<p>agree cartera…very impressed with Rob tonight…feel sorry that jr hurt his ankle but think he will survive to go into the finals…thinking it will be hope that goes</p>
<p>So bummed for JR, but I think he will make it to the finals. (I hope his ankle heals quickly.) I agree; Rob was a pleasant surprise. Good for him! I think Hope will be the one to go home.</p>
<p>It’s not that I want Hope to leave; I just want Maks to leave. Did you hear him? He starts telling the audience how he’s been in the finals before. geez.</p>
<p>I was surprised to see Rob looking so confident, but Rikki/Derek are good too. And JR? He looked pretty depressed tonight. 
That was a disappointment. Even with a sore ankle, it was a surprise to see JR look down.</p>
<p>I only watched the first hour because I am a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills freak and couldn’t miss that.</p>
<p>I felt so bad for JR when he fumbled his first dance. I have such an immense amount of respect and admiration for him as a person. Even if he doesn’t win, having watched him perservere has made the show a better experience for me. </p>
<p>I also thought Rob improved and after having seen him on Jay Leno, don’t think he’s as stupid as I had originally thought. However, he doesn’t NEED to win like J.R. does. I’ve always liked Rikki Lake (loved her in China Beach with Dana Delaney and Marg Helgenberger) but, again, she doesn’t need to win - a place in the semifinals will do enough for her. As for Hope, I just have not connected to her on any level, Even the story about her dad didn’t move me to think she should win. </p>
<p>I really want JR to win.</p>
<p>I think Ricki and Derek are in trouble. From the way the judges were going on and on and overscoring her samba, it suggests to me that they are in trouble with the viewers. There was no reason on earth to score Hope and Maks with SEVENs! </p>
<p>Ricki’s samba was awful. She knew it, too, from her reaction at the end, and yet the judges scored it like it was perfect. Her Argentine tango was infinitely better. I was really surprised that they placed Rob first in the cha cha. He was very good, but I thought they would give it to Ricki who was good, too.</p>
<p>Fans have kept Hope in there a lot longer than one would have expected. I think it’s funny that she mouthed off several years ago about the coach’s decision to play another goalkeeper who let the other team score, and they lost. Just like Maks did with the DWTS judges. They’re more alike that we might have guessed.</p>
<p>I agree that Rob is like another person. It must have been really hard on him growing up with 3 such sisters (and Mom, too). Losing his dad at a young age. Hopefully, he’ll find something meaningful to do with his life, unlike his sisters. I hope he finishes well.</p>
<p>But JR will win it all unless he is too injured to continue or completely falls apart.</p>
<p>I agree that Hope’s first dance shouldn’t have been a 7, though I do think they were the worst tonight. I think it’s interesting how mouthy she and Maks are. I wonder whether you’re right, tango – they know they have the fan base to get through and aren’t playing nicey-nice like everyone else. What was up with Carrie Ann criticizing Maks for smiling!!! It does appear they are targets. At the end, everyone was hugging on everyone else, except Hope and Maks.</p>
<p>My dh hasn’t been watching the show, but he caught the final dances and thought Rob was really good. He is! You have to give Cheryl a lot of credit; she seems to really get how to bring out the best in her partners. He comes across as so likeable.</p>
<p>I thought right away that Rob had the best cha cha. He was just so ebullient and everything flowed better than any of the others. I was surprised they actually scored him the highest.</p>
<p>What a treat to see that professional Tango number, especially the couple wearing Red and Black. Her body lines were amazing in/during/out of those lifts! </p>
<p>What’s up with Carrie Ann giving Rob a 10 in his first dance, the Samba, but then only giving Ricki a 9 in her Argentine Tango. Rob did a very good job tonight and deserves to go to the finals, but to me he still lacks rhythm. Agree that Cheryl, with very few exceptions (Buzz Aldrin) brings out the best in her partners because she knows how to teach. </p>
<p>Agree with Youdon’tsay, Hope definitely crossed the line tonight with her mad Maks comments after her first two dances were completed. “Hope” it is time for you to go! </p>
<p>I’m wondering if J.R. hurt his ankle because he was wearing a rubber soled athletic style shoe, instead of a ballroom dance shoe, which seemed to catch and not release on the hardwood floor?</p>
<p>I figured it would be between Hope and Rob which one should go home this week. Their dances tonight made it an easy decision. Rob really did great and deserves to go on.</p>
<p>Too bad about JR’s injury…I hope it will have time to heal so that he can prepare for the finals next week.</p>
<p>I like Ricki…but if you think that she won’t move on because she doesn’t have a fan base, I guess I better be sure to vote extra votes for her.</p>
<p>Don’t forget Cheryl & Tom Delay, Cheryl and Wayne Newton… She hasn’t always gotten stellar partners. For every Gilles Marini, there’s a Buzz Aldrin.</p>
<p>Anyone else catch how Hope hugged everyone but Derek? Seems to be bad blood between him and Maks.</p>
<p>I wasn’t surprised that Hope didn’t do well. Maks was really a Debbie Downer in practice the week leading up to the semi-finals. When Maks is positive, Hope really does a lot better.</p>
<p>But why Hope was so mean and nasty in her comments about the judges after her dances, I don’t know. She had already given up–not what I expect from a competitor that she is.</p>
<p>Re Maks and Derek: Maybe Derek told him to lighten up with Hope and Maks didn’t appreciate the advice. I’m thinking about the group dance where Maks stormed out and Derek had to take up the slack and teach Hope a move–and she responded very well to him.</p>
<p>Good riddance to both Hope and Maks! Looking forward to the finals and hoping that JR’s ankle is better. Didn’t Karina also have one of her other partners (Ralph Macchio) get injured late in the game?</p>
<p>Not surprised at all by Hope’s reaction. Although most people know her as the star goalie in this year’s World Cup, she has long had a bad reputation in the soccer world for surly, selfish behavior.</p>
<p>^She deserved to get a “Red Card” last night if she hadn’t been voted off. She sure is a sore loser…</p>
<p>I was really surprised by JR on Monday night. Where was his appealing smile? And do i really need to see Rob doing a butt-shake? He has no rhythm. That was just so grungy and lacking any sort of class. Yuck!</p>
<p>Can’t decide who should go next, but I’m sure happy that Hope and Maks are gone. Their attitudes were just dreadful, like they were owed something. And what’s with that strange hat that Maks wears during rehearsals? Is that what dancers wear during practice? Good riddance.</p>
<p>Favorite professional dancer: Derek. Not excessively showy. No weird special-dress things, like Mark Ballis’s spats or Maks’s open shirt. Just great partner dancing.</p>
<p>No one else will go now. All three couples will dance in the finals next Monday and Tuesday.</p>
<p>I look forward to the freestyle. Do well in the freestyle and chances are pretty good that you’ll be the champ (think Shawn Johnson and Donny Osmond). Mess it up weirdly (think Marie Osmond) and you’re toast.</p>
<p>The professional tango people were amazing. The guy didn’t seem to have a dancer’s body, but boy could he do those lifts!</p>
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<p>What happened? What I saw was Hope stating she’d had a great time and would now focus on winning an Olympic medal. What did I miss afterward?</p>
<p>Hope also has a booty that she wants some of the judges to kiss… according to her.</p>
<p>Had Karina ever been in the finals, and, if so, with whom?</p>
<p>^Mario Lopez? And then a romance developed…</p>