Soogar: "Michelle had the same look when NNN made her sparkling debut as well. It's not an admiring look in terms of liking the way Sasha or NNN skates but rather a look of jealousy that someone is upstaging her. "
BaLONEY! Only a non-fan would see that as jealousy. I don't think ANY skater ever smiles happily when a competitor rakes in the high scores in a SP. It's sobering to have a challenger, which means buckling down and delivering in the free skate. I saw determination, not jealously, in her face.
"Granted Sasha normally has disappointed looks on her face but she isn't like that toward her other competitors. In Marshall's she and Nicks were openly commending Alyssa's spins and Sasha was asking what she could do to get spins like that. I even notice Sasha taking more time with her Ina Bauer and trying to arch her back like Shizuka's. Sasha watches and admires her competition and then tries to bring those qualities to her skating."
Sasha's spins match up quite nicely to Alissa's, so she has had nothing to worry about, especially when Alissa can't land her jumps (and Sasha is well aware of that, too). Alissa has NEVER been a threat to Sasha, so of course she can smile benignly. ALL skaters try to do the moves others do, as much as they are physically able.
"Michelle (like Irina) just thinks that she is the standard and doesn't look at the value of her competitors."
Oh, I hadn't realized you have mind-reading powers and can tell from minute to minute what Kwan things. Maybe you should apply for a job in the CIA.