Curling collision course: John Morris punches his ticket to the Olympic Trials – and a meeting with Kevin Martin

As they say, "circle this date on your calendar," curling fans:

Friday, December 6th. Final day of round-robin play at the Canadian Olympic Curling Trials.

In what might be a game that means nothing in the standings, or quite possibly (and we all hope this is the case) everything as far as a playoff spot goes, John Morris will skip his British Columbia-based rink against his old team, led by Kevin Martin.

"Is he in that Bonspiel?" deadpanned Morris, minutes after his team dispatched reigning Canadian champion Brad Jacobs at the "Road To the Roar," to earn a berth at the Olympic Trials next month in Winnipeg.

If there is bad blood to be dealt with, Morris doesn't let on.

"I'm sure we’ll have a great match against Kev. We’ll both be gunning for each other. I’m sure we’re going to have a barn-burner and I look forward to it."

The emergence of Team Morris at this event, a last-chance competition for rinks that did not directly qualify for The Trials, may come as no surprise to some, while others might have wondered if his end of season split with Martin meant Morris was leaving Alberta and heading over the mountains with a load of baggage, one that would upset the apple-cart of a team skipped by Jim Cotter.

Never a doubt to Cotter, who continues to throw fourth stones for the rink, but has relinquished skipping duties to Morris.

"We just work so well together. Very similar personalities," said Cotter, standing rinkside, in Kitchener, Ontario, after his team's 5-4 win over Jacobs.

Chemistry is a funny thing. Good chemistry between teammates is essential in curling and it can come and go even on world and Olympic champion teams. Morris parting company with Martin last Spring is testament to that.

So, it was not unreasonable to ask if juggling Cotter's line-up - one that he'd skipped to two Brier appearances in three years - could lead to more problems than it would solve.

Winning the "A" flight berth to the Olympic Trials can put that talk to rest, as Team Morris has accomplished just exactly what it set out to do (at least so far) when it came together in the off-season.

"This was our goal," began Cotter. "To qualify out of the 'Road to the Roar' and put ourselves in a position to represent our country in the Olympics. So, we’ve completed our first goal but by no stretch are we going to roll over."

The roles on this team are clearly defined and can be ascertained easily in comments from both Cotter and Morris, as well as the team's coach, Pat Ryan.

"John’s role is to call the game. So, he’s the commander in chief out there," said Ryan, who joined Cotter as coach just before Morris was added to the line-up.

That addition was a lightning bolt, says Ryan, one that added a layer of confidence to Cotter and teammates Tyrel Griffith and Rick Sawatsky as well Jason Gunnlaugson, the odd-man out who remains listed as the team's alternate.

"When John came to the team it was instant validation," said Ryan. "That they’d been chosen by, arguably, the best curler out there today. He’s also got that more recent success. So he can give the pre-game chat to the guys and tell them each what their duties are."

Make no mistakes, then. This is John Morris' team.

"John’s our leader. He’s proven himself," said Cotter. It's a situation he'd experienced when Ryan was his skip (and later Bob Ursel) who both ceded fourth rocks to the vice.

"It was a very familiar position for me," explained Cotter. "Actually I, in some sense, prefer it. It kind of spreads the pressure out amongst the team. John can just concentrate on calling the game and that part of it. And, actually, I like to stay warm, too, by sweeping. When I was a pitcher I wore long sleeves, even if it was 42 degrees out."

With Cotter's experience tossing the brick, Morris, it seems, was only too content to stay in the shooting role he'd held with Martin's foursome. So, he calls the game, fires away from the third spot and let's the team's former skip handle the final shots in an end.

"He’s our stable force," began Morris. "He’s our shot maker. We just have to make sure to give him the shots to make. He’s a true leader on this team. He’s one of the most positive guys, one of the nicest guys."

So, the roles are well mapped out on this Olympic trials-bound team. Morris is the architect of the in-game strategy and Cotter's the guy to shoulder the pressure of final rocks.

"He (Morris) reads the ice like... I’ve never seen anyone read the ice like he does," gushed Cotter. "He picks up on it so much faster than the other teams."

So far, so good. One mission accomplished, with two more to go. The second being to win Olympic Gold at Sochi in February.

The first, is a little matter of winning a berth in The Games by taking The Trials.

Along that path, jam-packed with curling peril at every turn, is a little extra drama.

It won't be the first meeting between ex-teammates (Martin defeated Morris, 6 - 3, in Saskatoon a couple of months ago), but it will be potentially a much more significant collision.

One with a national television audience watching and the dreams of an Olympic berth on the line.

Circle December 6th, curling fans.