Richard Hart rejoins Glenn Howard: Rekindling a passion for curling

Rich Hart knew full well the irony of his statement, which was delivered with a bit of a chuckle as a punctuation mark.

“With all these team changes there’s going to be plenty to talk about, that’s for sure," he said.

Hart was commenting on his assignment this week, where he will serve as part of the broadcast team for Sportsnet's coverage of The Players' Championship, in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.

On a number of occasions, he will be gazing down at his old friend and one-time curling compatriot, Glenn Howard, knowing - as we all do now - that they will be reunited again for next season's schedule. Perhaps beyond that, too.

With a one year agreement in place (and an option for a second), the 45 year-old retired world champion curler will come off the media bench and play vice for Howard in 2014-15. The two of them will look to recapture the magic they displayed over the course of eleven years together (6 provincial championships, 8 Grand Slams, a Brier and World Championship) before Hart put his broom in the attic in the spring of 2011.

“The opportunity came up with Glenn and that’s really the only guy I would consider coming back to play with," Hart insisted, as he talked over the reasons why he's decided to return to the game.

It's a comeback that seemed unlikely just a few weeks ago, even if - as Hart admits - his competitive nature was already being stirred again. After it came to light that second Brent Laing was leaving Howard's team after ten seasons, whispers were heard that vice Wayne Middaugh might be moving on as well. It was at that point that I'd contacted Hart to see if his name should be thrown into the mix as a possible replacement. He replied that he wouldn't rule anything out, but that he wasn't planning a return at that moment.

That changed just a week or two later, as Hart and Howard started trading text messages.

“I was just inquiring as to how he as doing," said Hart, adding that he was concerned about how next season might be shaping up for his friend.

"After going back and forth with some texts for two or three hours, I just fire off a little joke text. I said ‘hey, what do you think of a 45 year-old washed up curler coming back to play second for you?’ and that was the last text. The phone rings five minutes later and it’s Glenn who says ‘what was that text? Are you serious?’ I said ‘I don’t know if I am or not... I might be.’”

The two decided to give it a day and think things over. Hart didn't need much time to make the decision.

“I called him back the next day and said ‘let’s do it.’ It was pretty incredible, actually."

***

Over the course of the last couple of seasons, I've had the pleasure of working alongside Rich Hart in the Sportsnet booth as we covered the Alberta Men's Provincial Championships.

He's fit into the world of broadcasting very well and very quickly, with a natural instinct for good commentary. Like his 1998 Olympic silver medal teammate and now one of his broadcast partners, Mike Harris, life in the booth seems to have been an easy transition.

Hart was enjoying life as coach of two of his sons, far from the grind of the rigours of competitive curling. He'd explain the countless hours of dedication necessary to play the game at an elite level. That if you weren't able to or didn't care to put that effort in, then you weren't going to be competitive.

I'd asked him on several occasions about a return to the hack. He never ruled it out and I always did get the impression the door was just slightly ajar. Certainly, if it was closed, it wasn't locked.

However, there was no sense of regret that I could detect, no burning desire to grab the shoes again, although he clearly enjoyed being near the game and the people involved.

Things began to change, Hart says, during this year's Olympic Games, as Brad Jacobs and his team were climbing to gold.

“Watching the Olympics and watching those guys go on to glory... you know it just got me thinking," he began. "All that Olympic coverage really must have been that point when I got that fire back."

A fire, he maintains, that burns bright enough to ensure he is in all the way next year. Some speculated that he might only play a handful of events for his old skipper but Hart squashed that idea quickly, saying he is back to being as full time a curler as he can. Although he asked Howard if he needed a second, it does appear the decision's been made for him to be the team's vice.

“I was able to make some arrangements with work (he's a partner in the Hart-Well Electrical Company) where I’ll have some time away, as much as I need. My partners at work have been fantastic. They’re excited for me. They’re doing whatever they can to work with me and help me out.”

As for those sons who he loves to coach (they won the Ontario Bantam Championship this season) Hart will keep his hand in it as much as possible, continuing to tutor 14 year-old David, while 16 year-old Joe has graduated to junior and will be getting a new team and coach. Dad can't be everywhere, after all.

One would assume that includes the television booth, but Hart says he's hopeful he can spend at least some of the time with a headset.

“I’ve really enjoyed the commentating work I’ve been doing. I’m actually hoping I can continue to do some work next year with Sportsnet. We’re going to wait and see how the schedule all lines up.”

***

So Hart and Howard, one of the best skip/vice combos the game has seen in the last decade and a half, get an encore. One of indeterminate length. As Hart noted, he has a deal to play next season and an option for another beyond that. Could be that he's in it to win a Brier or two and that's it. Probably not, though, when you combine his feelings about watching the Olympics last February with this statement:

“I just feel that... you’re getting older here, you only have so many good years left and if you’re going to take another swing at it, it needs to be now."

Asked if that means he and Howard, along with lead Craig Savill and newly-added second Jon Mead are looking for a 2018 Olympic berth, Hart replies that it's a possibility.

“We said we’re not building this team for the Olympics, we’re building it for the next two seasons and then we’re going to see where everybody’s at and see if we can do that last stretch run.”

“Obviously it’s in the backs of our minds.”

***

When Howard talked of his team's changes for next season, he seemed even more enthused about curling than usual. Hart had that same kind of joy in his voice, the idea of reuniting with Howard and Savill a clear motivator. Not only that, the chance to play with the highly-regarded Mead gives him a boost as well.

"I’m really excited to see how this all plays out," he said. "To get to know Jon and to play with him. I bet you I’ve only had eight or nine teammates in my whole career.”

There's the lure of old teammates and new and of a sport that, when it gets in your DNA it never leaves. There's also a little something more that has brought Hart out of retirement and it has to do with regaining an old feeling.

“Anyone who’s played any sport at the top level, they’ve got this certain competitiveness inside them," he explains. "I’m excited to get that back. It’s been slowly creeping into my personality over the last year, eighteen months. That’s the thing that I’m most excited about. Just getting back to competing and working hard at something. Trying to see how good you can get. That’s the part that I’m really excited about."