Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier Announce Partnership

[aftershocks]

Of course, no one is surprised by this point. We were all just waiting for the news to be announced.

I called the possibility of this partnership on 2/27 in the Knierims' split thread, triggered by a comment rfisher made:
https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...etire-alexa-to-seek-new-partner.106940/page-4 Posts #118 and #119

2/27/20:

... I'm betting Alexa already has someone they've approached in regard to her continuing and trying for 2020...

aftershocks said:
^^ That sounds very probable...

Your observation has made me do a turnabout in my thinking: Even though Brandon Frazier is exceedingly loyal to Haven, their season went kaput after a decent start. When drastic things happen, sometimes unexpected decisions result. It may be entirely possible that Haven might have decided to call it a day and is supporting Brandon in continuing, especially now that Alexa is available. Haven has had all kinds of troubles with getting back to full strength on her jumps... If indeed, Haven has decided to retire and Brandon is available, I can see him pairing with Alexa and heading to California...

That said, we won't know until we find out...

4/1/2020: Voila!

Good luck to Alexa & Brandon. I'm sure Chris & Haven will be cheering them on too!

 

[aftershocks]

Regarding the April Fool's day announcement, oh well. I thought about that too and so I checked the original post to make sure the announcement we've all been waiting for is legit.

Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier Announce Partnership - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

In 2012, Alexa Scimeca had flown out to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to begin training with Dalilah Sappenfield, and was just beginning a partnership with Chris Knierim.

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

There's a picture to prove it, along with the official announcement. LOL

The fact Chris and Brandon are old friends is a sweet revelation. Brandon even played a small role in Alexa/Chris hooking up romantically:

"Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim developed feelings for each other very quickly [after they became a pair team], but as they were still very early on in their [on-ice] partnership, Alexa couldn't be totally sure if the feelings were mutual. That is until [Chris & Alexa] got together to watch Lord of the Rings with Chris's old friend Brandon Frazier. 'Brandon went out of his way to tell me that he's never seen Chris act like that with a girl, and that he really likes me, because usually he's a little bit more shy,' Alexa, married to Knierim since 2016, said. 'And when Brandon said that to me, I knew that, oh, Chris really likes me, because Brandon was such a good friend.'"

Now, eight years later, Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier are beginning a new chapter in their long history..."


BTW, April Fools Day is not necessarily always literal in regard to joke-making. The beginning of April and of spring can be and often is, the start of new beginnings. It's all in how new projects and new partnerships progress. How much energy, effort, belief and hard work is put in, will usually determine the output and the eventual long term results. ♥

As to not being able to train, I would imagine that eventually some form of social distancing can take place inside ice rinks (opened privately to accommodate a few high level athletes on a rotating basis). In the picture accompanying the article, Brandon and Alexa are not standing apart from each other. They are standing side-by-side on the ice, in a skating rink.

ETA:
So the photo in the rink was probably taken during their tryout, since there's still a lockdown and Brandon is now back in Florida.

Those who are questioning whether or not Haven & Brandon are still a couple off the ice or not, really have not much to go on. The article clearly states that Alexa spoke to Haven to get her blessing before moving ahead with the partnership. Plus, Brandon and Haven reportedly had a private heart-to-heart about their partnership options before the news dropped about the Knierims splitting their on-ice pairing. Of course, relationships are always in flux and Brandon will eventually relocate to California to train. Still, we have no idea about the future of Brandon/Haven's off-ice relationship. The article indicates that Haven is supporting Brandon continuing. Surely, it must be hard emotionally for Haven, but she certainly gave it her all! H&B have a lot to be proud of for their substantial accomplishments together.

 

[aftershocks]

I think both Ashley and Tim and Brian and Jessica are ahead of them. And could stay ahead of them.

If that's the case, then Ash/Tim & Jessica/Brian better slam dunk, take no prisoners and cop 3 spots for Olympics and Worlds 2022. Just sayin ...

If nothing else, there's gonna be some excitement in store, and even more upping of the ante. That's a good thing.

I find it all kinds of hilarious the continual dissing of U.S. pairs that goes on here.

 

[MacMadame]

I don’t know. I feel like it would have to be a program that didn’t do that well. Because otherwise it’s kind of weird.

It's been done before. But with couples whose programs aren't as famous as D/F's Lion King.

They have years worth of programs to pick from between them. What about the year Haven injured her ankle? Do they have barely used programs from that season?

It's all just idle speculation and advice-giving to people who aren't even going to read it, of course.

 

[VGThuy]

I think they do need to start with a new program for identity reasons and getting them into the mindset that they are a new team with something new to offer. Lucky for them, IJS provides a basic template anyway.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

an you see me Alexa and Brandon doing lion King? Or that romantic short program that Alexa and Chris did this year? Yeah it just seems weird

Lol, no I cant see them doing either of these.

They need to find their own vibe and their own identity. (Ive already offered to Alexa whatever I can do to help! tee--hee)

I HOPE for original music and that they just go for it.

They really have nothing to lose!

 

[Carolla5501]

Lol, no I cant see them doing either of these.

They need to find their own vibe and their own identity. (Ive already offered to Alexa whatever I can do to help! tee--hee)

I HOPE for original music and that they just go for it.

They really have nothing to lose!

And if they go for original music they’ll be somebody on here whining miserably about how they hate it. And if I don’t have original music they’ll be somebody on here whining miserably about how they hate it. LOL


But the truth is apparently we don’t even need to have the next couple of seasons. Aftershocks had spoken and Brandon and Alexa will be going to the Olympics. The other teams just can go home and stay home for the next two years because the decision is made.

I realize these 2 look good individually, but it takes more than two great individual skaters to make a pair. Over the years there have been a lot of pairings that everyone thought were going to be the next coming of the greatest skaters ever to make it in America and and rarely has it lived up to the hype.

 

[VGThuy]

Maybe they'll get an extra year if Beijing also gets pushed back, or more if canceled. I'm having a hard time imagining things just picking up a year from now since there are many issues that need to be resolved.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I'm happy that Chris Knierim has a major interest that he can do by himself in his garage and be happy.

 

[overedge]

I'm happy that Chris Knierim has a major interest that he can do by himself in his garage and be happy.

IIRC he said that he had to sell all his cars to pay for his and Alexa's training. Maybe he can customize the lawnmower

 

[Simone411]

It will be interesting. Both are very talented. It is too bad they can't train together off ice right now. I doubt any pairs teams in the US are getting much training other than conditioning right now. I look forward to what they can do.

This is how I feel, too. I like Alexa and Brandon. I like their skating, and I believe they will come up with a style of their own. I wish them the best in the future when they actually do get to practice with each other.

Time will tell all, and I think about other couples like Rudy and Kristi in their younger years. They were pretty good, and who knows, Alexa and Brandon may surprise us all. I say go for it, and have fun!

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

It's like China's pair skating swap-a-rama. I was kind of hoping that Alexa would end up skating with Hao Zhang.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

IIRC he said that he had to sell all his cars to pay for his and Alexa's training. Maybe he can customize the lawnmower

Ouch. Poor Chris. No wonder he looked so miserable at Four Continents.

 

[insideedgeua]

Maybe they'll get an extra year if Beijing also gets pushed back, or more if canceled. I'm having a hard time imagining things just picking up a year from now since there are many issues that need to be resolved.

This wouldn’t surprise me at all. If we end up locked down until September/October and there’s no GP series, I could see this as a viable option.

I wonder how that sits with other winter sports.

 

[paskatefan]

Wishing ALL of them the best (and that includes Chris & Haven)!

 

[Tesla]

Ouch. Poor Chris. No wonder he looked so miserable at Four Continents.

I'm sure this is meant to be funny, but no, that's not why he looked so miserable. He was in the midst of a deep depression. I don't think think this is something to be made light of.

 

[Carolla5501]

This wouldn’t surprise me at all. If we end up locked down until September/October and there’s no GP series, I could see this as a viable option.

I wonder how that sits with other winter sports.

I don’t think Beijing will be pushed back. It may be a totally different event but I don’t think it’ll be pushed back. Toyko has been pushed back a year but they’ve already said Beijing will stay on schedule.


I think if I have to keep pushing or more likely to see it totally cancelled

 

[VGThuy]

I'm just worried right now. I'm really not confident with the duration it will take to fully contain this, what the state of the World will be economically and how stable everything will be in the aftermath of this with all the complications with athletes coming from all over for a global event with varying abilities to deal with containment. Further, I'm not sure about people's confidences about going to Beijing, especially with people's concern that the numbers coming out of China aren't close-to-accurate. Of course, maybe it can be contained by the end of this year, and people will grow confident about travel and holding large-scale international events, and it'll go to the point where people will feel safe to travel to China by Winter 2022. We've done amazing things before, and plus there's major involved and the powers-that-be will try to get the world back to where they're making money again, even if the threat isn't quite contained.

 

[rfisher]

I suspect a lot will depend on the development and distribution of a reliable vaccine. If that occurs within the next 18 months, it will make a big difference in what people do and how quickly they begin to travel again.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I'm just worried right now. I'm really not confident with the duration it will take to fully contain this, what the state of the World will be economically and how stable everything will be in the aftermath of this with all the complications with athletes coming from all over for a global event with varying abilities to deal with containment. Further, I'm not sure about people's confidences about going to Beijing, especially with people's concern that the numbers coming out of China aren't close-to-accurate. Of course, maybe it can be contained by the end of this year, and people will grow confident about travel and holding large-scale international events, and it'll go to the point where people will feel safe to travel to China by Winter 2022. We've done amazing things before, and plus there's major involved and the powers-that-be will try to get the world back to where they're making money again, even if the threat isn't quite contained.

I was watching a documentary the other day about the Spanish Flu from a century back, and it detailed how people really didn't start getting their lives and comfort levels back to where they had been until 1922.

 

[Wyliefan]

IIRC he said that he had to sell all his cars to pay for his and Alexa's training.

Not quite ALL his cars. He was working on an engine of some sort the other day, per Instagram.

 

[Spiralgraph]

If the Olympics are held both the Summer in 2021 and the Winter in 2022 I can see it being scaled back somewhat, much as the Olympics were in London in 1948 after World War II. Of course, some might want a big party like atmosphere to celebrate hopefully all of us getting through this, but I hope cooler and wiser heads prevail. We should
have a more modestly planned Summer and Winter Games. Certainly the world's finances and resources shouldn't be squandered on showy excess when just rebuilding our economies will require enormous amounts of money.

 

[skatingguy]

If the Olympics are held both the Summer in 2021 and the Winter in 2022 I can see it being scaled back somewhat, much as the Olympics were in London in 1948 after World War II. Of course, some might want a big party like atmosphere to celebrate hopefully all of us getting through this, but I hope cooler and wiser heads prevail. We should
have a more modestly planned Summer and Winter Games. Certainly the world's finances and resources shouldn't be squandered on showy excess when just rebuilding our economies will require enormous amounts of money.

There's no way that the Chinese are going to scale back on the spending on the Winter Olympics, and the Japanese have already poured billions into the games and they'll have to spend more to delay a year, but probably a small amount compared to the overall cost.

 

[Spiralgraph]

There's no way that the Chinese are going to scale back on the spending on the Winter Olympics, and the Japanese have already poured billions into the games and they'll have to spend more to delay a year, but probably a small amount compared to the overall cost.

I was specifically thinking of the Opening and Closing ceremonies. I realize that the infrastructure, especially in Tokyo and China are already in place. But I think that a grand, big scale epic opening ceremonies, like the last Summer games in China would not be appropriate. The entire world has greatly changed in the last few months and to not acknowledge that fact is distasteful to me. The Olympics is sometimes referred to as the World's party, and I know I'm not ready for a lavish party in a year or two while the world is still trying to recover some sense of normal.

 

[puglover]

For me, pairs have just so little to set them apart now and one element that was just so amazing was Alexa and Chris's triple twist. It just said "WOW" time after time. I am still struggling with understanding how some couples manage it so much better than others when height difference, strength, etc. do not seem that different. I am interested to see if Alexa and Brandon have a similar twist. Is it Alexa, timing, technique - I am still baffled?

 

[Spiralgraph]

Puglover,
I thought Haven and Brandon had a very good triple twist, not as good as the Knierims' so I'm not too concerned about the twist when Alexa and Brandon are actually able to start training and practice it and their sbs jumps. They just need time to get everything together. Whether any team will be in great form when the upcoming season begins (whenever that may be) is anybody's guess.

 

[Vash01]

What happens to Denney now? Is she retiring or searching for another partner?

 

[flyingsit]

Chris learne the quad twist with a previous partner.

 

[Lizziebeth]

I assumed both learned the twist with the same coach - Sappenfeld - but I don't know for sure. Maybe that will help them get a good triple twist.

 

[aftershocks]

Aftershocks had spoken and Brandon and Alexa will be going to the Olympics. The other teams just can go home and stay home for the next two years because the decision is made.

I'm going to tell you again: Stop attributing OTT exaggerations to me, and speak for yourself. Your reading comprehension problems are becoming excessive.

According to you: "Ash & Tim and Jessica & Brian are ahead of them [Alexa & Brandon], and could stay ahead of them."

So that's a negative viewpoint off-the-bat from you directed exclusively toward Alexa/Brandon, before we even have an opportunity to see them compete together. A&B are a new team, so of course established teams are ahead of them at this point. And there's no way of knowing what will happen in the future. But all six of these athletes combined have substantial talent and experience which I find swag-worthy whether or not you happen to agree.

My previous response to your negative assessment of A&B's prospects as a new pairing, was positive and celebratory toward all three teams. I said that A&T and J&B will need to 'slam dunk & take no prisoners,' so U.S. pairs can cop three spots! That's a positive and hopeful view that to be perfectly honest, many supporters of U.S. pairs share. Even before 2020 Worlds was postponed, there were positive posts and hopeful outlooks regarding what Ash/Tim and Jessica/Brian might be able to accomplish at Worlds. I don't see any reason to change my hopeful outlook simply because there are negative nancy naysayers who have become accustomed to being down in the dumps and/or snarky about top U.S. pairs teams' prospects and about the entire U.S. discipline's significant talent pool.