What would you like to see Michelle do besides 3/3 combos to

[Ice Butterfly]

With all the discussion about Michelle and 3/3 combos, I would like to see some other ways Michelle can up the technical ante, without throwing in another 3/3 combo. Sure, I'd love to see her do another 3/3 combo and I know she's capable of doing them, but just because everyone is doing 3/3 combos doesn't mean Michelle has to. One of the things I love about Michelle is that she is "different" and always tries innovative and creative moves (Charlotte, Kwan Spiral). Now that all of her programs are laid out for this year, I would love to see Michelle, Lori and Frank sit down and dream up some dazzling sequences for next year like: Spread Eagle into a lutz (Brian could help her with that) A Falling Leaf into a jump Combining the charlotte with a jump

[Shallah]

I would love for her to continue to develop her footwork! Not enough skaters pay attention to this doing just-enough-to-get-by footwork IMO. And from Kurt Browning's example this is something a skater can keep developing for years without pounding the body like jumps do. Kurt might have lost his 3 axel this season but his footwork continues to amaze me :-) Now the only problem with this idea is I am sure this won't give Michelle the technical scores like a 3/3 would. It WOULD help give her the edge if she was up against a skater with = jumps & spins but not as advanced footwork. Speaking of doing stuff into jumps, I really enjoyed the different 'trick's Matt Savoie of the US has been doing in his long program. It would be kewl for Michelle to incorperate some of them when it would suit the music in the program :-) I would LOVE for her to bring back a reverse direction spin next season if possible :-) I DON'T want her to do any direction Biellmann's or donut-on-a-stick spins! I have read of too many skaters getting back problems with them and cutting their hands on the skate blade :-(((( I don't have a clue what they could do but another variation of the Kwan Spiral like in The Red Violin would be neat. I can't think of anything else just now. Does anyone know of any kewl skating moves not done any more? The closest I can think of is Stag Jumps (I think that is what they are called) & there is a picture of Michelle doing one that was on a magazine pre-olympics with the title The Gold Standard if I recall correctly..... Shallah, please don't mind my ramblings!

[Maeve]

I really, really, really wish she would speed/tighten up her spins. She has a good start with the new-and-improved-D!ck-Button-Seal-of-Approval layback, but more speed would be nice. Ditto on the stag jump, every one of my MK Figure Skating programs has one in hopes that she will get the vibe ;-)

[Ice Butterfly]

I definitely would like to see more footwork , and I was just thinking the other day, why she ever got rid of the reverse direction spin. I thought that it was awesome! By the way, what is a donut-stick spin and who does them?

[Deetlebug]

Ok, maybe this is REALLY S~T~R~E~T~C~H~I~N~G things a bit, buuuuuutttt...... I would love to see Michelle do a double axel combo. First a double axel in her usual direction, then a back three turn on her landing leg (right) and an immediate take off into a double axel in the counter-clockwise direction, landing on her left leg and bringing back her "held" axel landing.

[Karin]

reverse direction camel!!! Y spin on both legs!!! 2axel into the Charlotte into 3jump!!! 8-spiral!!! I just wish MK the best of luck on everything!!!

[ChicaRealidad]

Karin, Michelle has done the Y-spin on both legs. Or am I dreaming? I seem to remember that when she first started doing it she did it on both legs, but the next season she only did it on one leg. Some things I'd like to see Michelle do to up the tech ante? Well,shucks, since you asked. Here's my Top 10: 1. Ina Bauer into a 2 axel 2. The Y-Spin in the opposite direction 3. I'd like to see the Charlotte Spin next. That's probably not even physically feasible! 4. A split-jump sequence. You know how everyone always does a 2 or 3 Russian split jumps in a row? I'd like to see Michelle do a falling Leaf, Russian Split, then another falling leaf. 5. More difficulty in her footwork. She's great right now, but I'd like to see more speed and changes of direction. 6. Some new spins, please. Just different positions would be nice to start with. 7. How about the Kwan Spiral on the other leg? 8. I've seen Kristi Yamaguchi does this and Sarah Hughes tried it, but I have a variation for Michelle -- 2 axel into a back spiral. I'd like Michelle to do a 2 axel into the Charlotte spiral. Hey, don't laugh. With enough momentum on the 2 axel it could happen. Couldn't it? 9. The return of the 3 spins sequence. Just because I'm dying to see how many others attempt to do the same. 10. For jump combos -- 2 axel/triple loop or 2 axel/triple lutz, or triple flip/triple loop. I'd also like to see her finally putting that triple flip in the SP. If not the flip, then at least the loop. The salchow is supposedly the easiest jump, so that's out. Almost anything but the 3t. I'm sick of crabbing about it and even worse, I'm sick of hearing all the commetators bringing it up. Please Michelle, change it. Just so I don't have to listen to these folks' whining about it.

[Karin]

she hasn't done it all season long...

[mano]

an Ina Bauer into a Double Axle, I believe it was in her Salome program. I wouldn't mind if she does that again, 'cause it's wonderful. If MK incorporates her exhibition RV with her LP version, she can fit in an Ina Bauer into the Double Axle in the beginning. As for the Double axle into the back spiral, Michelle pretty much started that because of how long she used to hold the edge before. I hope she goes back to that again. I, too, would like the return of the reverse direction spin in different variations (the Y spin is a good idea). She does do the Y spin with both legs and actually achieves a better extension with her left leg too. Karin said that V. Gusmeroli has a reverse direction spin now too and I know Rory Burghart can do a sitspin in the reverse direction also. Any combination with the Charlotte is good, I've always thought she could go into a 3 jump from it, like a lutz or a sal. I would love to see her use more falling leafs or split jumps too in her SP/LP's. I miss those.

[kuchana]

I'd like to see her do a triple axel someday...but..other moves..hmm..I'd like her to do spin of the one called Natalia's spin from Natalia Mishkenok? and Artur Dmitriev...

[AYS]

I have to agree with Maeve. Aside from jump content, the single thing she could do to *significantly, noticeably* up her tech marks is to do some faster spinning. I get the feeling that she really de-emphasizes her spins in her choreography these days. For example, in the combo spin, she only holds the camel for a short while before entering the sitspin. She has a beautiful camel position; I'd like to see her develop it into a faster more emphasized movement. For the most part, from an artistic standpoint, I think the way she spins fits really well with her choreography, the way she flows in and out of them. From a competitive standpoint though, I believe it puts her at a disadvantage compared with more dynamic spinners.

[Beth2000]

I have thought about this for awhile. Is it possible to do a 3 lutz 2 toe and go into a camel spin? I think that would be so cool. I would love to see MK do that if it is possible. I think it would be if a skater has enough speed going into those jumps.

[ChicaRealidad]

Karin, I get what you meant now. You just meant you'd like to see her go back to doing the Y-spin on both legs. I thought you didn't know that she used to do it that way. Anywoo....Here are some more ideas -- --How about the Kwan Spiral into a forward Charlotte? That would be something to see because it would take incredible balance to pull it off! --A change-edge Charlotte? --A falling leaf followed by a 2 axel BTW -- Who's got Michelle's game? My PC isn't fast enough to run it, but surely some of you out there with the game have created some interesting elements for your skater.

[Deetlebug]

Just had another thought..... I would love to see Michelle do her Kwan Spiral with the "S" hook on the end and then go right up into a delayed axel. Then she could come out of the axel into a back Charlotte spiral. Think I'm asking for too much? ;-)

[kwanette]

but why waste her spins in both directions when the judges obviously didn't seem to give her credit for it...in Nagano anyway....I have said it before and I will say it again...technique is all about jumps....How sad.......

[Karin]

good points AYS!!!...I do wish her spins are faster too... Kwanette...it's those details that make MK so special :-) ...not just the jumps... unfortunately...some people don't appreciate them!!! :-) But MK is incredible!!!... :-)

[kwanette]

We know that she is incredible...her nuances, her edges, her one-footed skating...compared to all of the two-footed skating in the WP's...I just wish we could sit on the judges' panel!

[Rene]

Kwanette. She doesn't get credit for things like that. Like the short program. If Maria or Irina land a more difficult 3 jump and skate clean with bad spirals, very ugly laybacks and ugly landings they will probably go ahead of a clean Michelle because they were clean and did a more difficult 3 jump. I would hope this doesn't happen, but I would not be surprised if it did. It doesn't seem much else counts anymore. BOO! *I don't think Irina's layback is that bad*

[Deetlebug]

Who cares what the judges give her credit for? After all, isn't it all the little extras that make Michelle's skating so beautifully special that makes us all love her skating. Not to mention, that every time Michelle skates it seems like she does so for the satisfaction and fulfillment it brings her more so than for the scores and awards, (not that she isn't fiercly comeptitive!). But I just think that Michelle skates for the pure joy of it first and for the scores second. That's why I too would love to see the reverse direction spins, the three series of spins, the Kwan Spiral into a delayed axel - a single revolution jump which wouldn't give her anything on the technical mark but would certainly add some beauty to the program. Especially if it was another Lori Nicol masterpiece! ;-) Besides, we've already seen Michelle captivate the judges with her beautiful skating and still win hands down against tougher jumping competitors. She just needs another masterpiece program - with or without triple/triples.

[april]

Ina Bauer into 2axel or Charlotte into a 2axel or 3sal faster spins

[Ice Butterfly]

Wow! You guys really came up w/some interesting combinations. I just can't wait until she unveils her next competitive program. It is so exciting to see a new MK program. You never no what to expect! I do think that it is sad that sloppy 3/3 combos take precedence over edges, spirals and clean triples! Michelle may not have any 3/3 combos right now, but she is one of the purest jumpers in the sport.

[ChicaRealidad]

Deetlebug -- I love the Kwan-spiral-double-axel-Charlotte thought. It just seems to me that there are lots of things to do out of the Charlotte if she's got enough speed. Also, regarding the thought of the Charlotte into a jump of some kind. From what I can tell it seems like the jump she could do easiest from the Charlotte would either be a triple loop or a triple lutz. Aren't those the two jumps that come easiest off the back outside edge of the blade? I really think the 3loop is a great possibility because right now she's taking the Charlotte into that back spiral-in-a-circle move. It just seems like she could come up out of the Charlotte and pull of a 3loop very easily. Also, I have to laugh at some of our ideas. We've come up with so many things out of the Charlotte that we're turning Michelle into the first figure skating-gymnast ever! The poor girl will be so contorted and misshapen we'll hardly recognize her. I think half the things I'm coming up with would leave the poor girl looking like a pretzel 99% of the time!