It's safe to say that the group of dancers who made it to the semi-finals in Dancing with the Stars season 13 was one of the most deserving in the show's history. Along with the two season-long front runners (J.R. and Ricki), we had the season's most improved dancer (Rob) and a solid, athletic performer (Hope).
But there was not much question of which three out of these four would make it to the finals. Did Hope ever have a chance? Probably not. But what, specifically, led to her near-inevitable downfall?
The AttitudeThis season featured a whole lot of seemingly pleasant, easy-going people. And Hope Solo had the unfortunate distinction of being the ornery one. It's not that Hope was particularly crabby or mean, but she did occasionally make it clear that she was not happy.
When you combine Hope's occasional negativity -- especially her comments
during scoring in week 9 -- with her issues-by-association-with-Maks, you get a competitor that many were going to see as a problem. Who wants to vote for a problem?
The Maks ThingHas there ever been a
DWTS professional with more misplaced expectations to win a Mirror Ball? Every season, it seems, Maksim Chmerkovskiy begins his dancing run looking poised to take the trophy. And every season, he falls short.
Is Maks a bad teacher? Does his negative attitude impact voters' choices? Could that aggressive style seen in rehearsals hamper his celebrities? Whatever the case, stars paired with Maks rarely perform up to expectations.
The DancingWhile Hope was a pretty good dancer, she was hardly the best. What she had in athletic ability, she often lacked in musicality. Some dances worked. Some dances did not. We never knew whether we were going to see brilliance or mediocrity when Hope hit the stage.
Plus, unlike the three dancers who will move on to the finals, Hope Solo never looked comfortable on the dance floor.
The FansSoccer may have become a much bigger sport in this country in recent years, but we're still a long way from a women's soccer goalie being a major superstar. Outside of the sport's fans, how many could place Hope's name before
Dancing with the Stars season 13 began? I would guess not too many.
Niche fame doesn't always make a difference. Hines Ward wasn't exactly a superstar in the demographic most tuned in to
Dancing with the Stars, and yet he won the season 12 Mirror Ball. And who had ever heard of Kyle Massey before he danced his way to the season 11
DWTS finals?
But Hope had neither the dancing skills nor the charm to win over new fans, the way those two men did. If her dancing couldn't carry her, it was never likely that the fans would.
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Was Hope the right choice for elimination? Were you surprised she made it this far? Who, of the remaining competition, will win
Dancing with the Stars season 13? Leave your comments below!
(Image courtesy of ABC)