Thank Heaven

Speculation to follow. I think they were holding out for a potential 2022 and got a no go. I'm not sad about it. Ice dance competitions shouldn't produce impotent rage, and that's all the sport has been about for five years and counting.

... Checking back in. I rewatched the video and are they retiring from skating after this show, or retiring from the "competitive sport" of ice dance? Most of the video appeared to refer to a competitive career, particularly when they verbally pass the baton to upcoming teams who will "break all of our records." But there's also the part where they say they're retiring, but not before they're done with the current tour.

I think most people thought they'd already retired from the sport, just as most fans made the same assumption after Sochi. What have they been doing for the nearly two years since Pyeongchang? Certainly not competing in their sport. This is what makes me suspect they wanted to do a fourth Olympics but not if they really weren't going to get the opportunity to officially win. I am not selling short the fact that their entire lives have been spent as elite level athletes, and officially retiring is a massive step, and getting on the ice to make the video is their highest level of geeking out. And I think it also underscores how important competition has always been to both of them, no matter how Tessa has blathered over time about balance, fashion and dance, or Scott acts like he'd rather be off somewhere using his penis to shoot a gun (sorry to mix or maybe fuse metaphors there, but anyone who watched their "reality show" will know the Scott I mean). They're insane competitors, and probably hold the record for successive perfect performances in Olympic figure skating. No other skaters, no matter how great, have put down two perfect Olympic performances in successive Olympics, let alone in three successive Olympics. I do wonder if this official retirement has been thrust upon them.