Is it game over for Virtue and Moir already? | Golden Skate

Is it game over for Virtue and Moir already?

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
The formal part of the competitve skating season has barely begun and it seems like the judges are already saying 'good bye' to Tessa and Scott's Olympic chances.

Do you think that Tessa and Scott can fight back? Can they regain their perception as the best ice dancers before Sochi? Do you think there is a conspiracy behind these results? Has the IJS system made skating too precise? Can you skate with reckless abandonment and win?

Start the conversation below.
 

ciocio

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 27, 2010
People tend to think that if skate A beats skater B in a competition (especially at the Olympics), skater A will always be better, which is wrong. Skaters have different peak moments and I think D/W´s moment is now. V/M had their moment in 2010. I´m not a big fan of any of them although I prefer Maryl and Charlie as persons and I think Tessa and Scott have more innate talent and chemistry. If D/W won´t bomb in Sochi they will win.
 

spikydurian

Medalist
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Why should the game be over? The top two spots will definitely be a fight between D&W and V&M. Anything can happen between now and Sochi. How people perceive is not as important as how the judges perceive and how they skate on that day. All the best to the competitors.
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
When did the judges said bye bye, have they competed anywhere else besides Filandia Trophy?
 

demarinis5

Gold for the Winter Prince!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
Why should the game be over? The top two spots will definitely be a fight between D&W and V&M. Anything can happen between now and Sochi. How people perceive is not as important as how the judges perceive and how they skate on that day. All the best to the competitors.

Post of the day! :thumbsup:
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Why should the game be over? The top two spots will definitely be a fight between D&W and V&M. Anything can happen between now and Sochi. How people perceive is not as important as how the judges perceive and how they skate on that day. All the best to the competitors.

Remember the old proverb: one swallow does not make a summer. V/M is one of the two best couples in the world, miles ahead of anyone else except for D/W. One day one will win; one day the other will.
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Why should the game be over? The top two spots will definitely be a fight between D&W and V&M. Anything can happen between now and Sochi. How people perceive is not as important as how the judges perceive and how they skate on that day. All the best to the competitors.

Agree that spikydurian's post pretty much says it all :bow: ...

Except that I will add:

When the rivals marched in the opening ceremony at the 2010 Olympics, Davis/White had placed first over Virtue/Moir as recently as the 2009 GPF -- and I think that everyone remembers who the winners in Vancouver were. ;)

IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER. :yes:​
 

WeakAnkles

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Agree that spikydurian's post pretty much says it all :bow: ...

Except that I will add:

When the rivals marched in the opening ceremony at the 2010 Olympics, Davis/White had placed first over Virtue/Moir as recently as the 2009 GPF -- and I think that everyone remembers who the winners in Vancouver were. ;)

IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER. :yes:​

True--but this time Voir won't have that crucial "home field" advantage.

Really, every single competition between these two teams has boiled down to two factors: who hits their levels and GOE at that particular event. It's way too soon to write either of them off.
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
True--but this time Voir won't have that crucial "home field" advantage. ...

The "home field" effects cut both ways:

In 2010, Virtue/Moir also competed under a LOT of "home field" PRESSURE. One could say that Davis/White had the advantage of not competing under the same pressure.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
The problem is V and M are not hitting their levels, some say her size is hindering their technical prowess, V and M have had twizzle and lift problems and they lost their edge on pcs = skating skills are key. They also don't have the vehicle it appears to set them apart. Both teams went safe but truthfully as good as they are neither is artistically setting themselves apart as teams like teh duechesney's or Torvill and Dean or Klimova and Pomanrenkohave in the past. Neither team as good as they are have the super magic quality though both are "super good".
 

lcd

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 11, 2007
The "home field" effects cut both ways:

In 2010, Virtue/Moir also competed under a LOT of "home field" PRESSURE. One could say that Davis/White had the advantage of not competing under the same pressure.

The support and inspiration they receive from skating before their home crowd/country, and coming in as "underdogs" to an extent this season (lost 3x to D/W in 2013) should give them tremendous "fighting spirit" I would expect. Scott especially is a great competitor, and I would never ever underestimate the 2 of them.
 

bramweld

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
We have to see what improvements they make at Skate Canada, after that the best Skate wins. The problem though is that V/M are struggling to make their levels while maintaining their artistry, D/W don't.
 

skatingfan4ever

"Our blade takes us in the most amazing places."
Medalist
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Country
United-States
I would add that I don't see V&M finishing lower than second in Sochi. There's a huge gap between the top two dance teams and the other dance teams. So, I'd say that even if they get silver this time, it can still be considered a success. The true shocker would be if V&M were third or off the podium. They're still one of the top two teams in the world, so it's definitely not over for them yet. If both V&M and D&W skate well in Sochi, it's in the judges hands. They both skated exceptionally well in Vancouver, and the judges placed V&M ahead of D&W. Who knows what will happen in Sochi? Best of luck to both teams. Ice dance won't be the same once they stop competing.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
I find it puzzling that anyone would claim somehow D&W are huge favorites for Sochi over V&M. V&M's problems in recent competition have been little slips and failure to hit levels. Every year, every dance team has a period of getting used to new programs. Until they do, they either tend to not display quite their usual speed early in the season, or they don't hit their levels early in the season. V&M have tended to be the latter type of skatesr, D&W the former. Both teams are the best 2 skating right now by a mile.

One or the other will win in Sochi, and given that there is a team event, one could place ahead of the other in one competition and one in the other.

Both teams are so close in PCS marks, and have been for so long, that it will come down to GOE & levels on a given day.

And Mathman is right! I'm looking forward to seeing the changes & improvements in Tessa & Scott's programs at Skate Canada this weekend, and I hope against hope that NBC will be kind enough to at least show V&M's FD in the main telecast.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
And Mathman is right! I'm looking forward to seeing the changes & improvements in Tessa & Scott's programs at Skate Canada this weekend, and I hope against hope that NBC will be kind enough to at least show V&M's FD in the main telecast.

Oh, man, I didn't even think of that! The only reason we got to see ice dance on Skate America is because an American couple won. I hope someone in the booth can make the case to the producers that V/M have to be shown so Americans understand what the stakes are in this competition. (And just because V/M are wonderful!)
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
I dont think it is over for them by any means. The chance for the 2nd Olympic Gold is still there. This is not the pairs equivalent where V&T will win barring 3 falls or worse. But right now I would say D&W are 70-75% likely to win the Sochi Gold. If I were a betting with real money I know which team I would place my dollars with the bookies on right now.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
It ain't over til it's over. There's no reason to say V/M are done just because the judges/tech team at Finlandia gave them a hard time. They've never been at their best in the early season anyway. I'm sure their performance at SC will show a vast improvement. GPF will be their last and only head-to-head with D/W before Sochi and that should be a nailbiter.
 

bigsisjiejie

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 22, 2009
I'm baffled by all this angst also. V/M will fix whatever issues they feel they have, and they will show up in Sochi fully prepared to contend for the gold medal. The sun will rise in the east tomorrow and the Pope is still Catholic. I have no doubts about the certainty of all three of these things.
 

Bluebonnet

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 18, 2010
Why should the game be over? The top two spots will definitely be a fight between D&W and V&M. Anything can happen between now and Sochi. How people perceive is not as important as how the judges perceive and how they skate on that day. All the best to the competitors.

Exactly! I believe that there were examples from the past that some skaters dominated almost the whole season until the biggest moment. I honestly don't understand this "game over" thing for any skaters.
 
Top