When Hines Ward's family moved to East Point, Georgia when he was one year old, few likely envisioned him putting together perhaps the best NFL career of any Georgia Bulldogs player in history. Becoming a Georgia high school football star probably didn't seem out of the question, though. But you know what nobody would've believed? On May 23, Ward has the chance to win the United States' biggest televised dancing competition, as he, along with actresses Chelsea Kane and Kirstie Alley, are Dancing With The Stars' 2011 finalists.
Can the Sandy Springs resident and partner Kym Johnson win the DWTS finale? Hey, Emmitt Smith won season No. 3, and Jerry Rice, Jason Taylor and Warren Sapp all placed. Ward and Johnson have been among the top contenders since the opening week, finishing with the highest score several times and becoming the odds-on favorites about halfway through.
UGA's second all-time leader in yards from scrimmage -- behind only the best player in college football history -- could also be the first DWTS winner to take home the Mirror Ball Trophy (that's what it's called!) despite lacking an ACL. These things happen.
Ward is known as one of the most ruthless players in the NFL, and it looks like he's got a dance partner with an equal measure of toughness. Here's video of her having an NFL player's weight slam the back of her neck into her ground -- right after that, she started fretting about practice time, then hit the stage to post a perfect score.
I've only watched a few minutes of this thing, but I say we all tune in for the final. Especially since American Idol is apparently down to a young lady from Georgia and a gent from Sakerlina, from what I understand. Two straight nights of SEC chants at reality TV competitions, y'all.
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