Top 10 Athletes Who Should Be On the Next "Dancing with the Stars"

On "Dancing with the Stars," we have seen movie stars from politicians, but on the whole, athletes have done better than anyone.

From Emmitt Smith to Jerry Rice, Kristi Yamaguchi and now Chad Ochocinco, the athletes have proven they have the skills that translate to the dance floor. (Uh, Clyde Drexler, not so much.)

Each of these athletes would have a chance to succeed. But who out of all of them would be the most likely to win?

John McEnroe

Tennis star John McEnroe was known for his fiery temper on the court. He wasn’t a fan of the refs, and they weren’t fans of his either.

The big question is how he would handle the criticism. Without a racket to slam, who knows?

That’s why he would make a great dancer. McEnroe would push the pace in the competition, and he wouldn’t take criticism lightly, which would have viewers tuning in every week.

Mia Hamm

Mia Hamm scored more than 150 goals while professionally playing Soccer. This alone makes it evident that she clearly has the footwork needed to perform well as a dancer.

Hamm has the drive it takes to win over and over again. But how would she do with dancing being a team of two versus a whole team of players?

Soccer caps would likely not define dancing success, but they can’t hurt, either. Hamm would take the opportunity to dance in a heartbeat.

Darrell Waltrip

The former NASCAR and Daytona 500 champ Darrell Waltrip is very familiar with cut-throat competition. He knows what it’s like to have pressure on him until the last lap.

Waltrip is no slouch when it comes to perfectionism, and he has winning in his genes; just ask his brother Michael. Plus, he's got the personality to win over viewers.

Being that Waltrip has the focus needed to consistently perform well, he would make a welcomed addition to "DWTS."

Lindsey Vonn

Alpine ski racer Lindsay Vonn recently took gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and this was after racking up multiple World Cup championships. She is proficient in at least four types of skiing, and she has great natural athleticism.

Such a resume is perfect for "DWTS" as she will need to have interdisciplinary dancing knowledge. And we know that if she happens to mess up, she’ll only come back stronger than before.

Dennis Rodman

Being the long time bad boy of basketball, Dennis Rodman is a true competitor.

Yes, he’s had his run-ins with cameramen, technical fouls and a short stint as a professional wrestler, but these are the reasons why he would be such a hit.

Rodman would draw a lot of viewers. Like McEnroe, he likely wouldn’t take criticism very well, but he would never give up on his partner.

As for pressure, Rodman’s seen it all and he would have no pressure in performing when the heat is on.

Serena Williams

Serena Williams has spent her whole life competing with her sister Venus. That along with 25 Grand Slam titles would put her as a top competitor on "Dancing with the Stars."

Williams has great work ethic, and she would likely thrive on the atmosphere. Having served nearly 130 mph on occasion, she can effectively leverage her power with her skill, and this would make her a great contestant.

Always being the one to perform, one couldn't imagine Williams turning this opportunity down.

Tito Ortiz

Tito Ortiz is no stranger to performing. Who doesn’t love the Grave Digger?

More importantly, though, he was the reigning UFC light heavyweight champ for three years. During his time in the UFC, Ortiz had a couple of run-ins with former "Dancing" star Chuck Liddell.

Ever since, Tito and Chuck have had a rivalry that won’t quit.

This would likely be a motivating factor Ortiz to push himself and stick to a routine that he would use to get beyond the point in competition that “The Iceman” was able to get to.

Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick is arguably the most competitive female in sports today. She has hung with the guys in most all her races, and she’s never been easy on herself.

Patrick would no doubt push the pace in "Dancing with the Stars," and who knows -- she might even try to take the lead one time. The trouble is that she turned down the offer in the past.

Perhaps if she heard that some of the aforementioned female competitors were joining the Dancing ranks, her mind might change.

Like Waltrip, Patrick would be familiar with staying focused through the finish line of the competition. She would not go down easy if she even went down at all.

Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong has won the Tour de France more times than anyone. He has overcome harsh adversity, and he is certainly on the list of the best athletes in the world.

Armstrong has the discipline to make it as far as he wants in this contest, and due to his popularity, he would likely get a lot of votes to the end.

Armstrong may not be used to so many people watching one concentrated, short demonstration of his skill, but without a doubt he would certainly persist where others might have a lack of motivation.

Gina Carano

Gina Carano is the hottest item in female MMA. You would never guess that she won her first two MMA fights by knockout and holds a 7-1 record by how she looks.

Carano would easily blow away the competition with her looks alone, and she wouldn’t take her female competitors lightly. Nor would she back down from the chance to join the cast.

Carano is used to slipping punches and delivering a beating of her own. There is no doubt that she would go far in "Dancing with the Stars," and nobody would ever complain about that.