But Coughlin was a big deal in the world of American pairs skating.

Pairs skating, its snootier elder sister, was not only athletically more taxing but had an apparent monopoly of aesthetic clout.

The media could also be more careful with how they talk about romantic relationships within pairs skating; in the past, it was certainly overemphasized.

Traditional pairs skating, meanwhile, focuses more on technical, acrobatic moves such as throws, jumps and spirals, with a set allocation included in each routine.