Post tryout: Brubaker will sit out season

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AeOkEdvTQc

Well, he may look cute, but it still doesn't change anything on the fact that they were mismatched too at first. But the older the skaters become, 4 years ages difference does not look look so bad.

hanca said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AeOkEdvTQc

Well, he may look cute, but it still doesn't change anything on the fact that they were mismatched too at first. But the older the skaters become, 4 years ages difference does not look look so bad.

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I agree....particularly with "mismatched at first" but still they were both relatively young. But there is a big difference between 4 years and 8 or more years.

We are seeing such a carousel of changing teams in USAand I am not a fan of guys in their mid 20's or even 30's first pairing up with petite young teenage girls.

I don't think it helps the image of skating in USA especially when the sport has lost so much of it's popularity with the public.

Hmm, after reading Hersh's article, I'm left wondering what happened with Mary Beth. It's surprising because she gave up singles last year to focus on pairs. That, to me, suggested that she was really committing to the partnership and her pairs career. So, for her to quit now is puzzling, and her silence about the matter makes it all the more so. Wish we could find out what happened--both with her and Keauna McLaughlin. It might shed some light on why it's so darn tough for us to create--and maintain--successful pairs here in the U.S.

eyria said:

Hmm, after reading Hersh's article, I'm left wondering what happened with Mary Beth. It's surprising because she gave up singles last year to focus on pairs. That, to me, suggested that she was really committing to the partnership and her pairs career. So, for her to quit now is puzzling, and her silence about the matter makes it all the more so. Wish we could find out what happened--both with her and Keauna McLaughlin. It might shed some light on why it's so darn tough for us to create--and maintain--successful pairs here in the U.S.

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Tai wrote about these changes and two year Pairs partnerships and of course she was very discouraged.

Tai and Randy skated together for a long time and paired up when they were both young.

The idea that USA teams think they can compete on the World stage after a year or two together is strange.

I wish it was different but it seems to be more and more prevalent.

Maybe they've all watched "Cutting Edge" one to many times

janetfan said:

Here is a piece on G/G which touches on this.....also mentions the 4 year age difference. (not 6, 8, 10 or 12........)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkKmA08l__Y

Watching them, especially Sergei it feels ridiculous to call him a "gorilla."
He was so elegant on the ice and on close ups we see a boyish quality and charm.

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In the beginning Katia and Sergei probably were one of those man/child pairs (I can't bring myself to call them gorilla and flea because, although she was a flea at the time, he was far from a gorilla.), but what they became was something entirely different, of course. They were made for each other and made for skating. I wonder when during that process the powers that be (Zhuk, for example) began to realize that they had finally made lightning in a bottle with their customary pairing of a tall guy with the smallest girl they could find.

Olympia said:

In the beginning Katia and Sergei probably were one of those man/child pairs (I can't bring myself to call them gorilla and flea because, although she was a flea at the time, he was far from a gorilla.), but what they became was something entirely different, of course. They were made for each other and made for skating. I wonder when during that process the powers that be (Zhuk, for example) began to realize that they had finally made lightning in a bottle with their customary pairing of a tall guy with the smallest girl they could find.

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I dunno....compared to what we see these days a four year age difference seems OK.

http://images.search.yahoo.com/imag...b=13j6ghrum&sigi=122diu9ta&.crumb=dxJHRMa/LB7

I see two kids there......no gorilla

Here are Randy and Tai:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63cmIfO-u6k

When Tai started to grow Randy did not bail on her and throw out the years of hard work.
He went to the gym and made himself stronger.

What a novel concept

BTW, I love the Arabians but don't expect to see our current champions trying them anytime soon.

I think what makes Tai and Randy do special is that they really liked each other and to this day are great friends and still skate together. They never had any other partners. Maybe pairs teams
In the US should follow their example.

sillylionlove said:

I think what makes Tai and Randy do special is that they really liked each other and to this day are great friends and still skate together. They never had any other partners. Maybe pairs teams
In the US should follow their example.

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Oh, golly, I wish more pairs teams would do this! One thing that makes me so devoted to both Davis/White and Virtue/Moir is the way these ice dance couples have been together forever and almost telepathically connect. Tai and Randy certainly did that, as did Ken Shelley and JoJo Starbuck. Starbuck used to refer to Shelley as her best friend. The musical chairs thing just confuses me, and then I can't remember anyone's name. There are some switchings that worked, but in those cases the second "marriages" tended to stay together: I'm thinking specifically of Jenni Meno and Todd Sand, and of Kyoka Ina and John Zimmerman. (And I feel no pain for Ina's old partner, Jason Dunjen, because he ended up with Yuka Sato--talk about a marriage made in heaven!)

eyria said:

Hmm, after reading Hersh's article, I'm left wondering what happened with Mary Beth. It's surprising because she gave up singles last year to focus on pairs. That, to me, suggested that she was really committing to the partnership and her pairs career. So, for her to quit now is puzzling, and her silence about the matter makes it all the more so. Wish we could find out what happened--both with her and Keauna McLaughlin. It might shed some light on why it's so darn tough for us to create--and maintain--successful pairs here in the U.S.

Click to expand...

I'm surprised about the timing of Marley's decision because it was so close to the season. But there's of course a huge risk in pairing up a little kid with no pairs experience with an experienced pair skater. There was no way for Marley to know what exactly she was getting herself into or if she would even like pairs. She wouldn't be the first skater to have an initial impression that pairs is somehow easier to handle than singles (I remember her saying she was even insulted by the thought of doing pairs instead of singles.). But reality is that the switch over is incredibly difficult, and Brubaker says she was starting to feel affected by the demands and pressure.

Judging by the programs they had planned for this season, it doesn't seem Marley thought she could handle the step up in difficulty (they had struggled with free skates last season). With Champs Camp looming (where the skaters were expected to show their programs), I could see why Marley would decide to bail right before then.

There's a lot of added pressure in pairs, I feel. Singles skaters can often compete in some local summer competitions to get their feet wet and feel good about themselves... But sr pairs in this country don't usually get the chance to do more than exhibition at local events, and then they just show up at the big competitions expecting to do well. Bottom line is that Brubaker is used to the pressure of this pair skating journey, Marley is not. And it seems like she just cracked. It must oftentimes be easier to skate with someone who is going through the same things you're going through, rather than someone so much older (9 yrs is a lot) and much more experienced.

Here is what Hersh is reporting:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...will-sit-out-season-20120901,0,7031884.column


"While missing the year before the Olympics compromises Brubaker's chances of getting to Sochi in 2014, the overall level of U.S. pairs skating is so mediocre it would not be impossible for him to get back in the running with a new partner."

gold12345 said:

I'm surprised about the timing of Marley's decision because it was so close to the season. But there's of course a huge risk in pairing up a little kid with no pairs experience with an experienced pair skater. There was no way for Marley to know what exactly she was getting herself into or if she would even like pairs. She wouldn't be the first skater to have an initial impression that pairs is somehow easier to handle than singles (I remember her saying she was even insulted by the thought of doing pairs instead of singles.). But reality is that the switch over is incredibly difficult, and Brubaker says she was starting to feel affected by the demands and pressure.

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Pairs these days is not just difficult but dangerous. You have to have a special temperament to be a female pairs partner, I think. This was driven home to me when I was watching, of all things, the Canadian show Battle of the Blades. In that show, the female partner is a pair skater, and the male contestant is an ice hockey player. So you can count on the fact that the guy is probably strong and that he has some experience on skates. But it's not exactly like what a real figure skating pairs male could bring in terms of steadiness and skill. So here's Katia Gordeyeva, skating with Val Bure. Watch how around the 1-minute mark he spins her out of a lift head-down-first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWl47OkisCA&feature=fvwrel

And this was a scaled-back version of a pairs routine, because Bure couldn't do jumps or throws. But after an overhead lift, we see that release, where Katia has to trust an inexperienced partner not to drop her onto her skull. This calls for a coolness of temperament that isn't part of every skater's inner makeup. This moment underlines to me what makes a pair skater different from any other kind of skater.

janetfan said:

Here is what Hersh is reporting:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...will-sit-out-season-20120901,0,7031884.column


"While missing the year before the Olympics compromises Brubaker's chances of getting to Sochi in 2014, the overall level of U.S. pairs skating is so mediocre it would not be impossible for him to get back in the running with a new partner."

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Well he's got that straight!! Teams go from non-existent to champions in one season-(but because of weakness not anything like Volosozhar and Trankov -extreme stregnth).

janetfan said:

Here is a piece on G/G which touches on this.....also mentions the 4 year age difference. (not 6, 8, 10 or 12........)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkKmA08l__Y

Watching them, especially Sergei it feels ridiculous to call him a "gorilla."
He was so elegant on the ice and on close ups we see a boyish quality and charm.

Click to expand...

Age difference really has nothing to do with it. Men really can’t learn pairs seriously until their muscles developed enough to pick up a lady, and that isn’t until they are around 15-17 years of age. Any earlier you risk dropping her. The lady can learn as early as 11 or 12. It just means by the time he’s in his late teens or early twenties he’s usually fully grown and muscular, she’s usually still very petite and not fully grown. The ‘gorilla’ aspect doesn’t mean he is an oaf!
Ice dancers like V/M can stay together for years and years because they don’t have the pair’s elements to grow out of. There are different reasons for splitting up.

gmyers said:

Well he's got that straight!! Teams go from non-existent to champions in one season-(but because of weakness not anything like Volosozhar and Trankov -extreme stregnth).

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The depth of teams in the US is non-existent, there is really only one good team and that is D/C and the rest are below average. This is the one and only time I will agree with him. They can get better within one season but for now it’s pretty bleak. Rockne could get a Jr pair partner and do well if they try (like Haven Denney.) Maybe Caitlin Yankowskas-if something should happen to their partners.

V/T are a different story. Both came from very successful previous partnerships and really didn’t miss a beat in competition. Volosozhar went to worlds twice with her first partner; five times with Stas (once they were 4th) they went to the Olympics twice. Trankov had six years with Maria and went to worlds five times with her (once they were 4th) they were 7th at the Olympics. By the time V/T got together they had several local Russian competitions under their belts to compensate for the lack of GP. They went to Russian Nationals and for the lack of Euros they went to Mont Blanc Trophy, so they really didn’t miss out on the first season like everyone thinks before they went to Worlds.

Rockne’s situation is totally different. That arrangement was made before Stas’ retirement. The chances of Rockne finding his ‘Tatiana’ will be remote unless another lady in the states is willing to break up their partnership for him. I think D/C look good together (am I the only one?) I hope he waits it out and looks ahead to 2018. I only wish Mary Beth said something sooner. But I do wish them the best.

mousepotato said:

. I think D/C look good together (am I the only one?) .

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If one is a fan of the truckdriver and waitress from the all-night diner look then I would say yes.

As far as looking elegant together on the ice....:think:

I guess we all have different ideas about that.

...not to be confused with the real "waitress and truck driver," Calla Urbanski and Rocco Marvaldi. They really did hold those jobs to earn money for skating expenses.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-01-07/sports/1992007077_1_urbanski-marval-ice-skates

Don't try this at home:

http://cache3.asset-cache.net/gc/10...K0iwRTmj/N8jjeRzqclpTclprqXvAOSw29HPH4d3gmg==

Urbanski skated with three other partners before she found Marval. As she famously said, "You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince."

Mathman said:

...not to be confused with the real "waitress and truck driver," Calla Urbanski and Rocco Marvaldi. They really did hold those jobs to earn money for skating expenses.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-01-07/sports/1992007077_1_urbanski-marval-ice-skates

Don't try this at home:

http://cache3.asset-cache.net/gc/10...K0iwRTmj/N8jjeRzqclpTclprqXvAOSw29HPH4d3gmg==

Urbanski skated with three other partners before she found Marval. As she famously said, "You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince."

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I must reevaluate.....

How about D/C reminding me of the middle linebacker and the cheerleader.

Or the lumberjack and the forest nymph.

I better stop now coz the next one is a doozy

I always thought Urbanski and Marval were a wonderful breath of fresh air in skating, and I was proud to have them represent our country in international competitions. Another unusual feature of their partnership is that when partnered with Rocky, Calla was considerably older than the average eligible skater, in her early thirties--in fact she was older than her partner.

They had a top-ten finish in the 1992 Olympics, I believe. Not bad for the era when Russian skaters (that year they skated as the Unified Team) were still at their peak, with three pairs in the top ten including two Moskvina teams finishing one-two, as well as another American team (Kuchiki and Sand). Urbanski/Marval beat out Jenni Meno and Scott Wendland.

We should be so lucky again to have a pair so talented and so hardworking.

I wonder how hard it must be financially for most US Pairs teams?

A lesson could be learned from Tai and Randy who stuck it out through the lean years, then actually accomplished something which lead to sponsors , TV commercials, a Pro skating career.......


Tai and Randy were always such big crowd favorites.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYqJXfrkkWs&playnext=1&list=PLA18F31CA6751C37B&feature=results_video


If one team is not enough, here are two teams.......and not a gorilla in sight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU_NdqwdOuA

janetfan said:

If one team is not enough, here are two teams.......and not a gorilla in sight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU_NdqwdOuA

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Be still my heart! One of my favorite routines ever. How did you find it? That quadruple Ina Bauer makes my blood rush faster every time. Starbuck/Shelley and Babilonia/Gardner were two of the most substantial and stylish pairs America ever had, and they show what a tremendous pairs coach John Nicks is. Ken Shelley is one of the most accomplished skaters in our recent history, equally proficient in singles and pairs--I think he was the men's singles national champ one of the years that he and JoJo were pairs champs, 1972, and he came in fourth as a singles skater at that year's Olympics as well as coming in fourth with JoJo in pairs. He had a smooth, jazzy style, both as an individual and as a partner.

I'm sorry he's not better known to current fans, but this video might wow a few new watchers. Thanks so much for finding it!

Mark Ladwig ‏@LadwigMark

Philip Hersh ‏@olyphil