Quote Originally Posted by silverlake22 View Post
I'm not saying he's a coward, but he needs to be careful with his body. And I think the fear tactic of scaring the others will be more effective if he goes into the Olympics having dominated Euros rather than having competed at Worlds and possibly not winning, and if the others are intimidated by him, it could affect the skating and thus the outcome. I don't see it as a cowardly move but rather a strategic one, he doesn't have to extend his body as much this way, the stakes are lower, and it keeps the element of mystery up in addition to fear.
very good analysis, I believe this is what Mishin and Zhenya have in mind too