2021 US Nationals Pairs SP: Lady McBeath Hears the Cheers of Human Cardboard

[Karen-W]

So, I watched the pairs SP while wrapping up some work - the joys of WFH are that I can log off my business Skype and turn my OOO assistant on for my email while still responding to some emails and getting stuff done between teams, etc. I'm with those who have an irrational love for C-G/L so I was disappointed to see their scores so low in spite of the errors on the SBS and throw from Ashley. I wasn't paying as close attention to L/M but I could have made an argument for them to be ahead of C/J. K/F are clearly the class of the field and while I'm not sure they'll be able to get past the juggernaut that is whichever 3 Russian teams plus S/H (if they're healthy) to win an Olympic or World medal next season, I do think it's possible.

C/H - they need better music - they felt dreadfully slow through everything, though I did feel like they were placed correctly, same with S/T. The new team of McBeath/Bartholomay were nice - there's something potentially there but they need more time and she's still clearly new to pairs. Don't really have much of an opinion about H/G. L/P - I feel the same as I did about them a couple years ago - she was going to and really has, it seems, outgrown him. Good enough junior team but maybe they've plateaued as a senior team.

 

[Nikki Lee]

I so enjoyed watching Knierem and Frazier; from the moment they skated out onto the ice, they caught my eye with their determination and power.

 

[Jammers]

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[Frau Muller]

Happy for K/F. Solid!

Too bad about C/J’s errors.

Lu/Mitrofaniv so impressive. Hope that they can stay in top 3.

As for the costumes of Gribbles...

 

[aka_gerbil]

K/F have potential, but they have a ways to go before we can start talking about them being on par with the Russian and Chinese pairs—who will most likely together claim the top 5 spots in Beijing. K/F might be able to take a run at 6th, but M-T/M will challenge for that too along with maybe the Germans or Italians(iffier prospects for them than M-T/M though).

Edit: In a bit of obscure skating trivia, at least once upon a time, there was/is video of 8-year-old Audrey Lu skating in show at the Dallas Galleria with Virtue/Moir in Summer 2011. L/M have their Moulin Rouge short and of course V/M won their second individual OGM when they had their MR FD.

Edit 2: Young Jason Brown and Ashley Cain (with Josh Reagan) were also there.

https://youtu.be/iRltOywvtvw

 

[kwanfan1818]

I really liked McBeath/Bartholomay's "ballet" lift and their SBS spins.

I know I was watching through a monitor, but I didn't see the same competition the judges were seeing for 2nd-4th, at least on the PCS side.

ETA: I'd never seen more than a handful of episodes of the American version of "The Office," until Peacock TV just added it, and I've been binging. Every time I've seen Brendan Frazier, he's reminded me of someone. Now I know: the young John Krasinski.

 

[Jammers]

Deleted.