So it is what it is. I had to stop watching after Ash/Tim's s free skate. It's very disappointing and the rest of the outcome is simply a given, so I'll check it out much later. The most exciting aspect of this event for me was in seeing whether the two U.S. teams could throw off the nerves and rise to the occasion to just do their best. That's all they had to do, and they failed. As I said before, it is important to maintain perspective and to continue supporting our athletes and encouraging them to not get down on themselves, because I know both teams wanted to do well. Neither were able to overcome their nerves, and it's that simple. We don't need a ton of excuses because there aren't any. As well, I don't want to hear any whining about U.S. teams not being good or always having problems with jumps. That was not the problem. Both of these U.S. teams are strong with the jumps. But clearly, the jumps are the first thing that will go for any skater when they can't manage the nerves. The overall closeness of the final scores for the second to last group shows that any outcome was possible.
I guess it was too much pressure. It maybe would have almost have been better for them to be 7 and 9 in the sp and skate the fp without the additional pressure of maintaining three spots. In the end, it was too much pressure. The pressure of their own expectations coupled with the historic pressure of gaining back three spots for the first time since 1994. I don't know what their coaches would be able to do for them, because the coaches were probably very anxious too, having such a close relationship with their respective skaters.
What both teams have to do now is to look at themselves honestly and face up to the fact that they faltered under pressure, and understand what that pressure was about, and try to learn from it, and then put it behind them. As I say it was twofold. Their own expectations, and then the burden of making history in bringing back 3 spots for the Olympics next year, and what that would mean. Alexa/Brandon surely feel how much they let down not only themselves but their teammates, Jess/Brian. It might well be that both Alexa/Brandon and Jess/Brian end up making the Olympics next year. That's very possible.
What is for sure is that Ash/Tim and Alexa/Brandon have to reckon with the fact that it's also possible now that one or perhaps even both of them won't make the Olympics next year. More than likely, if Alexa/Brandon get over this bad hump, and it's bad because there was a lot at stake, they are likely to still be favored by U.S. fed due to their talent. I suppose they have to now say, well we did the best we could, but we didn't really skate our best. Both teams have to say that if they are being honest. And then just accept that it wasn't a given they were going to get 3 spots. It's just that it was so tantalizingly close, and they both do have the talent at their best level to beat teams at Worlds in both of the final groups. They just have to be at the best of what they are actually capable of doing. Being unable to control the nerves did both of these teams in. The saving grace is that they didn't completely crumble. So they have that to hold onto and they can feel proud of just pushing through when things didn't go right, chiefly the jumps. That's because it's hard to jump when your muscles are tight.
The next question becomes: How many more opportunities are going to be available? This sport only offers very narrow windows of opportunity, particularly in pairs where you have more luck and opportunities if you're a top Russian or Chinese team who make it out of Russian and Chinese Nationals every year. This is why I don't have much sympathy for T/M or Peng/Jin because they get opportunities all the time, and a lot of points are thrown their way when they make mistakes. Teams like the two U.S. teams who have good talent have to scrap and claw their way just to get the chance to compete at Worlds -- and it just isn't a given that they will have a chance to go every year like T/M and Peng/Jin have done on the regular. It's important to be able to compete at Worlds every year in order to gain experience and to get better.
I know neither Alexa/Brandon nor Ash/Tim give up easily. But with only two spots, and with Jess/Brian and even Lu/Mitrofanov being very talented, it will be a struggle at Nationals next year. This could have been such a victory for U.S. pairs. Honestly, both of these U.S. teams are better matched than KMT/MM, with some stronger elements, but if you can't show that under pressure, then you're cooked. Since Ash/Timothy don't have the strongest lifts and 3-twist, they lost points there after they faltered on the sbs jumps, which are supposed to be one of their assets. Both teams skated tentatively. I could see Brandon was dealing with nerves in the warm-up, which he seemed to overcome. But then sadly, Alexa had lost confidence worrying about him, and so she ended up flubbing her revolutions when Brandon made his. It's so mind-numbing when we know they can land these jumps!
You have to want to be there and figure out how to be loose, at the same time that you're aggressive with just the right balance of aggression and calm. How glorious it would have been if they'd just simply skated more freely without the weight of the world. Figure that out please, and don't let go of the dream. Get those 3 spots next year then, when it might be Jess/Brian and Alexa/Brandon. It's sad though, that only two U.S. pairs teams can attend Worlds and Olympics, when three to four have top talent, but can't improve on the big stage unless they can compete and gain experience on the big stage. I just hope they don't start saying, 'Oh we haven't been together long enough.' Alexa/Brandon do have veteran experience with other partners, and they've worked so hard together. When an opportunity arrives, you got to deliver. This was it. Maybe if they'd blocked out the chatter and focused down on why they're there personally, and concentrated on the joy. Ah well, a bummer, but 7 and 9 maintains two spots, and they have to continue pushing forward. And if U.S. pairs is going to actually be competitive going forward, U.S. fed also needs to put the right kind of emphasis and funding toward elevating the discipline. That requires a lot more than the Mom/Pop approach that U.S. fed currently has.
So I hope U.S. fed, and our pairs teams get their acts together for next season, because not all is lost. U.S. teams have the talent to compete at the top. Now they need the self-belief, self-possession and calm aggression needed to deliver when it matters most.
). And on the other hand, I don't do much social media -- usually I only go to links I see around here -- so how would I know? 
