Pyette and the "rural areas of Ontario".

Editing to say that now that I've processed the interview more, Scott went out of his way to avoid saying "Ilderton". In fact, he steered our attention to Tessa and him being "true Londoners". Always before Scott made sure we knew he bled Ilderton sod. His buddies, and "my family" are Ildertonians, but it was Pyette who asked if they'd shot in London and Ilderton. It was the perfect opportunity for Scott to get in his usual compulsive Ilderton plugs, but I don't think Ilderton came out of Scott's mouth. "Rural areas of Ontario" my ass.

And, as someone pointed out in the comments, who the hell else touts their projects with declarations about how sincere and genuine and real they're going to be? As opposed to what? When they've been something else? Have they been deceptive, manipulative assholes in other projects or something?

They always do this. Scott flops and twists and shifts like a fish on a dock, Tessa always goes where you just think if you pricked HER skin, the needle would break on the solid ice in her veins. The exceptionally weird in Scott's facial expressions are how tight and twisted his mouth is and he keeps trying to smile with it while keeping it tight and twisted.

Could it be Love?

This is sort of a round-up post:

First:

Davis White's Kelloggs spot. As with most Olympic promotionals, second-hand embarrassment swamps the viewer like a load of toxic off-gas. Whether it's Virtue and Moir and their moms suddenly discovering they were really, really upset not to be on the 2006 Olympic team, and, retroactively, could hardly watch the event because they thought they should be there, and didn't even know if there would ever be a chance to go to another one, or this, Meryl and Charlie's great love sponsored by Kelloggs, it's enough to make you choke on your morning cereal.

Back in March 2012, the blog approvingly reported that Meryl said this:

But I think people respect and appreciate Charlie and my relationship, and we would never want to pretend it was something else.”*

That was then. Now all bets are off, baby.

That's closer than they get on the ice.

I'm ready

I've been practicing, and if Tanith, or any other ice dance commentator, is unable to perform, I'm prepared to step in. See below.

Before beginning, be it noted that if Virtue Moir fans question Davis White's high scores, it's whinging desperation. Let V/M beat freaking W/P and every other Davis White uber suddenly finds what a judging panel decides to do open to question and fair game. It's just amazing.

But not as amazing as Meryl and Charlie.

Okay, here goes. They key is to comment on the most ordinary attributes of Davis and White's program as if nobody else in skating has, does, or can do these things.

Wow. And she's wearing a dress.*

This is so difficult. Except for the transitions, they're doing
this entire step sequence one edge at a time.

They're just - that's an incredible lift. Meryl is upside down
and then she changes position in this same lift.*

And Charlie has to rotate while holding onto Meryl at the same time.

Yes.

Incredible.

The core strength!

Those twizzles. They're rotating them in synch.

And side by side.

Yes.

Wow.

What makes this section stand out is their Finnstep
pattern is in time to the music.

Exactly - the music has that bright, lighthearted quality to it, and these two are able to match that in every detail from their costumes to their smiles.

They're smiling now!

It's just ... remarkable. It really is.
_____________________________
*Charlie's in a modified snow plow and Meryl is literally on her boot. Look at the blade.

*This season, we learn that no ice dancer has ever been upside down in a lift before, forget what you've been told by your lying eyes. And if they have, were they able to keep their legs straight up while clinging to their partner for dear life with both arms?

With permission

These videos are embedded with permission from youtube's Canadablue.

Compared in the video below are the Senior B outings of Virtue and Moir's and Davis and White's short programs. The structure and actual skating content of these programs do not alter performance to performance. In terms of skating skills, they are not equal in their real world base value. This is not something that changes with a strong performance from one team or the other.

Free Dance:

I love this - 2013 free dances.

Thank you, Canadablue.

This is the woman who claimed she cut her contacts to seven
so she could focus on Vancouver. Gold must be a lock in Sochi.

They're thisclose to turning into drag queen versions of their pretend 2010 selves.

Also this:

34 year old Stockard Channing playing 17 in Grease.

30something Gabrielle Carteris playing a high schooler in 90210.

Poor Cindy Brady.

Down the road:

Tessa and Scott: It's not our skating that's special.

Well one preview and that's the takeaway. It's always the takeaway.  Leave the special, magical, dominating, gold-inevitable, sophisticated, soul-connected skating to Meryl Davis and Charlie White. That's not what make Scott and Tessa special.

Scott and Tessa are just special.

I'll say.

Blah blah blah unique unique haven't picked up a thesaurus in four years. 
What's a synonym? Unique. We needed a book of lies AND a documentary of lies
four years later to say we're unique.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
What am I missing? Didn't we journey to Ilderton and
the Unique four years ago in the book?

.
Not that many people outside parts of the Jersey Shore hang out in full make-up and swarovski-studded swimsuits. So that's special-ish.

Give her credit, she's not biting her lower lip over Detroit while she's doing it.

A few of my favorite things

Before I start gifing, may I mention that Tanith really needs to write an advice column explaining how one services one's live-in boyfriend from several hundred yards away. That's talent.

Here she is, with thanks to the person who transcribed for me:

These two are never satisfied. We know that about them by now. They are their own worst critics and biggest motivators, they know what they are capable of, and every single day in training, they're trying to find the new limit and break through it and create a new standard. And every single year, we see more and more from them. But this season, with this free dance, I truly believe it is the most detailed, complex choreography we have ever seen from them, and I had an interview with their coach, Marina Zoueva, earlier. She said this is the first time she's really seen them connected in their souls, through and through. It's something people said that Meryl and Charlie would never have, they'd never have the chemistry of a Virtue and Moir, and this program demonstrates that they are absolutely capable of connecting at a very deep level.

*

That's an actual headlock. What happened to Meryl poking her arm free? And what is supposed to be outstanding about this lift? Charlie's rocking blades?

Oh wait, I'm doing it wrong. I should follow Tanith's lead and describe them clutching each other as a feature. Not every partner can skate with the challenge of his partner's arms around his neck like a vise. Very difficult. Many skaters would asphyxiate.