The fact that Tai & Randy are the first competitive skaters U.S. fed sent to compete is Russia, is an amazing stat! First time I heard this.
I love how Tai continues to point out the importance of not giving up so quickly with pairs partnerships at the first sign of difficulty and adversity. She and Randy weathered the long haul. But, it was so different in that era. As Tai notes, they couldn't accept money in any capacity as amateurs, which necessitated them turning pro very quickly after a major shot at the Olympics. These days, after suffering a disappointing Games due to injury, T&R would have been able to come back four years later and try again. They simply did not have that option then due to how expensive the sport was, especially w/o the chance to receive prize money as amateurs (now known as 'eligible' skaters).
There are such vast differences. Back then, there weren't as many competitions, and skaters slowly progressed without as much of the extreme pressure being in the spotlight causes today. T&R were certainly under immense pressure, but they were also the top U.S. team with a famous coach, and access to the best training of that time period. Today, I think there's a different kind of pressure, in addition to a greater depth of talent. It would also be interesting to see a measured survey regarding the scarcity of young men in the sport to see how that stat may have fluctuated over the years. Of course, there's always been a gender imbalance. Bottom line, there are simply huge, immediate expectations placed on skaters to a degree that wasn't quite the same in the 1970s and 1980s. Tai & Randy were given more grace and support to weather the vagaries of puberty and growth spurts.
The amazing thing is the small world that figure skating is, and the vast connections. Brandon & Alexa (2022 World champs) were coached by Meno/ Sand (World & Olympic medalists), who were coached by John Nicks (World & Olympic medalist with his sister Jennifer for Great Britain), who coached T&R (1979 World champs) after Mabel Fairbanks had paired and coached T&R to their first wins. Nicks coached so many top skaters, and he also competed against Karol & Peter Kennedy (first ever U.S./ North American pairs team to win the World championships, in 1950). Mabel Fairbanks was taught by Maribel Vinson Owen, who also taught Frank Carroll .... and the connections go on and on.
I look forward to seeing the film Tai is producing on Mabel Fairbanks! Yay!!! Tai has a wonderful, nostalgic, and amazing IG. Randy's Go Figure documentary is amazing. It is available on PBS, and recently, on Tubi. I wish I'd been able to see Randy's one-man theatre show in L.A.! Tai and Dorothy Hamill visited for one of his performances.
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I adore them so much. They are the team who turned me on to pairs figure skating. In essence, I grew up in the sport with them. 
Too bad Alexa couldn't be there (she's expecting her first child with Chris 🕊) Thanks to FSO for starting this great series of interviews with past champs! 
