New Brunswick third Steven Howard yells directions down the ice while playing against Team Nova Scotia during the opening draw of the 2010 Tim Horton's Brier on Saturday, March 6, 2010 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mike Dembeck.Mike Dembeck/The Canadian Press
The curling universe would seem somewhat out of alignment if, in the hunt for a Canadian men's curling title, the legendary Howard clan was not somewhere in the mix.
The New Brunswick rink, with Steven Howard at third, jumped out to a 2-0 start at the Tim Hortons Brier on Saturday as his father Russ looked on from the stands and uncle Glenn led Ontario past Quebec on the next sheet.
If Steven Howard flies under the radar at the Brier, that's fine by him.
"I love the underdog role," he said after skip James Grattan led New Brunswick past Nova Scotia 8-6. Grattan's rink smoked the Northwest Territories/Yukon 10-3 earlier Saturday.
"The boys are playing great. James is making everything and it's just an honour to be out here with them," said Howard.
Looking down on the ice, Russ Howard, who holds the record for the most Brier appearances with 14, said his son's rink was pretty solid for a team that doesn't play much.
"You don't see them on the tour. They're definitely under the radar," said the elder Howard, who had to step back from competitive play this year because of commitments as a broadcast analyst.
"But they've got all the talent in the world. They got three in the first end both games."
Glenn Howard's Ontario rink had little trouble with an unheralded Quebec rink, beating Brier newcomer Serge Reid 8-3.
He laughs when told he was surrounded by family, noting his son was also in the stands.
"It's absolutely surreal to think the Howards are watching and playing and commentating. It's a really neat feeling," he said of his 12th Brier appearance.
Manitoba's Jeff Stoughton, a two-time Brier winner, dropped his second game to Northern Ontario's Brad Jacobs 8-5 after beating B.C. 8-7 in an extra-end nail biter earlier.
In other second draw action Saskatchewan's Darrell McKee edged P.E.I.'s Rod MacDonald 7-6.
Earlier in the day, Newfoundland and Labrador skip Brad Gushue was able to open a lead in the ninth, breaking a 5-5 tie with the Northwest Territories/Yukon's Jamie Koe to win 8-5.
Gushue, the Olympic gold medal winner in Turin in 2006, said they've been playing well since a disappointing finish at the Olympic pre-trials last year.
"It's been a few months since and that's good because we had such a miserable experience and the quicker we can forget about it the better," he said.
"Other than that week we've had a good year."
Alberta's Kevin Koe also beat Northern Ontario's Brad Jacobs 9-6 in opening round action.