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Shani Davis, unplugged, after stunning loss

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Shani Davis was classy in defeat, paying tribute to 1,500-meter gold medalist, Dutch speedskater Mark Tuitert.

“Today, I crowned him the king of speedskating,” said Davis, who won the silver. “To me, the 1,500 is a kings race.”

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Davis talked about how he has changed since 2006.

“I guess my attitude and my feelings aren’t as they were back four years ago,” he said Saturday night. “I’m extremely satisfied with my accomplishments and I love the fact that I can honestly tell you that I’m extremely happy.”

Then his cellphone went off during the news conference at the Main Press Center.

Davis looked at it, smiling:

“That’s Apolo. Sorry, Apolo.”

He continued on his line of thinking on what Vancouver meant to his career.

“This is a different type of feeling, a different type of atmosphere….I’m happy that now my job here is done,” Davis said. “I came here. I got two medals. I really wanted to win the 1,500 meters. I guess, in the long scheme of things, maybe this is going to keep me with the sport another four years in order to try to compete for that king’s title again.

“I mean, I really want that title so badly. It’s OK. I’ll take the defender title for now since I was able to defend the 1,000. I want to be the king. I guess it’s going to carry over for another four years.”

The 1,500 intrigues him -- on many levels -- for the 2014 Games.

“I want to try to figure out some type of strategy,” Davis said. “Maybe I’m not the favorite going into the race, I’m the one afterwards. I have no idea. They say things happen for a reason and I haven’t had enough time to really think about why this happened. I’m excited that I’ll again be motivated to compete another four years of my skating career.’

So would he have walked … well, skated away with a win Saturday night?

“I don’t know because I would have been complete,” Davis said. “I had the feeling all day (if) I would have won today, I would have been complete. I would have reached all my dreams and goals I ever had for skating.

“I would have felt I would have been close to being complete. Now I feeling like I’m close, but I’m not where I would like to be. I don’t know if I would have quit or not.”

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-Lisa Dillman, reporting from Vancouver

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