Anyone have news about Caydee Denney ?

I don't see anything about her ...Anyone have news ? Sorry i'm french!

There are rumors that Caydee's partner John Coughlin may retire, but there has been no confirmation of that. They're one of my favorite pairs, so I hope the rumors aren't true.

I personally think they are the only dynamic, exciting and world competitive pairs in the US right now. I was bitterly disappointed when they didn't make the Olympic team. I honestly feel they are the only pair that could compete on any level with the rest of the world.

noskates said:

I personally think they are the only dynamic, exciting and world competitive pairs in the US right now. I was bitterly disappointed when they didn't make the Olympic team. I honestly feel they are the only pair that could compete on any level with the rest of the world.

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I had heard at Nationals from someone who was in the know that the plan was always for them to be done after this year. But I think they also assumed they were making the Sochi team. Maybe they now see an opportunity with the C/S split although I can't see how he could possibly last another Olympic cycle. I had wondered if she might team up with Shnapir just because they're on similar levels experience wise.

As far as them being the only pair that could compete with the rest of the world, I don't see how that statement holds up when they were beaten at their own nationals by a massive 7.5 points in the SP and couldn't get ahead of Z/B who ended up 12th in Sochi even with the judges bending over backwards for them. A perfect D/C would have placed maybe exactly the same as C/S in Sochi. Two years ago they were ahead of the US field but they never got back there after his injury and I highly doubt they will again given his age.

maybe they will try one more year. They have a good chance to win nationals. And then maybe it is time to say goodbye?

I hope they continue to compete!

flutzy13 said:

I had heard at Nationals from someone who was in the know that the plan was always for them to be done after this year. But I think they also assumed they were making the Sochi team. Maybe they now see an opportunity with the C/S split although I can't see how he could possibly last another Olympic cycle. I had wondered if she might team up with Shnapir just because they're on similar levels experience wise.

As far as them being the only pair that could compete with the rest of the world, I don't see how that statement holds up when they were beaten at their own nationals by a massive 7.5 points in the SP and couldn't get ahead of Z/B who ended up 12th in Sochi even with the judges bending over backwards for them. A perfect D/C would have placed maybe exactly the same as C/S in Sochi. Two years ago they were ahead of the US field but they never got back there after his injury and I highly doubt they will again given his age.

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Caydee's even shorter than Marissa. I don't think it would have worked.

I'm not basing my opinion on what they did at Nationals this year. Anyone can have a bad skate. I'm basing it on the fact that they're dynamic, interesting, have great choreography and good chemistry. Never felt Schnapir and Castelli had chemistry and thought their Bond program was borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring! Z&B are nice to watch but not thrilling. Pairs in the US is at an all-time low and it's going to take someone that can make you sit up in your seat and clap spontaneously at this juncture to compete with the Russians, the Chinese, the Japanese, etc. I think Caydee and John could do it. I do hope they come back. I can't see John retiring if he's healthy.

They should come back if he's healthy. I remember Trankov tweeted to them that they were the best at TEB. (they weren't, they got bronze). I was there and thought they looked real comfortable on the ice -- their exhibition number was loads of fun (cowboy-cowgirl) -- good chemistry.

carriecmu0503 said:

Caydee's even shorter than Marissa. I don't think it would have worked.

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This isn't true. Caydee is 5' 1" (154 cm). Marissa is 5' even (152 cm). Caydee is one inch (or 2 cm) taller.

noskates said:

I'm not basing my opinion on what they did at Nationals this year. Anyone can have a bad skate. I'm basing it on the fact that they're dynamic, interesting, have great choreography and good chemistry. Never felt Schnapir and Castelli had chemistry and thought their Bond program was borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring! Z&B are nice to watch but not thrilling. Pairs in the US is at an all-time low and it's going to take someone that can make you sit up in your seat and clap spontaneously at this juncture to compete with the Russians, the Chinese, the Japanese, etc. I think Caydee and John could do it. I do hope they come back. I can't see John retiring if he's healthy.

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We're obviously pretty different in terms of taste. I found the Bond program to be fun and packed with intricate transitions and interesting choreo and structured in a way that made the lack of romantic chemistry a non-issue. I find Denney/Coughlin to be more consistent technically-though not better- but light years behind both C/S and certainly the rest of the world in terms of choreo, interpretation and transitions. All of the Sappenfield teams seem to suffer from really pedestrian choreo and a lack of transitions. D/C also are really weak on musicality-don't even get me started on their joyful, jazz hands rendition of Tosca- which is a tragic opera. They might as well be skating to anything. It's crossover, crossover, element, ugly lift and repeat for four minutes to a warhorse piece of music that's been done and done better by other pair teams. Every season.

And while I abhor D/C's skating and so enjoyed C/S, I think they were always going to be about the same in terms of world status. They were both powerful teams with big speed and some good/great elements who were capable of bronzes/silvers in the right field on the GP and at 4CC and going to be 7th-11th in a stacked Worlds field and maybe 5th or 6th if the stars aligned. And unfortunately, I don't really see any other US pairs topping that for awhile. S/K are lovely with big elements but skate slow and nervy with the same tepid Sappenfield style as d/C, Z/B likely hit their ceiling in Boston and Kayne/O'Shea are lovely but not soup yet technically or artistically. Regardless of how one feels about either team, if they are both gone next season, it's a massive blow to US pairs.

Anyway I don't like D/C but I wouldn't blame them for staying in. Their biggest domestic competition who had just supplanted them as USFS's favorite pair is split, they'd have a good shot at the podium at Nationals and some GP money in this depleted 2014-2015 field and there's a US Worlds in 2 years. I'll find it incredibly sad if the best we have to offer at Boston Worlds is Caydee Denney "artistry " and a 30 year old Coughlin but I won't be entirely surprised.

Kitt said:

I remember Trankov tweeted to them that they were the best at TEB. (they weren't, they got bronze).

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They didn't win, but I also thought that they were the ones who skated the best that night (the only couple to complete two clean programs)! :yes:

Um no offense...but are you all crazy? You're telling me that Denney/Coughlin should have won TEB? D/C have nowhere near the skating skills, artistry, choreography, subtleness, maturity, etc...that Pang and Tong have. P/T had two lovely choreographed programs (who cares if they had a couple small issues on the SBS), whereas Caydee's idea of expressing herself/showing emotion is to skate the entire program with her mouth wide open. As Jonathan Beyer pointed out in the TSL Nationals Recap, Tosca is a tragedy, and yet Caydee is skating with jazz hands and as if Tosca is some sort of happy, exciting story, when in fact it's a tragedy - how is the choreography remotely decent, if they're not even remotely expressing the music accurately? And don't even get me started on their lift positions. If any of our pairs are going to challenge for higher spots, it's going to be Scimeca/Knierim and Kayne/O'Shea

I never said they should have won TEB; I merely stated that Trankov said it. I certainly don't agree and pointed out they won bronze. I thought Pang and Tong were sublime and was so happy to get to see them.

My eggs are in Zhang and Bartholemay's basket. If they can continue with the good basic skills they showed at Nationals and hone them with improved difficulty and artistry, I think they will be a pair to reckon with. I love Felicia's exuberance. I think the chemistry is coming but that's where Sciema and Knierim (sorry, can't keep their names straight) have the edge with the personal relationship. Too bad Castelli didn't make a change years ago and go with Brubaker. That might have worked. With so many post Olympic changes this will be an interesting year!