I was told that it was tail west(150 degree turn) which is what I have done in a 777 from that gate. Maybe a pushback direction error was made for whatever reason(possibly by the tug driver used to smaller aircraft on the gate going tail west) which might explain why there was a subsequent tow forward required with a tight turn back toward the gate in order to pushback once again in the proper direction. Or maybe the story told to me was in error.
But a plausible scenario.