My questions still are: How many of you are actually true blue U.S. pairs fans? Are some of you simply neutral observers or provocateurs or fans of other international pairs teams eager to continue poking fun at U.S. pairs because the U.S. discipline is getting stronger?
Those like ANL who are actually fans of U.S. pairs should take a step back and chill, please. It's not about saying 'Take that, U.S. fed.' This should not be looked upon as some kind of tit-for-tat game. The selection committee has to make tough decisions quite often because of the antiquated competitive structure of the sport. It's not a secret or a mystery how good a team C/J are and that they will with proper guidance continue to improve. But with the talent and veteran experience of our other pairs, US figure skating needs to make an effort to support them all, even through their ups-and-downs and periods of self-doubt.
And quite honestly, C/J have to be guided strategically and not simply thrown out there expecting them to carry the entire burden of elevating U.S. pairs as a bright, hugely talented up-and-coming new team. Each U.S. team have their own personal goals and dreams, but they need to be supportive of each other too, because that's the only way the U.S. will be able to get good enough and consistent enough to gain three spots, which frankly the U.S. deserves. Athletes who are good need to compete in order to get better and to gain experience and international exposure. On the big stage of Worlds this season, it would be fine to send C/J with the Knierims, but I get the fact that U.S. figure skating is trying to support the discipline as a whole and trying to help all of their pairs have the opportunity to strengthen themselves for the tough battle of gaining three spots.
The bickering outcries and constant put-downs in this thread based on what happens every five minutes do not help the Knierims, nor Ash/Timothy, nor Kayne/O'Shea, nor Denney/Frazier or any other U.S. team. In fact, it truly does not help C/J long term to have undue pressure placed on their shoulders when right now they are simply trying to gain international competitive experience without having to carry the banner for the entire U.S. pairs discipline on their shoulders in only their second season together, despite the fact that their talent is huge and they are improving at a fast clip. I think C/J would tell us (and have told us in interviews) that training with the Knierims has helped them to improve. Whatever C/J's results are at 4CCs should be a boon and a benefit to them and to the U.S. discipline -- and I think their PCS should be much higher, but that's the politics of the sport. In any case, how well C/J perform at 4CCs should NOT be used to ridicule their U.S. teammates, nor U.S. figure skating.
Any of you coming in to tear down U.S. figure skating or to pettily and negatively criticize any of the athletes are NOT helping to support the U.S. pairs discipline to continue improving and getting stronger.
I have huge respect for Jenni & Todd and for their coach and mentor, John Nicks!!! 
