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Tuesday (Dancing! Stars!) edition: Wha’ Happened?

Posted on February 19th, 2008 – 7:55 AM
By Michael Rand
smith.jpg

In what is becoming a trend instead of simply a novelty, there will be yet another NFL player joining “Dancing With the Stars” this season. Miami’s fierce pass rusher Jason Taylor — soon to be traded to the Vikings* — is shimmying into the mix, joining predecessors Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith as gridiron greats with feet of gold. “What are my teammates going to say?” Taylor wondered. “Good question.” This show has tapped quite a few athletes now — Apolo Anton Ohno, Clyde Drexler and Bayside multi-sport standout Mario Lopez in past years, with Kristi Yamaguchi and Monica Seles joining the mix this year — which perhaps shouldn’t be surprising since dancing is an athletic endeavor (especially the way we do it) and because, well, these are people used to being in the spotlight and they are naturally hams. But we also can’t help be a little amazed — and maybe a little impressed — that these NFLers have taken the plunge and, in the process, stripped away a layer of our culture that would try to pigeonhole dancing into a less-than-masculine activity. Seriously, Emmitt Smith might not be able to talk very well:

But the dude has moves:

The question now is this: Which Minnesota athlete would you most like to see take the plunge and get on this show? And you can’t say Pat Williams. Because that would just be too awesome.

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*Pure speculation and wishful thinking.

14 Responses to "Tuesday (Dancing! Stars!) edition: Wha’ Happened?"

Stu says:

February 19th, 2008 at 8:13 am

Is it too much to ask for Rocket to write a preview?

MR says:

February 19th, 2008 at 8:14 am

My top 5:
1. Brock Lesnar
2. Derek Boogard
3. Matthew LeCroy
4. Nick Punto
5. Troy Williamson

skolvikings says:

February 19th, 2008 at 9:31 am

I’m not sure if this counts as a Minnesota athlete? He used to be an athlete and now has Minnesota connections.

I would have to say: Ron Gardenhire

He definitly has the class to do it and since he is a kegler I know he has the grace.

Paul Peter Paulos says:

February 19th, 2008 at 9:33 am

Damn I was going to volunteer Phat’s sheer grace and wait for him to break every bone in the foot of his partner, but if * Taylor or any pass rusher of that caliber came up here to Frostbite Falls, it would sure shore up a hole (never knew what that meant) in the glacier speed the D rush now puts on almost any opposing qb.

skolvikings says:

February 19th, 2008 at 9:35 am

Wouldn’t it be cool to have a Minnesota version of Dancing with the Stars? It could be sponsored by the Strib and aired on TPT2. I could just imagine Nick Coleman dancing with Katherine Kersten.

AZGopherGirl says:

February 19th, 2008 at 9:41 am

Rand - clearly you think race car drivers don’t count as athletes? You forgot Helio what’s-his-name.

I would love to see Carl Eller tangoing in gold lame’ and his backwards beret.

scagmajor says:

February 19th, 2008 at 9:56 am

Can I vote for Sid?

Toonces51 says:

February 19th, 2008 at 10:00 am

Question on the current cast–does Monica Seles’ need to loudly grunt thoughout her routine cost her points, or gain her points?

As for MN athletes, how about
- Kent Hrbek (watch him just get up and leave before they even set foot on the dance floor)
- Daunte Culpepper (every dance involved him getting his roll on, then emailing RandBall demanding he be traded to a new dance partner)
- Ndudi ebi (just so they have to say it over and over again)
- Lavell E. Neal III
- Trevor Winter (didn’t he dance with Dickey Vitale?)
- Stu (but only for Disco night…)

Paul Peter Paulos says:

February 19th, 2008 at 10:14 am

How about “The Freak”. He could leap over his partner ( I know no leaps allowed) and if he accidentally wasted her, he could call that move “The Meter Maid”

Ryan P. says:

February 19th, 2008 at 10:40 am

Pat Williams, Ponson, Bonser, and Oliver Miller in a waltz competition.

ramon says:

February 19th, 2008 at 11:13 am

Theo Ratliff’s expiring contract.

scagmajor says:

February 19th, 2008 at 12:41 pm

Rick Rickert would be good, too.

Paul Peter Paulos says:

February 19th, 2008 at 1:32 pm

Jim Eisenrich, so when that snobby English guy puts him down, whamm ! Right on network tv, old Jimmy can unload on the guy. Can’t wait….

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