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TSN Senior Reporter

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As the Home Hardware Canada Cup draws near, TSN's Bob Weeks decided it was time to get up close and personal with the workhorses of curling teams – the leads and seconds. Rather than the skips and thirds who get most of the attention, he chatted with the front-enders. This time, Brett Gallant from Team Gushue.

WEEKS: Where does the Canada Cup fit in your ranking of curling events?

GALLANT: It's certainly pretty high up there, especially with the direct berth into the Trials. It puts it up there probably right behind the Brier and Olympic Trials in importance to win. The Slams are important to get the points but I'd say it's in the top three for sure. 

WEEKS: What's been the key to your team's great year so far?

GALLANT: I think all four of us have started to play well together. Last year we had some success but it seemed like it was only three out of the four playing well at the same time. For the most part this year the four of us have been playing pretty well and we just seem to be getting some good results.

WEEKS: Okay, let's get this out of the way. After your skipper's fall, should helmets be mandatory in curling?

GALLANT: (Laughs) No! No chance. I remember when I was in Little Rocks they started to make them mandatory but I'd probably already been curling for six or seven years so I asked my parents to move me up to big rocks just so I didn't have to wear a helmet. Seriously it's probably a good idea for young juniors and seniors.

WEEKS: Maybe guys like your dad?

GALLANT: Ha, ya he can probably use one! 

WEEKS: What's the funniest thing that was said as a result of your skip's pratfall?

GALLANT: The funniest thing has been a couple of cartoons that have been drawn up. There's one in the local paper that has the Olympic rings around his eyes with the black ring on his black eye. For the most part everyone has just been wondering how he's been doing.

WEEKS: Has he taken some abuse for it though?

GALLANT: A few people have wanted pictures with him while he was wearing a helmet, so it's all in good fun but I'm sure he's sick of it by now.

WEEKS: OK let's go back to your PEI roots. Do you still laugh a little inside every time you hear the name Crapaud (pronounced Crap-O) Curling Club?

GALLANT: A little bit (laughs). We had one season there in our junior days when we went 13-0 playing there. We used to love playing in Crapaud. In provincials and winter games playdowns there we never lost. It was good for us. 

WEEKS: There is another PEI Brett Gallant, from Summerside, who plays in the NHL and is quite the enforcer. Would you say you're the enforcer on Team Gushue?

GALLANT: If I said that, I'd be lying. I'm probably the least likely to ever get in a fight. I'd probably be the quickest to run as opposed to being an enforcer. 

WEEKS: How tough is it to stay mentally focused during a long week like the Brier or Canada Cup where every win is vital?

GALLANT: It's obviously tough. That might be one of our team's strengths. All four of us get along pretty well and are able to mix in keeping things light and fun while at the same still being able to get that focus necessary to make all the shots. It might be me on the ice who breaks it up so it's not a straight three hours of focus, but making sure we're keyed in for the right times. The long weeks like the Canada Cup are a grind. You're almost more tired mentally than physically. 

WEEKS: Speaking of that, what part of your body hurts the most after a big event? 

GALLANT: Probably the upper body, the back, the arms, from sweeping. I still haven't been sweeping full on for a long time. I'm starting to get a little more conditioned for it but when you start playing that amount of games back to back, there are definitely aches and pains by the end of it. 

WEEKS: Do you ever get the rubber arms at the end of the week when you're sweeping but there's not much there?

GALLANT: For sure, some times. We're in the gym quite a bit trying not to let it happen but I think everybody is a little worn out by the end of the week. Hopefully we're a little bit further ahead than most teams because we're still pretty young and fit. 

WEEKS: Since December, you've only Tweeted three times. Ever feel like you need to step up your Twitter game?

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GALLANT: I've kind of stepped away from it a little bit. I'm trying to get the social media down a little bit and spend more time on other things. I still check it from time to time but I guess there's a time and place and as a team, we've taken a little bit of a back seat to it. 

WEEKS: It can be a little bit distracting I guess.

GALLANT: A little bit. I do like it and I wish I could do more but I think it's probably a good idea to stay off it. 

WEEKS: So at the Canada Cup you probably won't be Tweeting.

GALLANT: No. There are lots of great messages on there but it can also get in your head a little bit too. We just try and quiet the noise, I guess is a good way to put it. 

WEEKS: Now that you're living in Newfoundland, have you ever met someone with a really thick accent and have no idea what they're saying?

GALLANT: All the time. I'm still trying to catch on. I've lived here long enough now that I've started to pick up some of the phrases. We were curling in Halifax and I was talking to my father and I said something I never would have said before I moved here. You start to pick it up, it just happens. But anybody who is from outside of St. John's, when they come into town, they usually have a really thick accent and I have no clue. I have to ask them to repeat it about five times.