I don't know why we're surprised as deep down we all knew it would happen.

The only teams that should have qualified by right for the districts according to the rules are Hammy and possibly Scott Hamilton's old team minus Scott.

We have to remember that making these guys play in the pre-qualifiers would effect their overseas schedule and we wouldn't want to do that would we.

We could have brought the European playoffs back for a season as there's a lot of new teams, but obviously that's a bit radical for curling in Scotland.

James... i was on council when the european play-offs were introduced. There were several reasons. Quite often teams break up after the curling season and the previous champions no longer existed but the main reason was to get another top level competition for the top domestic teams to compete against each other and (hopefully) get the form team going forward. However the feeling towards the end of my sentence..sorry, time on council..was that competitions should be set up so only the top teams play them and one thing,as they say, has lead to another. There is no-one to blame for this except the players. It seems to me a boycott or "unofficial" scottish championship will not happen because no-one wants to rock the boat if there is a slight chance they will be asked to climb aboard someday.

Indeed , whatever happenned to open, fair competition???

face fits etc etc etc

Just because the primadonnas get themselves together doesnt make them any use as a team --- why should they then get a free berth to the next rounds?

As far as their overseas competitions etc - maybe they should remember that it is their results in the bread and butter competition at home that earns them the right to swan off abroad.

The scottish dates should be set out at the end of the prior season - known well in advance and if they cannot arrange their commitments to play at home then too bad. Lets see if they get the invites the following year when there is another scottish champ to go instead.

Fraid the FFFF team wont be there this year again - cant be bothered with all the coming and going and very blatent bending of the rules to suit the "chosen" ones.

I for one thought that curling was a team game - and if what OTB says is correct and only Hammy & Scott are the only ones still eligible to go direct to the qualifiers then that is how it should be and everybosy else should have to qualify. Just because there is a few notable names in a new team doesnt mean they would qualify! The RCCC are the ones who introduced these damndable prequalifiers so they should have to live with the consequences.

Likewise, why should the rest of us have to put up with having the competition dates and format buggered around with just to suit the "professionals". If the rest of us cant manage due to work commitments etc - we just cant / wont play - thats life (and i dont see the RCCC rushing to help us!). The professionals would just have to choose what their priority is - going abroad or curling the scottish.

For me the solution is simple - scrap the pre-qualifiers and have an open and fair main qualifying round with the involvement of every team. You may get me to agree to seeding based on last year but thats it. (only Hammy & Scott would be seeded for instance this year) That would give the up and coming teams a chance to play the big teams for experience and put everyone on a level playing field.

PS - If you cant play in all the rounds then tough sh*t - you dont enter.

I believe Neil Joss's team also skip the pre-qualifiers as they finished 8th last year so that would make 3 teams only.

What a load of BOLLCKS no team " PERIOD " should get to the districts or anywhere for that matter automatically. Every team should have to go through the same qualifying process as everyone else. If it means by some fluke some team of haddies end up in the finals then tough get over it. I'm sick of people thinking they are so much better and  " DESERVE " to be there , thats tripe , you only deserve to be there because you went through the  " FULL " qualification process.

Sorry I didn't mean the players themselves thinking they were better than others I meant the fuds running the game and giving said teams their free ticket or is it a case of  " jobs for the boys " .