The women's curling team will also play its penultimate game of the Olympics: a semifinal contest against Switzerland at 8:05 a.m. A round-robin win over Switzerland on Thursday punched the Americans' tickets to the semis. The Swiss now get a revenge opportunity after coming up on the wrong side of that 10th-end stone.

Spectators trekking through heavy snow to the Cortina Olympic curling stadium were delighted to be greeted by a traditional Scottish bagpipe performance from a group of high sock-wearing, kilt-sporting,

“I just get emotional talking about it because it just shows perseverance — and a little luck,” said Olympic curler Rich Ruohonen, 54.

Friday at the Olympics was headlined by the U.S. men's hockey team advancing to the gold medal round.

If you’ve gotten tired of watching curling, imagine how the athletes feel. By the end of the Milan Cortina Olympic Games, there will have been a total of 147 curling matches crammed into 18 days.

"Milan has been very nice, and the people have been very hospitable. I'm walking everywhere, some people recognize me as the world's greatest curler, and some people have no idea who I am," said Shaq, laughing. When asked which winter sport he would compete in, the Big Diesel had two picks in mind.