Registered, I did not mean to imply that Michelle invented that particular layback position. I’ll bet thousands of skaters at various levels did it long before either Michelle or Tonya were born, but in any case I do know that Michelle was a big admirer of Tonya in the early nineties. That was just an example of Dick Button criticizing Michelle about something, as he criticizes all skaters on particular elements from time to time, even his favorites.
BTW, I think it took Dick a few performances to notice that Michelle was spinning with her leg in a lower position on purpose, rather than because she couldn’t get it up any higher. He made a big deal of it in the 1999 National Championships, where it was clear that Michelle was trying something different, yet Dick ragged on and on about what a bad “classical layback position” she had.
Of course last year there was very little to criticize in Michelle’s skating. As there is little to criticize Sasha about so far this year.
And now in the spirit of Idleracer’s post: Poll: Who has the most laughing eyes, Yuka Sato or Ekaterina Gordeeva?
Mathman
