Marley/Brubaker Split

[stjeaskategym]

Lovely skater but could never do more than a shaky double axel. Loved the team, loved that they won Nationals, but she just isn't strong enough technically on the singles side to be viable. BTW, Keauna did the same show so the same issues of reinstating would be applied to her as Brooke. If we are taking skaters out of retirement (if they would even want to do that at this point) Amanda Evora is by far the best bet for him. They would make a lovely couple and she hasn't been out of the game long, won't grow, is probably still in decent shape and has proven to be very commited in partnerships and her skating. Longshot, but I think it would be a great pairing. Although it seems she has moved on to other endeavors in her life.

I don't even know what Brooke's 2A looks like. She pretty much always competed a 1A, intentionally. She did manage to land a couple 3S by the end of her career though.

The Skating with the Stars show didn't affect skaters' eligibility, if I recall correctly (Johnny Weir also participated as a judge/exhibition skater). But Castile did another skating show overseas after that, which may have affected it. Regardless, I don't see her making a comeback at 26.

Why would Evora have bothered retiring after last season if she was just going to come back now?

[blue_idealist]

I don't even know what Brooke's 2A looks like. She pretty much always competed a 1A, intentionally. She did manage to land a couple 3S by the end of her career though.

The Skating with the Stars show didn't affect skaters' eligibility, if I recall correctly (Johnny Weir also participated as a judge/exhibition skater). But Castile did another skating show overseas after that, which may have affected it. Regardless, I don't see her making a comeback at 26.

Why would Evora have bothered retiring after last season if she was just going to come back now?

Yeah, if Evora were to come back, it would have been better for her to just come back with Ladwig! lol.

[blue_idealist]

Too bad Anais Morand is from the wrong country. She's 5'0" and Leemann retired.

[carriemarie]

Yeah, if Evora were to come back, it would have been better for her to just come back with Ladwig! lol.

Well, of course, but if we are throwing out suggestions I think it would be a good team. People do retire and change their minds and Ladwig already has a partner. Anyway, it just fun speculation.

[orbitz]

Rockne needs a girl that can land 3sal and 3toe consistently. Neither Brooke nor Evora could.

[overedge]

Rockne needs a girl that can land 3sal and 3toe consistently.

Is there a high-level male pairs skater who doesn't?

[aliona22]

Is there a high-level male pairs skater who doesn't?

Eric Radford

[oleada]

or Robin Szolkowy, or Maxim Trankov...

[stjeaskategym]

Is there a high-level male pairs skater who doesn't?

Haha, seriously.

Even Marley who seemed to do 3T and 2A relatively easily in her singles programs became shakier with them once they were inserted within the chaos of a pairs long program. And they had been trying to do 3T and 3S, but it wasn't working so well. Pairs is harder than it looks.

[Libertango]

or Robin Szolkowy, or Maxim Trankov...

S/S can do 3T in their sleep but 3S is a big question mark. But more for him than for her so I guess you have a point after all!

[stjeaskategym]

or Robin Szolkowy, or Maxim Trankov...

Or Dylan Moscovitch.

S/S don't do 3S, but the 3T 3T sequence (and everything else they do great, obviously) makes up for it.

[DarrellH]

Beatricia Liang?
only listed at 5' even.

[UDelpairs2012]

IMHO His only real option without splitting up a team is Erika Choi Smith. she has a triple twist, a triple toe, a double axel, and has gorgeous lifts. She is also short enough!

[Sylvia]

IMHO His only real option without splitting up a team is Erika Choi Smith. she has a triple twist, a triple toe, a double axel, and has gorgeous lifts. She is also short enough!

Does Erika have Rockne's number? If she's truly interested she should contact him ASAP!

ETA: Smith's most recent partner was Nate Bartholomay - link to their Team USA bio from 2010-11 season: http://web.icenetwork.com/skaters/de...d=39591&mode=P
They placed 12th in Senior Pairs at 2011 U.S. Nationals and competed at 1 Senior B together, placing 4th at 2010 Golden Spin of Zagreb. She was born in South Korea but I assume she is a naturalized U.S. citizen by now?

[olympic]

^Thanks for the link Sylvia. It says that Erika is 5-1. That would probably be the cut-off height for Rockne.

It looks good on paper: doable height difference, all the big tricks with nice positions in the lifts (Thanks, UDelPairs2012 for the info). In fact, her old partner, Nate, was also 5-9 which is Rockne's height (give or take an inch), so she wouldn't have to adjust too much to a different sized partner.

But IF this were to even happen, Rockne would have to adjust to a taller girl and she'd need to relocate to CA.

Let's set them up, FSU!

BTW, if miraculously Rockne were to find a partner ASAP, what would Rockne + new partner's options for the season be per the rules???

[Sparks]

Felicia Zhang! Nate can go back with Erika and all is solved.

[stjeaskategym]

Felicia Zhang! Nate can go back with Erika and all is solved.

I had figured Erika and Nate split in part because they struggled pretty good technically. If her height didn't work that well with Nate, I don't see how it would with Rockne. If she's really 5'1", Felicia is about the same height, but some of this is about technique. Erika and Nate usually did a double twist, lower jumping content (2F in their free skate), throws were ok sometimes. Considering Nate jumps pretty well now with Felicia, I'm assuming the attempted jump content was relatively low mainly because of Erika. Just in general, they were really inconsistent and tended to scale back on the difficulty (their 3rd place in Jrs in 2010 was a great result for them, I thought). Not to sound like Debbie Downer here. Maybe Erika's kept up with her skating and improved since she and Nate split, I really don't know.

[jdonavan]

Felicia Zhang! Nate can go back with Erika and all is solved.

The absolute (I hope) silliness of this board.

F/N have the 4th best Summer combined score this year and that does include D/C and M/B scores and have recently been awarded their first International (US Senior B).

I hope this pandering about existing teams breaking up that are working hard and committed to one another is just bad humor and not legitimate hope.

Good luck to all these teams preparing to represent the US in International competition.

[Lanie]

Gee, I wish I was 20 years younger and a much better skater .. I'm short enough for Rockne.

Me too! I'm barely 4'11"

[stjeaskategym]

Beatricia Liang?
only listed at 5' even.

She's certainly hinting at trying it out.