Norwegian Olympic team adds eye-popping fashion flair to curling

Having grown up in Florida and living much of my adult life in Southern California, I admit I never heard of the sport of curling until the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010.

The competition, which involves meticulously -- and slowly, very slowly -- pushing rocks across a sheet of ice toward a target, left me cold. It was, to use a cliche, like watching paint dry. Or maybe, under the circumstances, like watching paint freeze.

But good news: The upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, are already providing curling excitement -- at least sartorially -- thanks to the Norwegian men’s team.

The Norwegians won the silver medal in Vancouver, but what really captured the world’s attention were their unusually colorful red, white and blue pants, as my colleague Adam Tschorn noted at the time.

And on Tuesday, they showed off their formal uniforms for next month’s 2014 Games in Sochi, a kaleidoscope of red, white and blue zigzags.

“Cancel the Olympics because Norway’s curling team has already won,” shouted a headline on USA Today’s website.

“The Olympic men’s curling team from Norway is currently ranked fourth in the world, but its uniform pants remain a clear No. 1,” said Scott Stump on the “Today” show website.

Even the New York Times issued a definitive report on the team’s look.

So a tip of the hat to the team that might -- just might -- get me to watch a little bit of curling again this Olympic season.

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