The curlers are in the house - Los Angeles Times

_This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts._ The first athletes qualified for the U.S. Olympic team for

the Vancouver Winter Games, news that probably went right past you unless you know what a rock, a rink and a broom have in common. They’re all curling terms, and the U.S. men’s and women’s

curling trials were held last weekend at the Broomfield Event Center in Broomfield, Colo. The men’s event was won by skipper JOHN SHUSTER of Duluth, Minn., and teammates JASON SMITH of Cape

Coral, Fla., JEFF ISAACSON of Gilbert, Minn., and JOHN BENTON of St. Michael, Minn. Among the women, DEBBIE MCCORMICK of Rio, Wis., earned her third Olympic berth when her rink won its

final. Her teammates are ALLISON POTTINGER of Eden Prairie, Minn., NICOLE JORAANSTAD of Madison, Wis., NATALIE NICHOLSON of Bemidji, Minn., and TRACY SACHTJEN of Lodi, Wis. -- Helene Elliott