Hope Solo somehow survives another week on ‘DWTS’

There must be a lot of soccer fans voting on “Dancing with the Stars.”

A night after a performance that was described by one judge as their “worst dance of the whole season” followed by a testy exchange with the judges, former Huskies star Hope Solo and her partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, somehow avoided elimination Tuesday on the results show.

Instead, Chaz Bono and Lacey Schwimmer were sent home. Bono’s 19 points was the only score lower than Solo’s 20 on Monday, but Bono has had massive audience support all season, offsetting his mediocre performances.

On Monday, Solo and Chmerkovskiy seemed to do all they couple to get eliminated.

They danced an awkward rumba to “Seasons of Love” from “Rent” during Broadway week. Their mediocre performance wasn’t helped by the major public-relations disaster (at least by reality show standards) that followed when Chmerkovskiy verbally sparred with the judges and said it was “his show.”

“Maks is my teammate through and through so I stand by my teammate,” Solo said Tuesday of Chmerkovskiy’s outburst. “And of course I always love somebody who is opinionated and is not afraid to state it.”

Chmerkovskiy offered an apology to the judges Tuesday, but that didn’t save the couple from being in jeopardy at the end of the show, along with Bono and Schwimmer. Once again, Solo escaped.

After Monday’s rumba, the audience applause was tepid at best, and the couple clashed with the three judges when it became clear that their scores would not be great.

“This is your worst dance of the whole season, in my opinion,” Len Goodman said. “I’m really disappointed.”

Chmerkovskiy dismissed the criticism.

“As long as the audience likes our journey, we’re good,” he told Goodman.

After a quick back-and-forth, Carrie Ann Inaba put an end to Chmerkovskiy’s argument.

“Don’t be disrespectful,” she scolded.

Before things got testy, Inaba had some measured praise for Solo.

“I see all the effort that you’re putting in toward your movement and your movement quality,” she said. “And I definitely for the first time saw you relaxing and trusting your natural sexiness.

“But what happens is sometimes you force the move and it distorts it. … It’s blossoming and not blossoming all at once.”

Bruno Tonioli concentrated on Solo’s technique.

“It worked at times, but there is the technique,” he said. “The rumba never stops moving. Every movement has to be linked.

“It didn’t quite jell as much as it could have.”

Solo expressed frustration at her declining scores.

“People don’t understand that I am not a dancer, so I am starting behind many of these people and, I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t get it. I don’t get this show.”

After the scores were handed down Monday, Chmerkovskiy ranted against the judges.

“With all due respect, this is my show. I helped make it what it is,” he said. “I love every aspect of it. I love every professional that’s ever been here. And I love every celebrity who puts effort into every week. Having said that, I’m a little tired that we’re being judged some on effort and some being picked on our heel leads.”

Solo was less upset.

“I think this week was the first time I was able to go there, not be nervous, perform, not care about the audience and the crowd and the lights, and it felt good on the dance floor tonight,” she said.

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Did Maks’ outburst save Hope Solo?

On ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” the right dancer went home…but perhaps for the wrong reason.

Chaz Bono was eliminated last night, coming off the heels of one of the most contentious performance episodes in the show’s history. Pro dancer Max Chmerkovskiy blasted the judges Monday night after a brutal critique of his partner Hope Solo, telling judge Len Goodman that he should hang it up and that “Dancing” was his show. (The best part of the results episode was getting to see the footage of the judges reacting to that comment.)

Maks has a huge following, and the outburst no doubt generated a knee-jerk reaction among viewers at home, who voted to keep him and Hope in the competition for another week. But it may have just bought them a little time before the inevitable.

Maks qualified his comments last night, alluding to the fact that English is not his first language and that he bungled the idea he was trying to get across in the heat of the moment. “It’s not my show,” he said. “I’m part of a very large cast and I’m very proud to be here.”

Brooke Burke Charvet, the dumbest woman working in television today, asked, “Aren’t the judges entitled to their opinions?”

Maks replied, “Of course. So are we.”

As for Chaz, he was prepared although disappointed about his elimination. “I came on this show because I wanted to show America a different kind of man,” the transgender activist said, adding that he hoped his presence might help some confused kids at home with their own inner struggles.

Mom Cher tweeted last night her pride in her son and added, “But your mom ‘could cut a bitch’ ” over some of the comments from judge Bruno Tonioli that compared Chaz to a variety of animals over the season. She has a point - Bruno did get carried away there.

Now we’re down to the final five - who do you think can win “Dancing”?

Solo hopes to keep low-key lifestyle

FRANKFURT, Germany – Hope Solo is considering turning her back on a blockbuster payday following Sunday’s Women’s World Cup final in an attempt to preserve her low-key lifestyle.

The U.S. goalkeeper has seen her popularity skyrocket during the tournament, with her Twitter following exploding from 10,000 to more than 117,000 ahead of the clash with Japan.

A mass of lucrative endorsement deals are expected to follow once the event is over, with companies hoping to tap into Solo’s newfound fame and winning mentality.

Two separate advertising industry sources told Yahoo! Sports that GoDaddy.com is considering making an offer for Solo to follow car racer Danica Patrick and become a “Go Daddy Girl.”

U.S. GK Hope Solo will have to choose between relative obscurity or a huge payday after the Women's World Cup.
(Getty Images)

Solo, however, insisted she is more concerned with being able to live a normal life away from the spotlight than she is with maximizing her earning potential.

“I think and hope I will still be able to live as I have been and do things my way,” said Solo. “That is important, it is part of who I am and what I enjoy and I will take what steps I need to make sure that is the case. I like having some privacy and just being me and I don’t want that to change.

“Whatever situations come up after the World Cup is over is for me to deal with then, but money is not the most important thing to me and it never will be. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate money and respect the value of it, but I don’t make every decision based just on that.

“I have got more important things to focus on and apart from soccer and one more game, I am not really thinking about anything else right now.”

Solo plays for the Florida-based magicJack team in Women’s Pro Soccer but has a house near Seattle where she spends her offseasons and free time.

When not concerned with stopping shots or intercepting crosses, the 29-year-old enjoys simple pursuits such as camping that are somewhat at odds with her new status as the glamour girl of American soccer.

Solo has also renovated much of her home herself, installing a new bathroom and undertaking a landscaping project.

“It is my thing and I find it cool and relaxing to plan stuff out and see how you can make your home nice,” said Solo. “I have been joking with the girls that if we win the World Cup I will rip out the kitchen and put in a whole new one.”

Solo was one of the heroes for the U.S. in its gripping quarterfinal victory over Brazil, saving a critical penalty kick in the shootout to set up the victory. Despite being angry with herself for allowing a goal against France due to a mix-up, many observers felt that misfortune rather than goalkeeper error was to blame.

Either way, Solo is determined to play the game of her life Sunday, with the Americans going into the game as the heavy favorite.

“I came here with two goals,” she said. “I wanted to win the World Cup and be the best goalkeeper in the tournament.”

Just 90 more minutes could separate Solo from the fulfilment of not only her dual dream, but also the option of a path to riches that she may not choose to tread.