Associated Press:

They make it look so damn effortless.

Watching from afar, curling looks like a marriage of shuffleboard and bocce ball on ice that requires about the same amount of physical ability. The kind of recreational activity that usually involves an adult beverage, and where having a modicum of athleticism is all that’s needed.

Just glide gracefully across the ice before gently gliding the 44-pound stone down the 146-foot sheet and yelling at your teammates to occasionally brush away at the ice in front of the rock.

Simple, right?

Every now and then, some sportswriter gets it in his head that curling is easy and anyone can do it so they go out and try it. They always get proven wrong. It’s a more physical, challenging sport than what you imagine and also very technical.