finish, and we are coming to

the boil now because we have the

finish where the pressure is on Max

Parrot.

Oh, his chin goes down. His

face! Do you want a grated cheek on

your toast?

It is like sandpaper.

His switch backside 1620, he dropped

but now he has to deliver, Carlos

Garcia Knight.

Spirit is very high

in the New Zealand camp with the

16-year-old Porteus taking the

bronze earlier in the day.

Switch

again.

He has gone too big. He went

to big! And that is the end of

Carlos Garcia Knight. Oh, my

goodness! Bottle that up, Eau Of

Disappointment.

His mum and dad

would drive to the mountain, sit in

the car while he shredded all day on

the mountain.

He made it look easy

in qualification.

He did. Let's look

at the standing.

So, Billy Morgan I think will go for

the frontside 1440 triple core but

if he lands this, he is well within

the medal scores but remember he is

the second of 12 riders to drop in

the third and final jumps of men's

Big Air.

We know the whole of

Southampton is watching this.

They've rented the sports centre,

there will be a big crowd cheering

him on, and he needs to go

absolutely stratospherically that

isn't something he struggles with,

to be honest.

Come on, Billy Morgan

except!

to be honest.

Come on, Billy Morgan

Double grab! Billy Morgan, yes!

Billy Morgan with a double grab!

That is massive, absolutely huge!

Oh, my goodness. He had us all

scared, he slammed in practice,

dropped his first jump and he has

delivered second and third jump.

This is very, very pressures.

He's

grabbing the tail and the mute on

that.

The judges will love that,

they will love it! One line, two

lines!

Beautiful, stands up like

Michael Knight from Knight Rider.

Yes, Billy Morgan!

Yes, Billy Morgan!

85.5, he is an

bronze medal position and it is a

very long guns nervous wait for the

man from Southampton.

man from Southampton. This man is in

very enviable position. Where will

Sebastien Toutant take this third

and final jump?

Not one jump in the

90s from the first two. The judges

leaving plenty in reserve.

Would you

trust Chris Corning wouldn't try a

quad?

I don't trust he won't. He was

chucking them on the practice in

Munchen club back for a laugh.

So,

dropping in switch.

He has gone

massive...

And he tried to tidy it

up, the cab 16, just by going even

bigger, he wanted to add to that

score. This would be such a huge

result for Sebastien Toutant. You

look over his results and it is only

the Quebec slopestyle key won. That

looks like visualisation of the quad

core.

Is he going to try to do the

quad core? This jump is too small to

see that trip.

I don't know, it

looks like it.

He is starting right

back there. Surely not.

I think he's

going forward. -- for it.

This would

be history right here. This would be

the first quad in competition.

I

think he is going. I'm nervous and

I've never seen him this site.

He is

going to have to rip this so hard.

It is... And he nearly made it!

It is... And he nearly made it! Oh,

my goodness! The backside quad core

makes its appearance at the Olympics

and we've been talking about it

since day one at the slopestyle and

we finally see it. Chris Corning has

been building his entire career

around the idea he's going to come

to the Olympics and land a quad core

and then the jump is too small.

Has

that stopped him? No. He has ripped

it.

Full credit to this man. Two,

three...

He dips so late. He only

needed a tiny, tiny bit more. Wow,

Chris Corning has bent physics.

Anxious wait for Billy Morgan as we

start getting through the heavy

hitters. This final here running in

reverse order of qualifiers.

I am

starting to get restless in my seat.

I feel like I have got ants in my

pants.

He drops in switch... Oh, and

he has dropped it! How? How? After

being so consistent? I suppose it is

a difference trick. He has worked so

hard on that backside 1620, and he

squandered it. The second jump is

when it started to go wrong for him.

He is such an incredible snowboarder

but he battles with consistency on

the biggest stages.

What a shame for

the Norwegian.

Next in, Kyle Mack,

currently sitting in silver medal

position. So, for Mack, an

improvement for -- from his first

jump. If he can bump his score up...

He will need 87. He can pull it up

to 87, he can move into gold medal

position.

I don't think we will see

1440 in the high 80s.

He will need

to... He either needs a 16 or a grab

that is truly out of this world and

with the bloody Dracula on his

frontside 14, that is as much as it

can do.

Backside triple core 16,

very nearly ran to 18.

What? 1620

Japan? Wow!

I think he was trying to

take it around to 1800, by the looks

of it.

I'm looking down to this and,

right now, of all the riders left to

drop, Mark McMorris, Niklas

Mattsson, they've dropped their

first jump is. There's only one man

who can knock everyone out. So,

Sebastien Toutant guaranteed silver.

Kyle Mack guaranteed bronze. So,

Billy Morgan can only get blasted by

that man.

The hole of the UK now

just needs to watch this jump

through their eyes. Of course they

watch it through their eyes! They

need to watch it through their

fingers. I am beside myself, I can't

watch it. I'm torn between my friend

in bronze and one of the best

snowboarders trying to do business

on this big edge jump.

The hardest

trick we will see on this jump.

Let's make no mistake about it,

here's here for gold.

He is coming

in backwards.

in backwards. Oh, no! He has gone!

What? Max Parrot scaling back his

jump and missing.

He went to the

gold and he went home with nothing.

So, the medals are settled. We said

it was a long shot but Billy Morgan,

Great Britain, Southampton's finest

snowboarder go home with a bronze

medal!

medal! In exactly the same way Jenny

Jones worked so hard and was able to

crown an impressive career with the

glory of an Olympic medal, Billy

Morgan has done the same thing. The

man who has pioneered so many tricks

but really struggled for that core

acceptance from the sport has come

here and landed two breathtaking

tricks under pressure to take a

silver medal and the story isn't so

different for Sebastien Toutant in

gold-medal position. It is so lovely

seeing these two powerhouse nations

of snowboarding, Canada and America,

matched very, very closely by

Britain, one of the minnows of

snowboarding. In Billy Morgan, we

have one of the most courageous and

pioneering of snowboarders. He has

earned his reward here at the first

ever Big Air in Korea. A bronze

medal. Congratulations, Billy.

Oh my God, Billy Morgan, you legend!

What a wild ride that was.

What are

you thinking right this second?

I

don't know, it's wild. I had bad

training, I fell, and I thought it

was game over. I was thinking, I

hope I don't fall over three times.

They would be devastated. My mates

are in a bar watching.

That was your

mind saying, come on!

If I land one

jump, I'll be stoked and I did two.

The first one was so deep and we saw

you have the crash. Second run, you

land it. What do you think going

into the third?

I didn't land one of

them in practice, and I had a sore

bottom. And Hamish said, go slower

and time it right. I just landed it

and I didn't know what to do.

Hasn't

sunk in yet you are a bronze

medallist?

No, I'm sure it'll hit me

later. I never expected it. If you

come in shooting for a medal, you're

ready for it but I didn't.

Two weeks

ago would you have thought that,

with your knee injury?

No. Like I

said, I said I'd be stoked if I made

the finals.

So, happy days.

Absolutely brilliant stuff from

Billy Morgan. The fifth medal of

TeamGB's Winter Olympics. It makes

it officially the most successful

Winter Olympics of all time it

stands. We are still waiting on

classification from four years ago,

we potentially wait for five, but

this makes it Britain's most

successful Winter Olympics.

Are you still teary, Tim?

That is

going to stick. We had it with

Jenny. Snowboarding is such a small

community, we all know each other

and certainly the British guys,

we've known each other for years. To

have to commentate on your friend in

an Olympic final, then winning a

medal. It's something I struggle to

do, I realise. I shed a little tear

but amazing, what a day.

We have heard from Billy, he had

injury problems, his dad had health

complications, to win a bronze,

incredible when you put everything

into consideration.

The standard of

the qualifiers, one of the best

snowboard competitions I have ever

seen, and any other day I would have

given Billy a really good shot, but

what we knew of the qualifiers and

how training had gone down, it was

really high level, possibly the

highest we have ever seen at a

contest. And into that the fact that

he had not ridden through January

with his ligament damage, and as you

say, his father had a stroke back in

the summer. It is ridiculous that he

managed to find that, crashing

moments before the final start,

dropping his first jump, to then

pull it all back together and land

two incredible jumps was

breathtaking.

And the third one, the

one he didn't nail previously, that

shows a lot of guts.

It really does,

considering he has not landed it

that much, he has had it in his

arsenal, he has been practising it

over the last few weeks, and is

coached texted me a video of it,

saying, what do think of this? Me

and Ed watched it about 50 times,

saying, that is a potential medal

winning trick, and he has done and

under the highest amount of

pressure, on his final jump, last

bite of the Jerry, pulled it out of

the bag, perfect, won him a medal.

One official medal on snow coming

into the Games, two in the freestyle

in Pyeongchang, what do you hope it

does for the sport of freestyle

skiing and snowboarding?

After

Jenny's medal, we saw the snow domes

and dry slopes below, lessons were

oversubscribed across the UK, so we

know how much of an impact that has

had. And you hope, looking forward,

the programmes that GB runs, the

futures project, the pathway

Project, which draws new talent from

grass-roots areas, puts them through

their paces, brings them up to this

elite level, hopefully we have got

plenty of talent behind Billy,

Jenny, Aimee, Katie, but it is the

younger generations who might start

finding the sport that we will see

in the three Olympic cycles' time,

replicating this, it is an exciting

prospect.

It has been really

exciting the whole time, thanks for

joining us, wonderful work from you

two and all the athletes, huge

congratulations to Billy Morgan for

his bronze medal. We hope we can get

him on the balcony a little bit

later in the programme. But for now,

we are going to be Curling Centre,

because it all comes down to the

final two, European champions Sweden

take on the USA for the gold medal.

USA will be on the podium for the

first time since 2006, when they won

bronze. This time it is a fight for

the ultimate prize in Pyeongchang.

Logan Gray and Jackie Lockhart join

me from the Curling Centre, how is

the atmosphere building down there?

They are starting to roll in,

generally it is about 50 minutes

into the game that they fill it up,

but we will definitely have a

deserving champion, whoever wins.

Really interesting battle, Jackie,

USA took a bit of time to get into

their stride, but they certainly

found form at the

their stride, but they certainly

found form at the right time.

They

came into the final with a 5-4

record, but Sweden have 7-2, a

fantastic game against Canada to get

to this final stage, and I don't

think anybody really expected that

to happen, so these guys are just

going to be out here enjoying

themselves, but they will have a

really tough battle on their hands

against the dominant Swedish team

that is Niklas Edin.

They certainly

are, European champions, the Swedes,

Logan, will a be feeling the

pressure slightly more going into

this final?

I think the USA have

already exceeded expectation, let's

say. Sweden changed their team after

they won bronze in Sochi, purely

because they couldn't achieve what

they haven't already, the Olympic

gold medal, so they will be feeling

a little bit of pressure, but they

have played so many high pressure

games, they will know how to tackle

it.

I love putting you guys on the

spot, can you pick a winner?

For me,

Niklas Edin, without question, has

been so superb all week, very

dominant across the whole season.

Same for me as well, Steve and I was

split on the bronze game, and Steve

was right on that occasion, but

Niklas Edin all the way, just too

good.

Well, there you have it, they

are both going for the same ones.

Can it be Sweden's Olympic gold

medal? Jackie and Logan, thank you

for joining me, we will join Steve

Cram to take us through this gold

medal match.

Thank you, Eilidh, yes, the

atmosphere building up, created

primarily by the US fans, although

plenty of Swedish bands in here,

they will give as good as they get,

as far as the singing and applause

which, excuse me, which greeted both

teams, but particularly the US team.

They are surprise men of this

competition. They have given

themselves an opportunity which I

don't think they could have ever

really dreamt of. John Shuster and

his team taking on Niklas Edin for

the gold medal. This is a match

which Edin would have thought about,

jumped about for so long, but I'm

not sure you would have expected to

be playing the USA in this final.

USA have never reached the men's

curling final, so what an

opportunity for them. They have been

gathering all sorts of support back

home. John Shuster, four time

Olympian, a bronze medallist from

2006. He has pulled this team

together at just the right time. So

let's hope they can give Niklas Edin

a great match here. Sweden, of

course, with the women's team taking

on Korea tomorrow, midnight tonight

UK time. So they have got a chance

of two gold medals in the curling

competition. We are expecting a few,

a bit of stardust being sprinkled at

the curling today, rumours that

Ivanka Trump will be appearing,

perhaps the King of Sweden as well.

We will keep an eye out for them.

But to be honest, most of the

stardust is in our commentary booth,

both of you going for Sweden?

We

are.

Yeah. Are you going to go for

USA?

No, I am going to go with you.

I did fancy Switzerland yesterday,

more because of the pressure that I

think Canada were under in a

negative way. I think Niklas Edin

has been playing superbly well, and

I just think USA, as you said, have

maybe overachieved to get this far,

and a silver medal is a great

result, and that is the danger for

them, that they have got a mattress

on their back. You know, when you

fall, it is a nice soft landing

here.

I totally agree, but the USA

are hot off the back of a number of

wins, five or six wins, all must win

games to get here, so no doubt their

confidence must be sky high right

now.

So Matt Hamilton, his famous

moustache, created its own Twitter

account.

account. And so many people back

home have jumped on the bandwagon of

Matt, played with his sister in the

mixed doubles. And he is a real

character, playing second for USA.

Rasmus Wranaa, I was just watching a

little clip from Niklas Edin and

Rasmus joined the team, what, 18

months, two years ago? He is the

latest addition to the team and he

was saying, yeah, he is a bit young,

he takes a few too many risks for my

liking, but I will get that out of

him! But he has been a great

addition to the team.

Yeah, they

call Rasmus Junior, and actually

they are littered with class

throughout the team, if there are

any mistakes, it doesn't tend to

come from Rasmus.

These two teams are extremely well

acquainted, they have played each

other 15 times in their career, and

surprisingly to make, Edin has only

won eight out of 15 against them, so

maybe not as straightforward as we

think it might be. Shuster has

actually won three of the last four

games against each other.

games against each other.

Well, the

Olympic final, you can wipe all of

those previous matches away with a

victory here. It doesn't really

matter, from their point of view.

They will say, I would swap all of

those wins, John Shuster, we said

this yesterday, similarly for Niklas

Edin, a moment he has been waiting

for.

for. Defeated last time in the

semifinals, Sweden.

semifinals, Sweden.

Defeated by GB

as well, and I've be Niklas Edin's

last shot, a shot to win, a run back

double, and he missed it by a hair,

and that is about all. So close to

making the final, must be absolutely

gut-wrenching for him.

Oskar

Eriksson, you can see some of the

stats for these guys, particularly

the Swedish team, they started

incredibly well. Actually quite

tough match against that steam here,

did it end of 8-60 my kid was the

toughest match up to that point.

toughest match up to that point. --

against that team here, did it end

up 8-6?

It was the first game where

we saw the GB men's team and thought

they might have a chance of making

the semifinals, a really strong

performance.

So if you are just

waking up on a Saturday morning, bit

of an early rise. Today! Plenty of

curling for you, this gold medal

match for the man and then Great

Britain is women going in the bronze

medal match against Japan, trying to

emulate what they did four years

ago. Huge disappointment that they

did make the gold medal match, but

they have got to pick themselves up.

Not much time to do that, the teams

who won, Korea and Sweden, they have

the whole day off today, the gold

medal matches 9am local time on

Sunday. We have seen plenty of light

-- blanked ends in the first end of

these matches.

In such a high

pressure situation, the last thing

you want to do is go all out and

give up a score of four and leave

yourself in a bad place, so both

teams will be quite happy to just

ease their way into this final.

The green hat, I have mentioned it

before, if you haven't seen the USA

before, a lucky mascot or whatever

you want to call a - lucky hat! Just

tucks it in his back pocket, Matt

Hamilton. It is the red caps that he

and John Shuster sport, I guess they

have come out in light blue, against

the blue and yellow of Sweden. Not

normally the colours you would

associate with the USA, but two of

them are wearing the red caps.

I am

just happy to see them not out here

in all white, like they did at the

start of the week.

Those white

trousers were a bit iffy.

They

looked a bit more suitable for

Wimbledon than a game of curling.

Yeah, this John Shuster team, it is

worth mentioning, you have talked

about it, Logan, they are a rag the

mob that have been put together

after going through a really

disappointing campaign in Sochi.

Shuster wasn't really considered

part of the future of USA curling,

but he put this team together, and

they have sort of muscled their way

back in, with good results, and

earned the right to represent USA at

the Olympics. Even when they were

2-4, just two wins and four losses

at one point in the round-robin, a

lot of people were writing them off

back home, apparently, and they have

had to eat their words somewhat. So

it blanked first end.

it blanked first end.

Sometimes it

is easiest to play with a chip on

your shoulder and something to

prove, and that is definitely the

case for John Shuster. The last two

Olympics have been a major

disappointment for them, for John

Shuster in particular, he was even

benched for a few of the games at

one of the Olympics, so for him to

be back here for a fourth time, with

a bronze medal in the bag from 2006,

he has already improved at this

time, so well done to John, whatever

the outcome today.

You are on

celebrity watch, by the way, Jackie!

I will keep an eye out, I do like

looking at the audience!

If you see

any crowns, led us no(!) That is an

as,'s parents, they will be waiting

expectantly for the gold medal match

tomorrow.

The lad with the hair, he is a

brother of one of the competitors

brothers. I think that his hat hair.

It is a cold wind out there.

And a

flurry of snow for the first time

for us here at the coast.

Looks like

we might get a bit more action in

the second, both teams looked like

they might throw guards.

I think one of the main keys for the

USA Today is to do exactly what they

did against Canada and play the same

game plan, keep it tight in the

early and don't let anything...

Don't like Sweden build-up to many

stones in play, especially in and

around the button because that will

play in the sweet hands and the USA

will look to make more deliberate

approach.

These guys put hours into dedicating

themselves into the sport and it is

whether or not you want to continue

for another four years. And some of

them from the past Olympics are

having a break.

Joe Polo, he has won

bronze before, playing in the second

position.

Christoffer Sundgren...

The lead for Sweden. Has played a

very nice shot. It makes its way

past that guard.

The crowd are building up here.

That

is a three-time world champion,

Lindholm. A couple of silver medals

along the way as well. I think

Niklas Edin is about to pass him in

his achievements in Swedish curling.

No question if you wins the gold

today, he will be the most decorated

curler in Sweden.

People getting excited already, the

flags waving. It is a bit early for

that.

that. The crowd, I'm not sure how

many of them are aficionados. We did

have plenty of very well-behaved

crowds. When Korea have been

playing, it has been difficult for

other teams to keep their focus but

all eyes on this match today.

This yellow, very visible on the

outside of the house. Is he going to

get both? That gets the crowd going,

a nice double takeout. Great shot.

Nicely done, rolls out into the

open. Those couple of guards out in

the front, it is a race between the

USA in Sweden to see who can

properly hide one behind here in the

second.

Matt Hamilton. Trying to see

if he can get his in behind. Not a

bad effort.

Great effort, actually.

He may be rolls a stone too far.

Just needed to hit it a fraction

closer to the nose and then it would

be perfect.

I think we might get a

good ooh. A loud one. They seem to

like them coming between the two

stones.

Right on cue, thanks, audience. I

was worried there for a while. It is

a little tight coming down. Sitting

in the match we were doing

yesterday, it was quite straight

down the middle. It was on the other

sheet.

It was in the ladies game.

Sheet C.

Sheet C. The audience don't have the

ability to see the line of the

stones so they are sitting and

hoping and holding their arrest to

see if it is going to get past the

stones at the top of the house.

There he goes, Tyler George. I think

he should have his own sitcom, the

Tyler George show. I can see it now.

He has played very well all week.

Certainly the last few matches in

which USA have produced those

results, he has been a big reason

why.

Oskar Eriksson skipped his own TV

before -- team before and went on to

win a silver medal a couple of years

ago.

He just rolls the other way.

Just about tucked in behind the red.

Nice shot.

So, these early exchanges, there has

been some good shotmaking early in

the game. Just trying to outwit each

other here. Or at least outdraw each

other, trying to get a slightly

better hit. That was the best so

far.

far. Has Tyler George got another

good shot here? He has as well. This

is a nice end of a good start to

this final.

There is a lot of good

shots being made at the back of the

house but I am surprised to see

Niklas Edin not be more offensive

and tried to get more stones in play

to make things happen because while

he's probably playing his own

players in the match, he is allowing

USA to get comfortable out there.

A bit tit-for-tat here. That is just

going to hang in.

Just asking whether he can see it

out the other side. So, a little

change-up hit if he decides to hit

and tried to roll back in but it is

a bit more difficult now because it

is the side he'd like to see, he

can't.

USA just need to be a different bit

careful here. The last thing they

want to do is over girl, and chipped

the red into the house so this one

is a little bit scary for John

Shuster.

First time down on this

side, this far out. Give it plenty

of ice, gone around nicely. Done

very well. He has, cracking shots.

Perfectly judged by John Shuster.

So, Niklas Edin, first chance to try

and score, still has the option of

blanking the end but there are two

guards there, so that is a bit of an

opportunity.

I was looking at lots of players

that have superstitions. I've read

one or two about their shoes and

different things. I saw Niklas Edin,

and I thought, he needs a new pair

of shoes. I'm sure he doesn't think

that!

As a player, you get

comfortable with what is on your

feet. It is heartbreaking in a new

pair of shoes.

It looks like he has

been wearing them about eight years.

He may well have done. Anyway, here

we go.

Thing is, the shoes can look

more battered than they are and it

is only from catching fast moving

stones and that sort of thing or

kicking stones away so you can start

throwing them in practice. It

doesn't affect your performance.

Lovely shot from Niklas Edin. So,

the first time that he has asked to

do that, he has performed

exceptionally well. Just about

tucked in behind the guard.

That is

a more offensive game we expect to

see from Niklas Edin, not chasing

the ones at the back because they

shouldn't be a danger especially

since he's got the hammer.

That is

the shot I expected to see earlier

in the end.

in the end. It should still be a

straightforward run here for John

Shuster.

If he manages this, then we

will try to force the one. He has

one sitting in the house. Missed it.

Now we have a chance for a

straightforward two for the Swedish

skip. So, first advantage swings in

the direction of Sweden. As long as

Niklas Edin can play a nice

straightforward draw in here. There

is one US stone just outside the

white rings, outside the eight foot.

He would like this for a nice start

to pick up two. He has worked this

well but that was a mistake from

John Shuster.

The guys guiding it down, sweeping

it in, doesn't have to get that far

in. Even if it sits on top of their

red, that's fine. So, Sweden take

the early lead in this gold medal

match. After two ends, Sweden 2-0.

And the flags of Sweden are being

waived.

waived. So, USA already know that if

they didn't already that Niklas

Edin, if you give him an opening, he

will take it. John Shuster made the

mistake and Sweden get two. How is

your celebrity watch going, Jackie?

There is some activity there.

Ivanka

Trump has entered the building. She

was watching the snow sports

yesterday and she has decided to

come in for the curling. For the USA

team, good for them, raising the

profile of first board.

No pressure,

lads!

-- raising the profile of

their sport.

It is a reasonable crowd,

considering career are not in the

match.

More still coming in. A lot

of people end up coming to the

curling after two or three ends. At

this stage of the competition in the

round-robin, if one team is

completely dominating, you can walk

off after six ends. The final has to

go to at least eight ends. Of

course, if they are tired after ten,

an extra end has to be played.

Switzerland of course picked up the

bronze medal and they will receive

their medals today. Rather than up

at the medal Plaza. I'm presuming

the Swiss team are around. They will

probably arrive a little bit later.

Great victory over Canada. Massive

shock, Canada not getting into the

final and then not winning a medal

in the men's curling. It capped off

what was a horrendous day for

Canada. They have had a pretty

rotten 36 hours or so at the USA.

No, it was Germany in the men's

hockey.

It was.

know I saw the two as lead buses

last night. -- athlete.

Sauerland

Steiner puts up his corner guard,

USA with the hammer. -- so land

Landsteiner. Couldn't be much

closer.

Yes, just makes the shot a

little bit tougher for John

Landsteiner, but he is coming from

the left-hand tack, which makes it

easier.

The World Championships, which

follow these Olympic Games in April,

will be held in the US, in Las

Vegas. Did you guys both play there?

Jackie is shaking her head.

No.

I

will be there relaxing.

I have never

been.

It has held a couple of

continental cups, Las Vegas, and

they went down really well, so the

World Championships should be a joy

to go and see, and I know a lot of

people back home have booked tickets

to go and watch their local team.

I don't think I'll get any more time

off my work!

And the women's World

Championships?

They are in... I want

to say Canada?

Yes, I think it is

Ontario.

Unfortunately, not both at

the same time, they'll separate

events now, they were split some

time ago.

time ago.

Actually, Scotland are

hosting the world junior

championships taking place in

Aberdeen at the start of March,

which the BBC will be providing some

coverage of, I believe.

And also

covering the Scottish World

Championship play-offs, so Kyle

Smith and Eve Muirhead, after the

Olympics campaign is finished,

obviously Kyle Smith's has finished,

Eve Muirhead fighting for the bronze

medal today, they will have another

competition against the winners of

the men's and women's Scottish

championships, Bruce Smart and

Hannah Fleming, and the winners of

those play-offs will represent

Scotland in the World Championships,

and there are highlights of that on

BBC Two in Scotland.

BBC Two in Scotland. So you won't

have to wait long to get a little

bit more curling in Scotland. You

can follow it on the BBC website as

well, I think. I know many of you

have been following the matches,

obviously, the TV coverage, but on

the website as well when you are at

work. Saturday today, though, you

can just sit back and relax. I know

some people work on Saturdays was

well! So hopefully managing to

follow it.

Well, Sweden lying two in there now,

in a strong position, so USA will

have to try and move things around a

bit. At the moment, no opportunity

for them to get into short position

as it stands, it will take them a

couple of shots to do so.

Matt

Hamilton, always aware of the crowd

as well. A real character. But he

has played well this week.

Gets second prize, keeps a couple of

yellow stone is an scoring positions

in the house.

Yeah, just called

enough of it to push them both in,

so may be able to use them at some

point, so Niklas Edin just wanting

to make sure they don't get any real

advantage from that.

Well, because USA managed to spin

both of their yellows in, Sweden

choosing to play a takeout. Of

course, USA have the last stone in

this third end.

Just bumping his own

red there, they have got three in

there, but a bit of space between

them, a chance for Tyler George to

move one or two of these - if not

all three.

Well, not a massive amount of

weight, just some nous weight.

Give

them a chance to sit in there.

No,

that is a really nice shot. Sits

right in the pocket between the two

red stone is, which will make them

almost impossible to move for

Sweden.

I think Niklas would like to

have it moved, it can't be moved

far, but a little bit further back,

or just come right in on top of it.

About his business very calmly,

Niklas Edin, no histrionics.

Was he

a bit more fiery in his early

career? I think he was, wasn't he?

He definitely was, much more

measured these days.

measured these days.

I saw a clip of

him saying, yeah, what is your most

embarrassing trait? And he said, I

am just really tired! Probably a bit

too much.

You can probably tell that

by his beard as well.

Perfectly

trimmed, and he says, I fold my

towels in a certain way and place

them. In a sport where millimetres

matter, he is an expert.

matter, he is an expert. I think the

one thing that he will be very aware

of his most Steven Nzonzi plays

against will raise their game to

play him.

play him. -- most teams he plays

against will raise their game to

blame. You have got to be prepared

for that. Another thing we have to

remember, there are four men in this

team, and they have got to play

their shots. Eriksson just hitting

that in a way which rolls over,

gives USA a bit of an opportunity

here.

here.

Can we double unstable no?

For

sure.

You heard what he wants to do,

stay there, get rid of both of

these.

these.

Maxes asking if ...

A lot of noses, very nosy!

Call that

the Eskimo shot, nose-nose. Eskimo

shot coming up here!

Yeah, because

we need more jargon,

we need more jargon, Steve(!)

Yes,

there is more than enough in the

curling world.

That is a really nice

shot.

CHEERING

And Ivanka Trump delighted there

right in the middle of your shot.

Great view of it, she is delighted

with what she is watching, USA

wanting to get themselves straight

back into this. And the chants go

up, a huge contingent halfway down

on the top tier. It is the onesies

that worry me - scary!

Tyler didn't

look that happy with that one, it

was a great shot, but he has left a

pretty straightforward double

take-out here for Niklas. I would

expect to see both of these yellow

stones disappear.

Yeah, it just spun

a little further, not much distance

between them.

So Niklas Edin trying to quell the

American crowd here. One and two.

Very well done. As you would expect.

That is Niklas Edin 's signature

shot, really, like an arrow coming

out of the blocks, that is quite

often the result there. We always

used to say that when you're playing

against Niklas Edin, you don't want

to fall behind this guy, because he

is so dangerous with the big weight

that it is almost impossible to get

back into the end.

And if you know

that, surely this US team knows that

- they have played him and found a

way to beating, you said at the

beginning. So they have got to try

and prevent those situations

developing.

I am still very much

impressed by the USA's performance

so far. They are, without question,

wanting to win that gold medal. They

are not going to be happy with

silver.

silver.

Just leaving one in there,

it is counting second.

it is counting second.

Well, there

may not be an opportunity for USA to

score two after this one. Sweden

lying second shot at the back of the

house here, so as long as Niklas can

remove that yellow stone and move to

a position at the back of the button

with a tapping brash, that would

make it impossible for USA to score

two. -- brush. It would be extremely

risky, anyway.

They have got two in, so I suppose

the main thing... Oh, he's going to

take this stone out, they will not

two in there. I will warm up to

this, don't worry!

You need to be

listening!

I was definitely

listening, but overthinking, very

dangerous after a couple of weeks of

curling!

Yeah, Niklas playing a

really nice, controlled

really nice, controlled weight here.

Doesn't want to move the double,

anyway.

May be rolled a little bit

too far, could be a chance for two

for USA.

That was a double where you

can stay is the hardest thing, and

he has left him that opportunity. So

I am sure he will take this on.

Yeah, the key to this next shot for

John Shuster is playing it in such a

way that he still scores one and

doesn't give up a steal, so he will

kind of err on the nose side, you

will not want to hit it too thin

underneath.

So Niklas Edin just

giving a small opportunity to John

Shuster, who has to play a really

good shot to get his two, he has to

remove both Swedish stones, the one

at the back, and then roll over to

the other one. Just needs to nudge

it a little bit, that is a great

shot from the USA skip, and we have

got a real match on. They are

already on their feet with the Stars

and Stripes being waved above this

rink here, and John Shuster has

woken the crowd up, and he has given

his team a massive lift there with a

superb shot. After three ends, it is

Sweden 2, United States 2.

In the grand scheme of things, you

know, it is almost a straightforward

shot but it is the Olympic final and

if you keep making shots like this,

keep matching Niklas Edin, do give

yourself a great opportunity.

The

way he played that, he wasn't even

interested in scoring one, he

committed to playing the double and

it paid off.

This USA team have got fantastic

support in the audience. They are

singing, they're cheering. And the

four boys down on the ice are loving

every minute of it.

John Shuster, -- John Landsteiner,

he is a corrosion engineer. He

should know something about the

wearing of the ice.

Or does he calls

it?

Answers on a postcard. I think

we should make the point, and one of

you was making the point yesterday,

curlers are not full-time. That is

prize-money in curling and Canada is

where most of that takes place with

a world tour. There are curlers for

whom he funding to allow them to be

full-time curlers, Great Britain

case in point, it is so important. A

lot of international curlers have to

keep down full-time jobs, many of

them.

Most of the countries outside

of the USA and Canada have full-time

programmes. I was reading about the

reigning world champion in Canada,

he struggles with family and work to

find two hours of practice a day,

whereas we have athletes like in

Great Britain who can practice up to

eight hours a day. So that is

generally seen as the Riesling why

the rest of the world is catching up

with Canada who have been so

dominant. There are about 2 million

curlers in Canada. We only have

around 20,000.

And Sweden, 5,000.

And they've got two teams into the

gold medal matches. So it isn't just

about numbers. As in any sport, you

get a couple of talented people, in

the likes of Niklas Edin... If you

have a good programme, a futile and

it people, look what they have done

in career, with the women's team.

Going for gold tomorrow against the

team led by the Swedish. Sweden

trying to win two gold medals in

curling but the men are going to

have a great match. It has started

very well. Good atmosphere in here.

Talking about curling populations,

in the USA, curling is one of the

fastest-growing sports. They have a

curling rink in every state now. I

don't think it'll be too long before

we see the Americans marching the

Canadian curling population.

Canadian curling population. That is

the cardinal sin. It could have come

up strong and left them in a strong

position is served Sweden can play a

freeze and rest one in the pocket

between the yellow and red Mac

stone.

I think Rasmus looks up to the

others in his team as regards the

beard. They are trying to bring this

one all the way in and just to sit

in there.

Another foot or so would

be nice but they have started very

well. We have hardly seen any

mistake shots at all. Very good

shots that have created scoring in

the two ends, the second and third.

Nice shots, both skips doing well,

set up well, while the rest of the

team... Matt Hamilton catching the

red on the way in. Going around the

other side this time.

He looms over them, Matt Hamilton.

"Keep Going, keep going!"

They would

have liked to have freeze but not a

bad result. This is no gimme for

Rasmus Wranaa. Trying to drag it as

far as possible with the brushes.

Looks a little bit heavy at the

moment so they may try to bounce off

the red. They managed to get enough

on the nose but it wasn't what they

were looking for. Pretty good

result, still.

Anything better on the internal?

The

top on, that would be better.

It is

great that they are miked up, he's

telling the whole audience what is

going on. Which is good for them.

I

think this is better.

Nobody else to

listen to out there, just these two

teams for the English-speaking

spectators, John Shuster giving them

a perfect version of events he would

like to see.

Just trying to chip the

red onto the one at the top of the

button.

Just read bounced back a little bit.

They wanted to keep it on the centre

line, it went thick, spun over and

moved the yellow out. They wanted to

keep it where it was. It was a tough

shot, very exact shots. It was very

difficult to make it stop dead where

you wanted to.

Not too sure what the nominated shot

was here, just take out the edge of

the four foot?

Be a chance to remove them both.

Just catches one, got it a little

straight. There was a chance to get

both. A little frustration for

Eriksson.

Do you want to kill it?

This is the sort of game the USA

didn't want to get into with Niklas

Edin. Edin's got two reds and the

guard, and the hammer.

Tyler George, trying to get through

the gap.

the gap. I think it is past the

guard.

Needs to get by the yellow.

He does it and tucks it in as well.

Nicely done by Tyler George. Still,

shot held by Sweden.

In this end,

USA are having to play some great

shock is to stay alive. It has been

really Sweden having the upper hand

through the hole end. Another great

shot by Tyler.

SWEDEN DISCUSS SHOT

I don't think any of us have Swedish

at hand, but work out what they will

choose to do here?

Thought process?

Thought process? You can see one

option is to hit the red and Ruolin

on top of the yellow --

on top of the yellow -- role in.

From his point of view, the two

yellows are a nice shot.

It is

interesting when they hit and Rolen

from the wide stone, it is a Swedish

one, not a USA.

I think they'd like

to get one of his red stones in

B-side that back yellow just added

protection. There is no way in

through the left-hand side. The draw

would overcome a world. -- the draw

would over curl.

A shotmaker which I am sure in the

audience they will find odd when

Sweden hit that own stone. Will he

get it right? Just about, rolled

over a tad more, it was a good

effort. But they are lying two here.

So, using his own stone, just caught

it a little thin.

Desperately trying to sweep it out.

Or at least sweep it further away

but did to manage too. So, John

Shuster, after a couple of tracking

shots in the previous end, he can

come straight through the gap.

He has got something now to that red

having come out a bit further back

as well. He has seen his team play a

similar shot last time. -- his

team-mate. If he over girls and

catches, he has a couple of options.

Needs to get past the guard, that is

the most important thing.

So, John

Shuster trying to draw write in

here, to the red that is in the four

foot, second one. He's got a chance,

very good chance, gets past is only

a low, just tapping that time, he

does, he lies shot. Another good

shot from the US skipper. He is

playing well. A little smile, a

little wrinkle of the nose as he

comes down to have a look.

Yes, very

good shot from John Shuster. Niklas

Edin will be forced to replicate

that shot to leave him resting

against the yellow stone just played

by John Shuster.

It is a really good standard set for

the gold medal match. You don't want

people to reach this far and not

play the game, not to make their

shots. It has been a very high

standard so far from both teams.

In

this end, a very high level of

difficulty of the shots being

played.

So, Niklas Edin, 100% so far

on takeouts. And,

on takeouts. And, indeed, for our

computer. Just trying to follow the

John Shuster. This is going to be

close. It is a tighter line, might

catch the yellow on the way in, it

does, which means it slides by the

other yellow and if anything has

made his job a bit more difficult.

John Shuster is lying shots. He

knows it is a difficult route in. He

has just seen Niklas Edin not

managed to replicate the shot he

made.

And has just managed to nudge that

closer, so shut the whole? Or come

in again?

I think they are looking

at playing the same shot again.

Is

he worried that if he puts a guard

at there, the red on the other side

that is sticking out, whether he

could just tap that?

Yeah, that is

still just a shot for one, but I

think they are kind of thinking,

let's try the steal here.

Yes, let's

just put one right in the button

whether yellow is sitting, then he

will have to tap his red.

He knows

this shot, he has just played it a

minute or two ago, so John Shuster

trying to replicate almost exactly

the shot he played with his first

stone. Got a little bit more on it,

this one.

Doesn't want to hit this

one and roll off it.

Well, he has

ended up with two there. But he has

pushed that the red back, there is

space between the two, and he has

given Niklas Edin a way out of this.

It was a dangerous shot, he could

have asked Edin to come down the

other side. For one, he still had

the chance of a steal, but he should

have shot that option off.

This is a

real gift for Niklas Edin, should be

straightforward shot for two in the

end. They have just played down this

line as well, so they know it curls

a lot. Playing a different weight,

though.

And he can't afford for the

shooting stone to move too much, cos

there is still a US red at the top

of the four foot.

Well, looking to

pass the guard by a few inches, hit

the five stone in the face.

So John

Shuster just giving Niklas Edin the

chance to get out of this tricky

situation here in the fourth end,

trying to move these two US stones.

Has he done it? No, I don't think

so, not going to get two. He might

have got the one, but that could be

a steal, John Shuster thinks so. I

think he is right. It is close,

though.

though. I reckon that is at least

half an inch closer, what do you

think?

I don't think I can call that

one. Why is oh, go on!

Tilting my

head here.

I think yellow was

closer, but we are going to have a

measure, it doesn't matter what I

think.

I will go red just to be

difficult.

I will sit on the fence,

like I have done most of the week!

That is why the measuring device is

there, because we can all disagree.

It all depends on how you are

looking at it from the overhead. It

is not exact. This is why we need

them to be measured.

So both skips

over

over threw their stones, that ice

doesn't pull as much as if you have

more running on the stones.

What

happened for Niklas, he

overcompensated and threw it out of

the way, he was scared it was going

to curl too much. I think this is

the US. There you go. Never in

doubt! Half an inch! Maybe three

millimetres!

Well, USA get the steal - not by

much, but that is crucial in terms

of, I think, confidence as well.

John Shuster didn't play the shot he

wanted with his second, but Niklas

Edin also just feeling the pressure

a little bit perhaps. So USA have

the lead now, they are 3-2 ahead

after four ends of this cracking

gold medal match. It is going to be

a close one. USA on top early on

here, and they have made some great

shots, that is the first little

error from Niklas Edin.

Are you ready, Matt?

So John Landsteiner, the lead for

USA.

Three!

It looks deeper than

three to me.

You can get it there.

Come on.

Good atmosphere in the

curling arena, and we are expecting

it to continue for the GB women's

match. If you are just getting up

this Saturday morning, this is the

gold medal match between USA and

Sweden. Niklas Edin, knocked out at

the semifinal stage by GB four years

ago, he has waited for his gold

medal opportunity, and the women's

team has also made the final,

beating Eve Muirhead and her team,

so the British team going for

bronze. And after Billy Morgan's

bronze today, Great Britain with

five medals at these Winter

Olympics, a chance to make it six in

a few hours' time. That match starts

at 11 o'clock this morning UK time.

Keep it moving!

Very upset after

losing the semifinal last night, so

one of the most difficult games to

play, the bronze game, after the

upset, knowing that you can't win

the gold medal you have been working

so hard for, but you need to have a

good night's sleep, dust yourself

off, get out there and make sure you

don't go home with nothing.

Yes, Niklas Edin knows what that

feels like, wanting to make sure he

doesn't end up in the same situation

again. One of the ways you do that,

you come out on top in the

round-robin, the fact that Canada...

Well, they were in the medal match,

beaten for the bronze medal, but not

in the gold medal match, Niklas

Edin, the one who guided his team

through the round-robin to finish

top. And they ended up playing

Switzerland.

One of the things I notice about

North American teams' communication

is that it is very pointed, like a

little bit negative in some ways.

Like, you don't want to do that, why

are we doing this? Rather than, what

about this option? This is another

option that could get a good result

- just sounds a bit more positive.

That seems to work for them, can't

criticise them too much, they are

here in the Olympic final!

Yeah,

they are doing something right.

I

think Matt Hamilton thought was

heavy there, but that just pulled

opposite, took the curl. You can see

in thinking, oh, my goodness, I have

overthrown this! Guppy did in the

last end, and that is what got them

in a spot of bother.

Granted, they

stole in the end, but it was looking

good for Sweden for a while.

Yes, he

needs to reign that moustache in,

giving him a bit of extra power this

afternoon. So Rasmus Wranaa. Second

for Sweden. Sweden keep the hammer,

of course, despite losing one, the

steal for the USA. And he just clips

that on the way through.

But that is

a good shot. Even, they have moved

the stole off the centre line, where

they do not want the player to be,

and they have spun another one in

the house. We saw my sister Lauren

playing a similar shot in the

semifinal against Sweden, a very

nifty shot to play.

Yes, and it is

on the right side - if you don't

make the shot, make sure you are

tied, rather than wide.

Yeah, he

looked a tad embarrassed, but Niklas

Edin saying, no, good, happy with

that.

It is one of those shots that

you would quite like to call

sometimes, but it is not always

guarantee that he will make it, and

there is not always a great second

option, so you will see the freeze

thrown more often.

Once more encouraging the sweepers,

Tyler George and John Landsteiner,

to work hard, take this one in. Is

it going to get round? Just catches.

Well, it doesn't quite roll across

and sit on the red.

Steve, you were

talking earlier about curling shoes,

and how they look a bit battered, I

am sure we need to start a campaign

to get Tyler a better pair! He has

been paying with a very old pair of

trainers for as long as I can

remember watching him play. They

look like old squash shoes that he

has turned into curling shoes!

They

look about 20 years old, must be his

favourites.

Must be. He has worn

them in well.

Well, important for Sweden that they

respond quickly and well here,

getting some stones in the house

now, and we said that might not be

the best option for the USA, but we

saw in the last end, they put a bit

more pressure of Niklas Edin, so

maybe wanting to have fewer stones

around this time.

So targeting...

Yes, they will come

down with a comfortable weight, they

want to get past the top red guard

and tapped the yellow through. But I

think that might have touched. I

think that touched the way past.

He

was definitely on the wrong side of

that stone there, just wanted to tap

it back. Let's have another look at

it coming through, it is very close.

Oh, it does as well, just a

fraction.

Young eyes.

Well spotted!

When the guys are sweeping so much

over the top of the stone, you can't

really see.

Well, I think the point

being, had it gone by, it would have

been a much better stone, because it

would have caught the yellow where

he wanted to. That slight nudge just

changed things. So Tyler George down

here with plenty of weight. And he

is keeping the pressure on Niklas

Edin. Like that one, looks up to the

crowd. John Landsteiner working

hard, sweeping well. And he has got

that yellow just to come across

behind a little bit too far perhaps,

Eriksson can see it, the yellow on

the left. Or will he go for the one

on the right here?

Sweden in a spot of bother here,

lying four against, and USA some

very useful stones at the end. They

could ignore those ones and play

draw around the corner guard to make

a freeze on the T-line.

Well, certainly, Niklas Edin having

to draw on all of his experience and

knowledge here. USA making some good

shots, and that won't not coming in

quite as far as he wanted to.

Yeah,

I think the left arm was a little

bit too long, they could have been

sweeping that most of the way.

They are talking about a/ bang.

He

is only short by a wallop. Smash,

bang, wallop.

John Landsteiner is there to tell

him what you can see. He is having a

peak now. He always does that,

stares down the other end, waits for

the call.

He must be bored today

because he doesn't have another game

to watch while this is going on!

They can't cover every option,

either. They have to play the shot

best for them and leave Niklas Edin

to play the shot he has to. They are

up over talking. So many options

here.

here.

They are pretty excited right

now because they smell a big

opportunity.

That is the danger, you

get too carried away. This is the

fifth end, and you're thinking, we

might not get so many chances to

score so well.

They are using up a

lot of thinking time anyway. They

have to .5 minutes more. I'm sure

they have their own opinion on the

bench.

Ivanka is off. She can't stand the

attention! I know, there is a queue

for the tea and coffee.

She's gone

to get to the front of the queue.

I'll ask to get me a coffee.

I'm

sure she can afford it!

These guys want to come in right

into the T-line, if they can. They

don't want to be too heavy. That is

a nice stone.

a nice stone.

Line three, which

Tyler George liked line read. To try

to close things at the other side.

Sweden have got to change something

here. Too many yellows. It is

getting crowded.

This yellow stone

splitting the centre line is scary