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Russ Howard

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For similarly named people, see Russell Howard (disambiguation).
Russ Howard
CM, ONL
Curler
Born (1956-02-19) February 19, 1956 (age 68)
Midland, Ontario, Canada
Curling career
Member Association Ontario (1979–1998)
 New Brunswick (1998–2010)
 Saskatchewan (2020)[1]
Brier appearances14 (1980, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009)
Top CTRS ranking12th (2004–05)
Grand Slam victories0
Medal record
Men's curling
Representing  Canada
Winter Olympics
Gold medal – first place 2006 Turin
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1987 Vancouver
Gold medal – first place 1993 Geneva
Representing  Newfoundland and Labrador
Canadian Olympic Trials
Gold medal – first place 2005 Halifax
Representing  Ontario
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
Representing  New 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, in Midland, Ontario) is a Canadian curler and Olympic champion, based in Regina, Saskatchewan, but originally from Midland, Ontario. He lived in Moncton, New Brunswick, from 2000 to 2019. Known for his gravelly voice, Howard has been to the Brier 14 times (8 as Ontario, 6 as New 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 three TSN Skins Games in 1991, 1992, and 1993, and participated in two Canadian Mixed Curling Championships in 2000 and 2001. He won gold at the 2006 Winter Olympics. He played in two Canadian Senior Curling Championships in 2008 and 2009 finishing with a silver medal both of those years. Russ Howard was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.[4] He is currently a curling analyst and commentator for TSN’s Season of Champions curling coverage.[5]

Career

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In 2005, he joined team Gushue to call the shots for Brad Gushue's team at the Canadian Olympic Trials, while he played second. Howard, along with Gushue (who throws last rocks), lead Jamie Korab and third Mark Nichols, went on to win the trials, giving them the right to represent Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics,[6] where they won the gold medal, defeating Finland 10–4 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 was Robin Welsh, aged 54, who won gold in curling at the 1924 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 the 2009-10 curling season, although he played in bonspiels throughout the year, Howard did not curl in the New Brunswick Tankard due to his broadcasting commitments with The Sports Network (TSN). Howard has been commentating curling events for TSN since 2001.

In 2006, he was inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame. In 2013, he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.[9] He was named a Member of the Order of Canada and inducted into the WCF Hall of Fame in 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 brother Glenn Howard tying 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 of the Brier.[5] Since 2008, he has been a mainstay analyst on the network, also providing colour commentary for TSN’s Season of Champions curling.[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 with TSN, 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, and Curl 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 Archived 2020-01-31 at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
  2. ^ a b c Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Russ Howard". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2020-04-18.
  3. ^ a b Jones, Terry (2006-02-25). "Rockin' the house". Slam! Sports. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013.
  4. ^ "Russ Howard". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d "Russ Howard".
  6. ^ "Pressure On Canada's Curlers". The Sports Network. Canadian Press. 2005-12-12. Retrieved 2010-02-21.
  7. ^ a b "Canadian men claim gold in Olympic curling". CTV Television Network. 2006-02-24. Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2010-02-21.
  8. ^ "History of Curling". Curling Canada. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
  9. ^ "TSN's Howard inducted to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame". TSN Curling. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  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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