Curling - the new Pop Idol?

By BBC Sport Online's Chris Charles

Goodbye Gareth, so long Will - there's a new kid in town.

Yesterday's Pop Idols are today's fish and chip papers as a nation worships at the altar of curling.

The British team notched up an unprecedented gold medal in Salt Lake City and in the run-up to Thursday night's final, unlike EastEnders, everyone really was talking about it.

Success on the other side of the Atlantic has even seen the minority sport invade that great bastion of football chit-chat, the local boozer.

Colin Hendry should be back for Bolton on Saturday

No longer can you pop down for a couple of quick halves and a friendly debate about the top 10 goals of all time.

These days you need to know where in the house the tee is kept to avoid being exiled to the fruit machine.

Taxi drivers have a new subject to inform nonplussed passengers about and, for once, old people have to concede that we really have never had it so good.

Skeleton

But aren't we all getting dolled up in the Emperor's new clothes?

A team of women (one of whom has to look like Colin Hendry) shoving a 42-pound stone around an ice rink - hardly glamorous is it?

Then there's the sweeping up - what's that all about? You'd think they'd check for empty crisp packets and dog ends before they got started.

Mind you, us British can't afford to be fussy. If there's anything we're remotely good at, we'll embrace it - as has been proved with the skeleton.

Clifton took gold in the name game

Ninety miles an hour on a tea tray - it's a good way to avoid the rush-hour traffic, but hardly a top drawer sport.

Still, at least the authorities have scrapped plans to have an 'Olympic Names' in 2006.

The decision was taken after they spotted the moniker of the Irishman who came fourth in the skeleton - Lord Clifton Hugh Lancelot de Vernon Wrottesley.

It just wouldn't be fair on the other competitors.