Uncle Dick's Favorites

Earlier today, I was a bit startled to see someone write that Bob Paul's comment about Yu-Na Kim's feet (Pretty from the waist up) was "even too snarky for Dick Button." Um, that would be considered a nice comment from Uncle Dick.

Instead of posting all of the times where Dick Button didn't hold back his true feelings, I think we need to discuss Dick Button's skategasms when watching some of his all-time favorite skaters. Over the years, Dick has taught us all what to look for and his taste has become our taste.

Peggy Fleming writes in her memoir that she and Bob Paul tried to infuse her skating with the spirit of ballet. You know someone's skating is brilliant when Dick remains quietly excited. How about the layback? Or her signature spread eagle+double axel+spread eagle?

Frankly, I would like to have a few words with Dick for being so calm about Madame Peggy's skating. Granted, she was much better as a professional.

Dick loves the ethereal pretty girls, but he has been known to like a girl with attitude. After all, the divas of ice dance make it his favorite discipline.

At the 1974 Worlds, Dick Button let the world know that Dorothy Hamill, America's future sweetheart, is a temperamental girl.

Back in the day, Uncle Dick did it all. Frankly, I miss him interviewing skaters immediately after they left the ice. There is nothing like Dick discussing a skater's marks with the actual skater. Again, choreography by Bob Paul.

Have you ever seen it rain teddy bears?

Knowing his love of botany, Michelle Kwan once bought Uncle Dick a bonsai tree. His love for her grew exponentially. Early on, he loved how Miss Lipinski would attack her programs with a knife in her hands. Later on, his love for the Kween truly required Xanax. I worry about his aging heart. Dick even called Terry Gannon from his bed when recovering from a fractured skull to tell him 'Take it to the bank, Michelle Kwan WILL be winning the World Championships."

Dick also loves himself a bad girl. He wanted to smack Nicole Bobek, couldn't get enough of Sasha Cohen's heart shaped mouth, was the first one to acknowledge Marlie's "sexual quality" and thoroughly enjoyed Katarina Witt's attitude (though not her skating.)

Like Michelle Kwan's falling leaves, Uncle Dick's commentary truly is ''the best in the business."

Listen to Dick discuss his commentary, his own competitive programs and the infamous refrigerator comment.

(My apologies if this post is utterly random and incoherent. I am sick and feeling groggy, like Dick must feel after fracturing his skull all the time.