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Well, the only public comment Dmitri has made about Alexei was to deny the tabloid reports that Alexei was engaged or planning to get married - that was in early April. Since then, he (and everyone else, LOL) has been silent. But that could be because that was all he was going to say about the matter and he considered the matter closed, or it could be because the situation has changed. Either way, he's not talking, and neither are the rest of the involved parties.

Without knowing all the facts, LOL, the only possible reason I can come up with - if, of course, the article's quote was factual and he did "block it" - is that he felt Brian's team is too complicated for Alexei to deal with right now, given his own life and career. Since the partnership didn't work out too well last time, with possibly hurt feelings resulting on both sides, perhaps he was looking out for Alexei's best interests and just decided, "no." LOL Sometimes it seems to me Dmitri makes decisions based on what he thinks is best for Alexei, and Alexei not necessarily agreeing with him, but going along because he respects his decisions. I always got the impression that for the Japan Open 2008, that Dmitri pulled him out when Alexei had the appendix surgery while Alexei was still wanting to go ahead and try it, anyway, LOL. Always the trouper.

I was also not happy that Brian wasn't going to work with Tatiana as his choreographer - I think it is always a mistake to refuse her help in any way - but, of course, the skater gets to make the decisions about his or her career, LOL. Denkova & Staviski are new to choreographing for singles skaters, and working with Brian doesn't seem to work out for many choreographers. I sometimes think that skaters have too high expectations that the work of their team will create magic, when the largest responsibility is their own. Sure, your team is important, but ultimately you, as the skater, are alone on the ice, and it is your work as a whole that is being judged. And, actually, because of that precisely, I think the ultimate decisions have to be the skater's. But sometimes Brian's decisions leave me questioning the accuracy of his judgment. Sometimes it's best to relinquish personal responsibility a little bit and just trust the people you are working with.

Laurie