The D/Sx2 what if thread

[pumba]

Following the B/A What If topic, what in you opinion would have the Olys podium look like, with healthy and well-trained Domnina/Shabalin (missed the 2008 Worlds, 2009 Euros, and the GP circuit in 2009-2010) and Delobel/Schoenfelder (withdrew from from the 2nd half of 2008-2009/ entire 2009-2010 season)? Would it be so easy for V/M to win, and for D/W to be on the podium? Would B/A have had any chance for a medal?

[haribobo]

And what if Denkova/Staviyski were still in it too? And how bout if Grishuk/Platov had kept up their skills and Krylova/Ovsiannikov came back? And say Torvill/Dean had been born 20 years later? What if Naomi Lang never got pregnant and Silverstein/Pekarek never retired? And what if the Stieglers had switched to ice dance and competed thru 2010?

[judgejudy27]

It is hard to say really. I honestly dont see Davis & White passing either team had they remained healthy, fit and remained competing the year and half leading up to the Olympics though. I think the medals would have between Virtue & Moir, Delobel & Schoenfelder, and Domnina & Shabalin had this occured.

[casken]

It probably would have been

1/2. V&M/DomShab
3. DelSchoe

[nuge]

I'd probably go with this.

Domnina/Shabalin were tall and strong and quite a presence on the ice .
Delobel/Shoenfelder smooth and strong and mature .
Virtue/Moir the babies.Talented smooth but zzzz to me .I like them but they're just not exciting enough .
I like my dancers dramatic and passionate Anissina Pasha Usova

Or on the edge eg D/W Denstas both couples skate with abandonment

Oh the days of the D/SSSSSS Not forgetting Denstav

[briancoogaert]

Wheeee !
And what if I decided to train a lot more when I was young ? I would be an OGM !

[blue_idealist]

I think Virtue and Moir still would have won. Domnina and Shabalin, what with politics, might have snuck into silver ahead of Davis and White. That's just a maybe.. I think they could have still ended with the bronze. I don't think that Delobel and Schoenfelder would have been rewarded with a medal even if they had been fully trained - they would have been 4th or 5th, I'm guessing. Their skating, at their best, was probably not as good as how Virtue and Moir and Davis and White skated at this Olympics.. and Domnina and Shabalin would have had politics on their side. The judges have not seemed into rewarding Delobel and Schoenfelder, even when it is deserved.

[judgejudy27]

The thing is if Delobel & Schoenfelder had been able to skate at the 2009 Worlds I am pretty sure they would have won given how their season had been going and the level of skating Domnina & Shabalin won with. DelSchoes had easily beaten DomShabs at the Grand Prix final where they basically skated the same way so I dont see what would have changed at Worlds. And if DelSchoes had gone into the Olympic season as the 2 time World Champions and been fully trained they would been given atleast silver. And in fact even if they had still gotten pregnant and showed up skating like they did in Vancouver they might have been given a medal anyway if they had gone to the 2009 Worlds and won.

[ostile17]

If we're playing the ifs game...

With healthy Dom/Shab there would be no D/S in Vancouver.
Healthy Dom/Shab would have won 2008 Worlds, with D/S and B/A on the podium in no particular order. V/M would have probably been 5th behind K/N. I'm sure in this scenario D/S would have retired after worlds. Hence no D/S in Vancouver. But even if they hadn't retired, healthy Dom/Shab would have easily beaten them in the following 2008/2009 season. With healthy D/Sx2, V/M and especially D/W would have not been boosted the ridiculous way they have.
This would have been the Vancouver podium if we play the "what if" game:

Dom/Shab
D/S
B/A or V/M....with D/W nowhere near the podium.

[Fallcolor]

1) V/M 2) Domshab 3) D/W

Domshab would have won the CD as they did in Vancouver, again with a point or so margin. OD:V/M had the hardest choreography and it seems like, as long as they skated it the way it was supposed to be skated, the judges would give them 1st place, (that program was more like a SP- do or die), even if Domshab were healthy and actually adding difficulty to their program (that doesn't just involve skating in circles lol!)...given the OD controversy, being in Canada etc... V/M's FD was a work in progress, it had a high scoring potential, and judges were careful not to overmark them toooo much during the GP circuit for them to properly peak in Vancouver. V/M's FD was unique (judges thought so) but i am MOST curious as to what the judges would have thought about Domshabs FD, if it was choreographed to their standards. would the judges have found it too old fashioned and cookie cutter? Hard to say.
And finally i think D/W's trademark- speed and power, would give them the bronze.

[judgejudy27]

If we're playing the ifs game...

With healthy Dom/Shab there would be no D/S in Vancouver.
Healthy Dom/Shab would have won 2008 Worlds, with D/S and B/A on the podium in no particular order. V/M would have probably been 5th behind K/N. I'm sure in this scenario D/S would have retired after worlds. Hence no D/S in Vancouver. But even if they hadn't retired, healthy Dom/Shab would have easily beaten them in the following 2008/2009 season. With healthy D/Sx2, V/M and especially D/W would have not been boosted the ridiculous way they have.
This would have been the Vancouver podium if we play the "what if" game:

Dom/Shab
D/S
B/A or V/M....with D/W nowhere near the podium.

Apart from V/M doing better I agree. I cant see D&W even on the podium in this hypothetical as they would have had to wait their turn, and they probably wouldnt have even been the #1 U.S team over B&A by Vancouver now.

[Fallcolor]

Dom/Shab would have won 2008 Worlds, with D/S and B/A on the podium in no particular order. V/M would have probably been 5th behind K/N. I'm sure in this scenario D/S would have retired after worlds. Hence no D/S in Vancouver. But even if they hadn't retired, healthy Dom/Shab would have easily beaten them in the following 2008/2009 season.

What makes you think K/N would have finished as high as 4th, with Domshab participating? Despite being the top russian couple they narrowly won the bronze and were even beaten in the FD by the italians, who never qualified for the GPF up to that season. And how does Domshabs being there and winning, and with how B/A eventually skated, cause them to displace V/M from the podium??

[judgejudy27]

K/N would have been 6th or lower at the 2008 Worlds if DomShabs were there I expect. They never came close to beating B/A any other time in their careers and they often to lose to some of their other 2nd tier top European team counterparts when DomShabs are around too.

[casken]

Their skating, at their best, was probably not as good as how Virtue and Moir and Davis and White skated at this Olympics..

No way in hell was Delobel and Schoenfelder's best not as good as D&W's best.

[ostile17]

What makes you think K/N would have finished as high as 4th, with Domshab participating? Despite being the top russian couple they narrowly won the bronze and were even beaten in the FD by the italians, who never qualified for the GPF up to that season.

They made mistakes in the FD, that's why they came behind F/S.

And how does Domshabs being there and winning, and with how B/A eventually skated, cause them to displace V/M from the podium??

In my "what if" scenario, besides D/Sx2 being healthy and kicking asses, B/A would not fall in the CD, and would be on the podium with D/S and Dom/Shabs. Hence: V/M off the 2008 Worlds podium!

[blue_idealist]

In my "what if" scenario, besides D/Sx2 being healthy and kicking asses, B/A would not fall in the CD, and would be on the podium with D/S and Dom/Shabs. Hence: V/M off the 2008 Worlds podium!

I don't see how this necessarily means that B&A wouldn't have a fall, unless you are implying they would be less nervous because they would feel like they had less of a shot at the podium?