Morris joins Martin

Wow! This has the makings for one heck of an exciting team! It's going to be interesting to see how they come together. Even with Bartlett and Walchuk ailing, Martin was a power. Now, with younger, healthier talents on the ice with him, he could be scary.

I think the Olympics have had a huge effect on when teams decide to pull the plug or reform in order to fulfill the four-year plan and try for the Great Big Berth.

Here's the original story that appeared in the Calgary Herald this morning:

Super skips join forces
Martin, Morris going for
granite gold in 2010

Allen Cameron, Calgary Herald
Published: Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Two of the great money players of the past few years are joining forces for the next curling season, but their eyes are firmly focused on a trip to Vancouver in just less than four years.

Edmonton's Kevin Martin is breaking up one of the most successful lineups in the country to hook up with Calgary's John Morris, who's been no slouch on the cash circuit himself since moving to Alberta in 2003.

The new foursome, which will play out of Edmonton, will be rounded out by second Marc Kennedy -- who played the same position for Morris -- and lead Ben Hebert. Hebert is moving to Calgary this summer after a solid run with Pat Simmons, including back-to-back Saskatchewan men's titles.

Martin and Morris, who'll be stepping down to play third for a man he considers the "best pure rock-thrower in the game," broke the news to their respective teams Monday night. Martin is leaving behind longtimeteammates Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft and Don Bartlett, while Morris is cutting ties with Kevin Koe and Paul Moffatt.

"There's no negative there, but it's about 2010," said Martin, a two-time Brier champ and 2002 Olympic silver medallist, of the breakup with a team that had been together since 1999; he'd curled with Bartlett since 1989 and Walchuk since 1995.

"I'm 39, I'm not young either, but I think it's just something that had to be done. We're going to walk away having no problem at all."
"We came close in a lot of 'spiels; it's just that big 'W' seemed elusive for us," added Morris, whose Calgary team was one of the country's top money-winners since forming in 2003, but never managed to finish better than third at the provincial championship. "It wasn't a decision you could make overnight because it's a big decision in your life and curling career. But, after looking at all the factors, and trying to be a part of the best team out there, this was a good decision for me."

Morris said the split with Koe was amicable, while Moffatt had already indicated he was leaving Calgary to move back to Ontario.

It's expected Koe will put together a new team with Edmonton's Blake MacDonald, with Rycroft suddenly a leading candidate to join the same squad.

But they will have to make big strides in a hurry to keep pace with the two-headed monster of Alberta curling -- an improved Martin team and Randy Ferbey's long-time wrecking crew from Edmonton.

And, while Ferbey has enjoyed the lion's share of headlines in recent seasons, Martin believes his new team -- particularly with the additionof two-world junior champ Morris -- has the potential to be the king of the granite hill.

"Oh, there's an unlimited amount of talent," said Martin. "As far as John goes, it's just straight talent. He's probably the most talented guy to come out of juniors in the last 15 years. To be able to do what he's done at his age, to be in the top five in the world the last three seasons with a not-very-experienced team, that's pretty amazing.

"These guys are going to be in their upper 20s when it comes to the 2010 Olympics, so they'll be right in their prime."
"My goal is the same as the other guys'," added Morris.
"We want to be the best team in the world, and I feel that, since I've come out of junior, I've been in the top five, but never exactly No. 1. I think this lineup gives us a really good shot at being the best out there. It's pretty exciting. I'm still pretty young at 27, and I feel pretty comfortable stepping down to the third position."

acameron@theherald.canwest.com

© The Calgary Herald 2006