Emanuel Sandhu at the 2008

[coppertop1]

Just curious, of Sandhu had stayed for 2007-08, would he have made the World Team with only two spots available? My opinion is no. Skate Canada had their leading man in Jeff Buttle and all signs pointed at Patrck Chan as the successor. Sandhu's poor season in 2006-07 which culminated in him finishing 16th at Worlds (down from 5th in 2006) probably meant his time was done.

 

[blue_idealist]

No, I think the best he would have done was 3rd. I can't remember how the guys skated after Chan and Buttle. I see on the results that Shawn Sawyer was third. I don't remember what his program was like even though I am a fan.

 

[screech]

I don't remember the competition, but Sawyer did come 3, having been 6th after the SP.

Jeff had a big lead over Patrick after the SP (7 points) but Patrick won overall by 3 points.

I don't remember the skates, but I think Emanuel would have had to produce something pretty special to get in there. If he'd been in the top 2, that means that Jeff would have been bumped to third, off the Worlds team, and would not have his world title.

 

[tony]

You never know with Sandhu-- he could've had an amazing competition and blown the field away at any given time. But I think they were already obviously pushing for Chan and unless Emanuel was able to come up with a completely solid competition, he most likely would've been left off the team. He had a disastrous and uninspired Worlds the year before, even finishing behind Chris Mabee. But back to the original point.. he was so unpredictable that who knows what version would've shown up at Nationals.

 

[coppertop1]

I think Patrick was untouchable. He was in a class by himself. Sandu could have caught Buttle, who struggled. I don't see Skate Canada supporting him after his drop at the 2007 Worlds

 

[Erin]

I think Patrick was untouchable. He was in a class by himself. Sandu could have caught Buttle, who struggled.

Jeff actually skated pretty well at Canadians that year - he had a clean short and in the long, I actually thought he had a chance of hanging on for the win until he doubled a jump (I want to say the lutz) at the end of the program. He had made one other mistake earlier in the program, probably on one of the axels. So it wasn't a perfect performance, but I think it would have taken a very strong skate by Sandhu to have beaten it.

 

[coppertop1]

Jeff actually skated pretty well at Canadians that year - he had a clean short and in the long, I actually thought he had a chance of hanging on for the win until he doubled a jump (I want to say the lutz) at the end of the program. He had made one other mistake earlier in the program, probably on one of the axels. So it wasn't a perfect performance, but I think it would have taken a very strong skate by Sandhu to have beaten it.

And Sandhu hadn't beaten Buttle at Canadians since 2004.

 

[Seerek]

I was surprised Emanuel didn't take 2010 Olympics into stronger consideration even with only the 2 spots available (Canada was a couple points away from the 3rd berth). He probably would have been right in the mix with Chipeur, Russell, Reynolds and J. Ten.

 

[butyrskafanatic]

He didnt stand a prayer. Maybe some of you have poor memories, but in 2006-2007 season Sandhu's PCS dropped on par with Mabee's. He was not competitive anymore even skating cleanly, which as all familiar with Sandhu's career knows he never did anyway. The quality of his skating had declined, while being as inconsistent as ever, and politics and favor of Skate Canada had totally gone by then for whatever reason (probably since he was an old skater who was already on decline as already noted, and after years of underperforming and with other viable contenders in Buttle and Chan they had no use for him anymore anyhow). Even if he skated perfectly at the 2008 Canadians I cant see him placing higher than 3rd. He couldnt beat Buttle at Canadians in 2005 and 2006 when he was much more competitive, so how would he in 2008 when he was no longer competitive or considered an international contender at all.

 

[butyrskafanatic]

I laugh that this poll is almost 50-50. Some of you really forget how far Sandhu had sunk in 2007. Like I said his PCS were on par with Mabee regularly now, they were equal to Mabee's at both the 2007 Canadians and Worlds. His skating had declined, his spins were now slow, and his skating was heavier, and Skate Canada was so disinterested in him they ultimately pushed him to retire which is why he wasnt at the 2008 Canadians in the first place. And he had not beaten Buttle at Canadians since 2004 as someone said. So on what planet was this going to happen, which he would have needed to make the team as Chan beat Buttle for the victory. The judges knew Buttle was still a big contender, they would not leave him off the team for old declining Sandhu, especialy as Buttle didnt exactly skate bad at these Canadians despite losing to Chan. If he had really bombed I could see maybe speculating on Sandhu having a chance, but that didnt happen.